Sarah Hart is Chasing Grades and Sends First 5.13c

Sarah Hart is a great all-round climber with big ascents in the alpine and on hard trad routes and she is now turning her sights on hard sport climbs.

On Instagram, she announced that she has climbed Strange Days 5.13c on Forgotten Wall at Cheakamus.

“By all accounts it’s a junky route and a grade that doesn’t mean much on the grand scheme of things. But for working stiffs everywhere it was a coup,” said Hart.

“I could literally drive my car to the base of it after racing to the crag after work and it’s one more tick in the boxes of things I want to get done before adult life gets the better of me.

“I feel pretty ok with admitting that at 38, this girl is definitely chasing grades. I want to send 5.14, it’s that simple. Will I get there? Well I’ll be freaking damned if I don’t give it my very best effort.”

Photographer Fernando Lessa was there to capture this great image of Hart on Strange Days.

I believe it was Journey that said, “don’t stop believing…unless your dream is stupid!” I’m joking, they didn’t say that ?. Last week I sent my hardest sport climb yet. Strange Days, 5.13c an often overlooked climb on the left edge of Forgotten Wall. I think Kelly and I were both shocked when I sent. By all accounts it’s a junky route and a grade that doesn’t mean much on the grand scheme of things. But for working stiffs everywhere it was a coup. I could literally drive my car to the base of it after racing to the crag after work and it’s one more tick in the boxes of things I want to get done before adult life gets the better of me. I feel pretty ok with admitting that at 38, this girl is definitely chasing grades. I want to send 5.14, it’s that simple. Will I get there? Well I’ll be freaking damned if I don’t give it my very best effort. Then, I’m retiring to the mountains ? . . . . . . ? @walkinglessa #mecambassador #mountainvision #noplacetoofar (…or frigging close to where you parked your freaking car!) #imnotthesame

A post shared by Sarah Leanne Hart (@sarahleannehart) on May 30, 2018 at 5:44pm PDT

Strange Days is a 22-metre 11 bolt route with a mix of technical and burly ones.

In 2013 with Colin Haley, Hart made the first ascent of the West Face of Mojon Rojo via their 700-metre El Zorro 5.10, A1.

In Canada with Haley, she made the first ascent of the 900-metre mixed route Sashimi Don in 2014.

Hart is from Newmarket, Ontario, and started climbing on the limestone bluffs of the Niagara Escarpment. She’s now based on the West Coast.

Watch this short 2018 video from MEC featuring Hart.