Joe Skopec Repeats Lion’s Head 5.14 and Sends New Line
But it's all in prep for potentially more difficult autumn projects
Ontario climber Joe Skopec recently wrapped up a stellar week at Lion’s Head, where he snagged an ascent of Lion’s Head Express 5.14b. He sent the line on his fourth day of working the route.
“I should of done it on day one,” said Skopec, “but the mind games began. Sometimes the mental battle is harder then the route. But six months of training twice a day paid off.”
Skopec also made the first ascent of Infinite Skills, an old project above Above the Clouds 5.13 trad, that he says is 5.12+-ish. Earlier this year, Skopec made the first ascent of Fire and Blood 5.14 at a crag with finicky access near Kingston.
His focus is now on a new crag that he found above a lake in Ontario. The area is still top secret, but there are a number of 5.14 projects on the slightly overhanging 25-metre granite face. Like many climbers in Ontario, Skopec is waiting for fall temps and better-than-August sending conditions.
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