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Dan Beland Sends Superman 5.14c, Completes Big Show

West Coast climber Dan Beland has climbed Superman 5.14c on the Big Show in Cheakamus Canyon north of Squamish, it was the only route on the steep wall that he hadn’t climbed.

Beland’s journey to send all nine of the hard Big Show routes started in 2013 with a tick of Free Will 5.13c and was followed by a climb of Division Bell 5.13d. Of Division Bell, Beland said, “It took longer than I expected but that’s ok because this is a route I will never get tired of climbing.”

In 2014, Beland send Pulse (Canada’s first 5.14a), Patience 5.14a and Heat 5.13d. In 2015, he ticked Revival 5.14b and said, “So awesome. Despite being a link-up, it climbs very naturally. A huge amount of effort has gone into this wall over several seasons and it’s all starting to come together. Still, this is just a stepping stone en route to bigger objectives.

Jump to 2016 when Beland sent Supermanboy 5.14c and wrote on sendage.com, “After four years of obsession with this wall I finally ticked off the big one. This route is so good. On the send I had to try really hard, but I was solid and in control the entire way.” And in 2017, Beland climbed Captain America 5.14b and said, “Even though this only differs from Revival by like 15 feet of climbing, it offers its own set of challenges and is totally rad. No kneebars for me. The smoke has cleared, temps are down and the rock is feeling sticky. One more to go on the Show.

Beland took 2018 off from climbing on the Big Show and said, “Last year, I took a step back from The Big Show after getting an emotional beatdown in 2017 trying to climb Superman. After sending Captain America, I spent another two months trying to finish Superman. It actually shares the same lower crux which I had previously done. However, after falling on that crux another 50 times from the ground I was starting to feel pretty burnt out.”

Beland came back stronger than ever and climbed Superman this spring and became one of only a few climbers to send every route on the Big Show. Superman was first climbed by Sonnie Trotter and is Beland’s fifth 5.14c.

He wrote on sendage.com after, “Last one on the Big Show. Feels good to finally finish this up. I sent Free Will in 2013 and I’ve spent most of my summers since then working towards finishing the wall. It’s been a hell of a ride.”

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