Birthday Challenge ( 10 x 5.8 = 58)

For my 58th birthday I had hoped to be in Boulder but instead Nat, Brent and I went to Horseshoe Canyon Ranch in Arkansas. My birthday challenge was to lead 10 5.8’s and by coincidence, the North Forty climbing area happens to have 11 5.8’s. Thankfully, Nat and Brent were up for the challenge too, even though we didn’t get up to the cliff until 9pm on my birthday. They were also nice enough to let me do the first lead on each climb but we each lead all of the climbs. We steadily averaged 2 climbs per hour (3 climbers leading each climb comes out to about 10 minutes per lead) and we all completed the challenge at around 2am. Next day Brent took us to places on his tick list and they were GREAT. We went to Magoo Rock which as fantastic overhanging and abrasive climbs on perfect rock. Then we bushwhacked over to Mullet Buttress. After swimming in the Buffalo River during the heat of the day, we went to the Confederate Crack area and finished up after dark on the Prophecy Wall. Even though the weather for the weekend was pushing 100 we climbed either early in the morning or late at night and never climbed directly in the sun. Besides our nighttime adventure I got to lead a couple of new 8's, a 9+ and 3 new 10a's. PERFECT birthday with NO FALLS !!!