Climbing Hack: Send Harder Grades

Usually it takes a lot of time and effort training and practicing to progress through the climbing grades. But I stumbled upon a climbing hack, to send harder without putting in effort, just go to a gym with easier ratings! It seems to me that the 5.11s at the new gym in California I've been going to are like the 5.10s at my old gyms in New York and New Hampshire. I think it doesn't really matter though, because the ratings are mostly useful to compare different climbs at the same gym, and pretty much all gym ratings are softer than outdoor ratings. I have only climbed once outside here so far, at Castle Rock State Park, and we thought we were doing a 5.9, but we later found out that it was a 5.11d, so ya, we didn't send the hard move. I'm excited to try more outdoor climbing here though.

The photo is of Jeff about to start following me on the second pitch of Thin Air (5.6) on Cathedral Ledge in New Hampshire, which we climbed before I left for California. The route was absolutely awesome. I think it was the best route I've lead outside so far. I'm dying to climb it again with Ari next time we're in NH.