As the sun peaked into the valley of Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, its rays awakened the zombie-like slumber that we had grown accustomed to for the past 8 hours in the dark despair of night. We drank the rays as if it were an elixir for eternal life. Team “Devil Wears Prana” went into hyperdrive finishing up its rampant run within the ranch with each teammate sending their hardest route, 22 hours into the comp. Little did we know, we would emerge victorious at the award ceremony that same afternoon. This is the tale of 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell – The Golden Year.
WElcome to Hell – AN Introduction
Horseshoe Canyon Ranch is a one of a kind dude ranch located in the rolling hills of Northwest Arkansas. It’s a little slice of southern charm that is home to beautiful sandstone cliffs along the perimeter of the ranch. What makes the ranch special physically is the concentration of climbing. There are hundreds of routes stacked on top of each other, begging the question, “I wonder how many I could do in a big day?” To make things even sweeter, it is an insanely high concentration of beginner to moderate grades, think 5.6 – 5.10.
To answer this question, every September a wide array of climbers migrate to the ranch to test their abilities in the sufferfest that is 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell (24HHH). I won’t get into the minutia but the rules are quite simple:
- You and your partner have 24 hours to climb as many pitches as possible
- Every pitch has to be led clean – no falls
- You can repeat a route twice for any pitch of rock climbing within the ranch
- Have fun and climb safe
If you want to get a little better understanding of the spirit that is 24 HHH, the ranch was highlighted within a segment of Reel Rock 10 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXNOTJFEBsQ) The documentary highlights the goofiness and absurdity of the competition. Imagine a flood of climbers in creative costumes, blowhorns, and endless psyche. However, what the film doesn’t capture about the event is what brings all of us back year after year: community.
This competition is like the island of misfit toys, all are welcome. It doesn’t matter if you’re Alex Honnold or someone who wants to romp up 5.6 all day – you’re valued and welcome at 24HHH. The ethos of the competition is impossible to capture within written word but, it’s a sight to behold. Outrageous team names, haircuts you could have never dreamed up, and thought-provoking costumes are standard. I encourage you to go look at past years Team Names on the website (https://www.twofourhell.com/) you’ll get a chuckle for some of the greatest climbing puns out there.
One analogy that I can think of for the community aspect of Hell is that the vibe is similar to Bonnaroo: The mega music festival in Tennessee. The energy is uplifting – a breath of fresh air, provides positivity you wish you had each day in your life, and leaves you feeling full with human connection. Seeing is believing so…. I guess I’ll just have to see you in Hell, give you a hug, and a proper introduction 🙂
As for Johnny and I, we chose a punny team name – “Devil Wears Prana” and a functional costume. We knew we wouldn’t win best costume or team name but, we showed up looking to take home some hardware. In 2019, it was our second year at 24HHH – sophomores who wanted more than hitting the minimal quota to get invited back but, to really press ourselves in the deep pits of the pain cave that is Type II fun. As always, Hell aims to deliver and boy oh boy…. did it deliver.
Prepping for Hell
One does not simply walk into Hell without spending months of training and strategic planning. This comp is more than just pushing yourself mentally and physically within the wee hours of the morning. It also requires a mastery of logistics. To be competitive within the comp, a good bit of strategic planning goes a long way. Climbing for 24 hours is no small feat and climbing at a swift pace for 24 hours is a different level. All aspects need to be taken into consideration including nutrition, clothing/gear drop offs for night temperatures, hydration supplements, coffee/caffeine stimulants, treats for the low moments, etc. This doesn’t even touch the nitty gritty of route selection… I won’t give away all of our proprietary strategy info 😉 but, here are a couple of lifesavers we have found over the past two years:
- Veggie Burritos – Solid energy, quick to eat and portable, stays well overnight at ambient temps
- Costco Storage Bin – Perfect stash bin for layers, water drops, food, etc. Critter Proof!
- Cold brew coffee at 10 pm – Given out by the Hell staff! It’s a must if you’re in the area (& your tummy can handle it)
- Singe Rack of Cams – Plug some gear while waiting for sport lines
- La Sportiva Mythos! Perfect all day shoe, if sized properly, that you can literally run in from crag to crag
- Research, research, research! Check out cliffs with high density of grades you’re targeting, approximate travel times, crowds, etc.
Once a plan is in place, the training begins! A clearly defined goal allows for specific and efficient training. A very simplified version of looking at capacity training is the thought process of doing x intensity for y duration over z attempts. If you’re able to build training that works off this principle and is specific to your goal, you’ll have success. In a later post I’ll touch a bit more on capacity training and how to push your current levels.
Gameday
Hell starts with a shotgun start at 10:00 AM sharp on Friday morning. Prior to the blast, there are a series of theatrics that will make even a dead man’s heart race. Roll call provides ample opportunity for a chuckle. Imagine Team names being read aloud on a loud speaker by the cult leader, Andy. A couple of my favorites from year’s past include: “All my hexes live in Texas”, “Drop Knees not Bombs”, “I wish this mic was a penis”, etc. Once the ruckus of roll call quiets down, you can feel the mood shift in the air. The Climber’s Creed is led by “Gordo the Great” – Jeremy Collin’s alter ego. It’s an intimate exchange between your partner and self, almost like vows before saying “I do” for holy matrimony. As teams bellow the words in unison and the trademark phrase – “We are lions in a field of lions” is spoken, the exchange ends with the blast of a shotgun and the games begin.
Teams fan far and wide running to all corners of the horseshoe valley. It’s a blur. After the heart racing Climber’s Creed, sprinting uphill to the cliff, you rack up, tie in, and take a few breaths before starting the routine you embrace for 24 hours. The first few pitches are used to get your sea legs and bring the heart rate down from all the stimulus. Once you’ve cranked out 4 -5 pitches, the well worn groove becomes established. It zigs and zags slightly but the bread and butter is the following:
- Climb your first pitch on the route – try wiping the shit eating grin off your face, I dare you
- Clip chains and lower to the ground
- Climber pulls remainder of the rope through the chains while the belayer reloads their Grigri
- Climber launches off for lap #2 on the same route
- Clip chains and lower to the ground
- Belayer pulls rope as climber unties and set ups belay.
- Repeat Steps 1 – 6 for partner!
- Clean draws and run to next route
This routine is broken up with mingling with other competitors at the cliff, snacks, and the hourly howl that roars throughout the ranch. Each hour on the hour, a howl cascades throughout the crags to signal the completion of another 60 minutes within hell. It’s a repeating reminder to do a small check-in with yourself and partner. Are you cramping? Where are you at mentally? Are we on pace for projected goals? How are the hands and feet feeling? On the flip side, it’s a time for our old friend, doubt, to creep in. The enormity of the competition at hand becomes quite overwhelming when you’re in a low moment at the 8 hour mark… you hear the howl echo throughout, and you realize your only a third of the way there…. Doubtful questions pop into your head. Can I keep up this pace for the next 16 hours? When will the true bonk come? Can I even climb one pitch an hour for the next 16 hours?
The kryptonite I have found to these worrisome thoughts is chunking. Chunking or batching is when you break down an enormous task, climb for 24 straight hours, into little bite size chunks that are much more manageable. In the fog of war that is the competition, I will set mini goals for myself each hour that give me a task to focus on. These could be comp related – climb 10 pitches this hour, or having nothing to do with the competition – eat a breakfast burrito and meet someone new while belaying! The whole idea is to keep doubt at bay and allow for yourself to focus in on the moment. After all, you can practically do anything for 60, 30, 15, or 5 minutes. Get creative and choose your own chunking method.
As the competition hits the 12 hour mark, a sense of accomplishment overtakes you as you realize you’re halfway there! Fireworks boom throughout the ranch. Emitting a glow that is reminiscent of the warm sun that we felt just hours ago. Night is upon us. The angels that are the competition staff, provide fresh cold brew, smores, and a variety of other treats at varying hubs throughout the crags. These treats and aid stations are somewhat a signal to all the climbers to herd together to brace for the inevitable hardship that is the back half of Hell.
As day turns to night, the headlamps, flood lights, and glowsticks come out in force. The mood of the competition shifts towards the sufferfest that is climbing all through the night. Climbers flock to the popular crags to feel the warmth of the light in the black abyss. Comradery is abundant in these moments as teams are shoulder to shoulder working their way through pitches. Few teams will venture out to the obscure crags to embrace the darkness and avoid the lines. These times are filled with silence and the eerie shroud that is complete darkness as you belay your partner. At this point in the night, the routine is second nature and communication has devolved into a series of grunts. You can feel the onset of the inevitable late night bonk that will overtake you physically and mentally. Buckle up because it’s a bumpy ride.
The Big Bonk
If hydration was an after thought in the first half, debilitating cramps settle in throughout your body. Fatigue offers great temptation to sit down and “take 5” which naturally leads to an accidental nap. This is the big bonk. Competitors may have experienced several minor bonks throughout the day but there is something horrendous that occurs usually at the 2, 3, or 4 AM mark.
Stomach acid increases at night making your insides feel like their turning against themselves. At this point in the competition you’re full of caffeine, electrolyte supplements, PB & J, and burritos. You feel like shit and want to vomit. Muscles are cramping and begging for reprieve. Each step with your swollen feet feel like glass shards are sticking straight out of the ground. It’s a very distinct feeling when you have the wherewithal to realize you have hit the big bonk. The key is to realize this is the worst it’s going to get.
The bonk is a vulnerable place and it’s key to rely on your partner. Typically emotions and psyche will oscillate like a sine wave within a team. As one partner is down in the dumps, it’s the role of the second to inject some life into their friend. Words of encouragement, whipping out that secret stash of candy bars, reminders of hydration, or relieving some of the physical load for your partner are all great ways to support. Johnny and I have snipped at one another and bickered during these low moments but we know it comes from a place of suffering.
These moments act as a forge within the relationship between you and your partner. The old adage, “Bend but don’t break” becomes a mantra at these points. Providing support physically or mentally to your partner or another team are moments I cherish most within the competition. For me personally, in life it’s interesting how the moments of suffering and hardship are some of my most fond memories. The Type II fun that is involved with enduring and conquering a monumental objective is a truly unique experience. In a life filled with fluff, a little hardship is good for the soul.
Daybreak – A Welcomed Sight
As the night gives way to daylight, the sun slowly creeps on the East end of the ranch. The light first appears as a minor glow, prepping our bodies for the Nitrous Oxide that will be injected into our souls. The shift of the day once again gives way to the flame of the competition being reignited. The daylight marks the final push. The sun in all its wonder dissipates all those pains felt throughout the dark night. Fatigue, grogginess, and pain all evaporate to an after thought, your body has been renewed.
It’s a mad sprint to the end. Johnny and I pressed our bodies and skin to the limit. Standing below a one-move wonder, we tied in to do our hardest route of the comp at the 22 hour mark. After a few power screams we both had completed our two laps on a bouldery 5.10+. The last two hours were a blur as we willed our aching bodies up as many moderates as possible before the long haul back to the scoring booth. As time was winding down, we finished on Groovy, an outstanding 5.8 that’ll put a smile on your face no matter what condition you’re in! We grabbed our things and returned to the main pavilion to turn in our score cards and reap the rewards of our efforts.
Elation – surviving hell
The competition ends with one final shotgun shell. It’s a gathering of truly haggard climbers who partake in celebratory beers, cocktails, and donuts. Teams congregate and recall their experience in the madness that was the prior 24 hours. As the body realizes it’s requirement has been fulfilled, climbers will carry themselves to their resting spot to get a couple hours of sleep before the awards ceremony and debauchery that is Saturday Night at Horseshoe Hell.
24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell award ceremonies are unlike any competition you’ve every attended. Spectators and climbers alike gather for a huge spaghetti dinner and pull up on a hill right outside the pavilion. A slip n’ slide is thrown up and the MC gets the show on the road. Prizes are plentiful and shenanigans are hilarious including all out sprint races for new climbing ropes, awards for most 5.6’s climbed, and the Mile High Club – climbers who climbed over a vertical mile within the comp. If competitors get called for an award the climber takes a pull of liquor (optional), takes a ride down the slip n’ slide, cuddles up for a selfie with the comp founder and collects their prize. It’s an experience to say the least.
As the award ceremony comes to a close, the masses flock to the upper pavilion for the festivities. Parties at Hell are an experience on their own right, bringing spectators and climbers alike together for a night of rowdiness. The night begins with a punk cover band that plays classics from Green Day, The Killers, Blink 182, etc. A mosh or two usually erupts as classics like Mr. Brightside are played on repeat. The party shifts from moody punk to EDM where a full blown DJ and lightshow is set up in the tiny pavilion. Bodies cram in the tight quarters for heavy bass and drops that will have your heart racing. It’s hard to capture the essence of the after party but one should experience the thrill. The music pumps till early morning where climbers will slowly trickle back to their tents for a couple of hours of sleep before the pancake breakfast on Sunday morning. The brekky signifies the completion of Hell. As the fog of sleep deprivation fades away on the journey back home, you’re left recounting memories you’ll have for a lifetime, and counting down the days till next year’s festivities.
HOw did it end up for Devil Wears Prana?
Johnny and I had audacious goals of placing within our division for Hell 2019. Additionally, I had personal goals of “climbing El Cap” twice (6,000+ ft) and completing 150+ pitches within the 24 hour limit. Not only did we place in the division, we took the cake! Team Devil Wears Prana placed 1st overall within the Intermediate Division AND we took 1st and 2nd in the individual category.
A stat that I am extremely proud of is the fact that 20%+ of the routes I completed during the comp were rated in the 5.10 range. This comes out to be approximately 33 pitches of 5.10 which would have been unheard for me after the first year. After all, I completed 0, zilch, nothing in the 5.10 range in my first year of competition. Hard work and consistency pays off. It’s a simple equation but a real pain to follow through on.
I never thought that in our second year of doing the competition, that we would proverbially stand on the podium. Maybe this shred of clout will get us a Prana sponsorship for this year? A guy can only hope!
We move up to the Advanced division for 2021 and I am looking forward to the next challenge. I mean 2020 was a wash and we had all that time to train in the 400 sq. ft. shoebox. Keep an eye out for Team Devil Wears Prana in 2021, we are coming in hot and ready to suffer. After all, what’s life without a little struggle?
Much Love,
Kyle
