How long climbing till your first 12?

[krazykid]

Hearing about Meadows sick send and then an exchange between Wes and Alan Evil on the "Any 'sick' sends this weekend?" thread made me wonder how long it took all you 5.12 climbers out there to send your first 12? Sending 12's still looks impossible to me... Just wondering when I should quit dreaming...

[rhunt]

never quit dreaming! I didn't send my first 12 until after 4 years of climbing.

[rockstar]

less than a year. but i don't know why you would give up on a grade or climb you really want to do.

[Wes]

5.12 is hard, but not out of reach for anyone who doesn't mind putting the work in. In my case, it took 6 years, but I started way overweight and out of shape. If you really put the effort into climbing and training, I think just about anyone could send a 5.12 within a couple-three years. Getting past 5.12 and into 5.13 is where the big time cutoff is.

Wes

[SikMonkey]

A year and a half I think. Hell, I can't remember so I will vote 2 years.

Mj

[Meadows]

This send actually comes very close to the date of the four year anniversary when my roommate and I woke up at 4am one Saturday morning and made our first trip to the Red. My cousin Dusty met us at Military and introduced me to outdoor climbing. I couldn't get to the first bolt on Sunshine! However, it wasn't until two years ago that I dedicated myself to climbing and since last Spring, I've climbed almost every weekend in the Red.

A year ago, I thought I'd never send Pulling Pockets (it was this send that sent me on my way) - now I bet I can do it blindfolded. Just kidding.

[pawilkes]

it took me 4 1/2 years but there was lots of time that i wasn't climbing regularly for various reasons. if you climb regularly and inteligently (ie don't break yourself) it is definately possible for it to only take a couple years. i heard somewhere that dave grahm or some famous guy like him sent a .13 his first season!

[frzsnow]

I top-roped a 12 last spring after two years of sporadic climbing. My goal for this summer is to lead one!

[Crankmas]

I came across an older issue of one of the climbing rags giving kudos for a 54 year old cat and his hardest to date send, 5.13D in Rifle- groovy

[bcrock]

It took me about 6 years to redpoint my first 5.12a. The first time I got on Ro Shampo I did it with 1 fall up near the top. I started climbing when I was 44 years old. I lived in southern California and climbed regurlarly with a group older than myself who climbed 5.12. At first 5.12 seemed soooooo remote and impossible. However, after several years and many of those magical realizastions, the ones where something just clicks, you see someone do a move, you feel the signifigance of a lock-off, the power of a drop-knee, 5.12 didn't seem so remote.

I don't chase numbers. When I climb regularly and just fall in love with the movement the numbers fall. Dream about anything you want. Just keep feeling.