The Red River Gorge

Brooke Raboutou, Margo Hayes, Stella Noble

with Coach Robyn and Coach Garrett

Brooke

You probably already know that Brooke’s trip to The Red has already gone down in history as Brooke became the youngest female, the youngest American, and one of two of the youngest people in the world ever to climb 14a when she sent God’s Own Stone on March 29th, 2012. More on that here – Brooke Raboutou God’s Own Stone.

~

Coach Robyn

You may not know that Brooke’s mom, Coach Robyn, also sent the God’s Own Stone on the last day of the trip and by doing so showed once again that climbing is a sport in which, with proper motivation, training, and practice, you can continue to perform at your top level for many many years.

For those of you who don’t know, 1993 Robyn, then a top competition climber, became the 3rd woman in the world to climb 14a with Silence. That same year she quickly climbed her second with Attention Vous Regard. 15 years later, in August of 2008, Robyn again climbed 14a with Bad Attitude (to the top anchors) in France. She was 45 years old. Since then she has continued to make hard sport ascents including onsights and flashes up to 13b and a another 14a, Quick n’ Toast, in the summer of 2011. (She has also done several boulder problems up to V11.) On this trip Robyn also made a 2nd try ascents of the 13bs Paradise Lost (w/no rest), Golden Boy, and Elephant Man.  God’s Own Stone was Robyn’s 5th 14a and she was 48 years old at the time of the ascent.

Though she is happy with her climbing, Robyn’s ascent of GOS took much longer than Brooke’s, and Robyn says that her kids (son Shawn sent his first 14b last summer with Welcome to Tijuana in Rodellar) are finally passing her up. As she puts it:

I’ve now been schooled by both Shawn and Brooke.

~

Stella

Stella Noble tried very hard to send her first 13b with Golden Boy, but unfortunately she was unable to pull off the difficult jump at the top of the route on her redpoint burns.  Coach Robyn reports:

Stella was super strong overall on the climb but the beginning took just a little too much out of her for the last move to go in linkage.

Hopefully Stella will send this route, as well as any other projects she may choose, on her next trip to the Red.

~

Margo

Margo Hayes did Paradise Lost w/rest (13a) and Golden Boy (13b). She tried to climb the 13b version of Paradise Lost in which you do not take the rest, but after falling at the top several times she decided to take the 13a and move on. She projected Swingline (13d) on the trip as well but didn’t get it.

Margo has previously climbed 13c with Bad Attitude (first anchors) as well sent several 13bs and 13as.

~

Coach Garrett

Garrett has for many years been primarily a boulderer, but since he began working with Team ABC Garrett has begun rope climbing as well. On last year’s trip to the Red Garrett sent 2 13as, a 13b, and a 13c. This year he sent three 13bs – Dracula04, Golden Boy, and Elephant Man. He projected Swingline (13d) with Margo, but he didn’t manage to send on the week-long trip either.

~

Nice job girls and Garrett!

And here’s one more cool photo from the Red:

See what Rock and Ice has to say about Robyn’s ascent – Oh, and Mama climbed 5.14, too | Rock and Ice.com