Weekend Whipper: Elvis Leg + Indecision = Upside-Down Ground Fall

We all have commitment issues. When the crux is low and the feet are slick, like they are on Hoyo 12 (6b+/5.10d) in the Canary Islands, it can be difficult to punch it while so close to the ground.

Jon Castellano Aguiar is all too familiar. “The start is the most difficult part of the route. It is a section [of slopers],” he wrote to Climbing in an email. With positive holds few and far between, Hoyo “forces you to move in a Z shape,” once you’ve figured out the beta, of course.

Aguiar slowly advances higher and higher, testing holds before deciding which sequence is best for him. His pump builds and his feet start to skate, not helped by the route’s proximity to open water. “Being close to the sea, the rock is usually wet,” he explains.

When Aguiar is properly situated in decking territory—waist-level with the second bolt but too pumped to clip it—he backs off. A wise move, sure, but an unfortunate ending.

Happy Friday, and be safe out there this weekend.

Readers, please send your whipper videos, information, and any lessons learned to Anthony Walsh, awalsh@outsideinc.com.

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