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Mason Earle Establishes New 5.14 Crack Climb

Mason Earle sent his three-year, overhanging finger-crack project yesterday in Bartlett Wash, outside of Moab, giving it the grade of 5.14-.

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Mason Earle sent his three-year, overhanging finger-crack project yesterday in Bartlett Wash, outside of Moab, Utah, giving it the grade of 5.14-.

“This crack has the wildest and most sustained movement of any route I’ve ever climbed,” Earle wrote on Instagram.

For the send, Earle removed his right shoe to be able to insert taped toes into the narrowest sections. At 5.14-, the Bartlett Wash crack joins the ranks of the hardest crack climbs in the United States. Earle has been working the route on and off since he found the crack in 2012.

Video of Earle working the route in 2013:


Yesterday I sent my long term project in Bartlett Wash, outside of Moab. I found this crack in 2012, and have been working it on and off ever since. This crack has the wildest and most sustained movement of any route I’ve ever climbed, and it’s severely overhanging for the entire 30 meters. A true geometric anomaly. Yesterday I had the fire in my eyes, and I knew I could give it a solid go. It went down first try of the day with @sketchy_andy belaying in a swami and @miahwatt snapping pics. Head over to his page for a picture of the tape job I used on the route. Thanks to everybody who belayed me on this thing, and thanks to my Moab crew for giving me a home whilst I toiled away on the proj @eddiebauer @blackdiamond @fiveten_official

A photo posted by Kinloch Mason Earle (@mason_earle) on