The Ritual Is a New 5.14d in the U.S.A.
BJ Tilden shares the story of his first ascent of The Ritual 5.14d in Tensleep Canyon
On August 30, American climber BJ Tilden made the first ascent of The Ritual 5.14d (9a) at The Temple crag high in Tensleep Canyon, Wyoming. Sharing the start with Pneuma 5.14d, another of Tilden’s first ascents, The Ritual breaks up and right through a steep wall of crimps, pockets, and underclings. Mellow just released a film detailing Tilden’s FA of The Ritual, which you can watch below.
“I really didn’t know if it was going to go down this year,” said Tilden on Instagram after his August 2023 ascent of The Ritual. “Today was my last day to go to the Temple before leaving to go elk hunting next week. Conditions were absolutely perfect and the route felt easy…right up until the last 8 moves. It was a desperate fight to the very end! Such a relief to clip those [chains].”
Tilden, 43, is one of the best sport climbers in the United States, and a prolific first ascensionist of hard routes. He’s opened dozens of 5.14s in his home state of Wyoming. In June 2022, he made the first ascent of Hard Twisted 5.15a in Wolf Point, his hardest route to date. He has nine 5.14d routes to his name, eight of them being Wyoming first ascents. Of his 25 5.14c’s, 18 are first ascents in Wyoming.
BJ Tilden’s FA of The Ritual 5.14d
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