Crimpin' Ain't Easy -24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell

Sure, we had to move to Nicaragua the next day, but we weren't about to miss one of our favorite events of the year! 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell. At the gun shot, climbers race off to complete as many routes as they can in 24 hours. Ambitious and costume clad, competitors climb through the night... (and through the skin on their hands). It's insane. And awesome. It's insanely awesome.

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By Madre AdventurerNov 14, 20130 comments

Rock Climbing Competition in Jasper, Arkansas

~ Adventure by Team SMr ~

Sure, we had to move to Nicaragua the next day, but we weren't about to miss one of our favorite events of the year! 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell. At the gun shot, rock climbers race off to complete as many routes as they can in 24 hours. Ambitious and costume clad, competitors climb through the night... (and through the skin on their hands).

It's insane. And awesome. It's insanely awesome.

Sometimes it's just necessary to scream aggressively at the wall...

Night Climbers

11 PM..

12 AM...

1 AM..

There is so much color and movement as the climbers scamper around searching for open routes

24 HHH is held at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch in Jasper, Arkansas. The ranch is nestled in the base of the canyon where the fields roll in the wind and the color change in fall is jaw-dropping. But to our avail, it's not just a serene and beautiful place, the climbing is exceptional too. The canyon wall serves as a sort of fortress around the ranch, drawing the shape of a horseshoe and providing over 300 routes with pristine views from the top of each. It is known as one of the finest sandstone sport climbing destinations east of the Rockies. Sport routes range from 5.4 to 5.14 (most of which reside in the 5.8 to 5.11 range). Plenty of trad and bouldering too.

Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Southeast climbers Oasis

Starry night climbs

The event director of 24 HHH, Andy Chasteen, does a killer job organizing and creating hype before, during, and after the event. On the last night of the 4 day weekend, Andy announces the winners out of some 280 climbers. Climbers from all over the world huddle together awaiting the results and taking cover from the surprise downpour outside. Cheers reign out as the most routes climbed dazzles us all. Wayne Hartlerode claimed a 24HHH record this year with an incredible gold horseshoe trophy winning number of 246 routes climbed by an individual in the 24 hour period. UNREAL. Natalie Neal Dower claimed the female record with 134 routes. INCREDIBLE. Chris Thomas and Hayden Kennedy from team BDEEZ NUTS took the competition and set a new 24HHH record with 67, 690 points total (routes ranging from 5.5-5.12c). Overall, 21,841 pitches were climbed altogether with 102 people climbing 100+ pitches each. AWESOME.

24 HHH Director, Andy Chasten, announces the results to a pavilion filled to the brim and spilling over with anxious competitors

At the end of it all climbers are fed the best meal they've ever tasted (or at least at this point of hunger and exhaustion it seems so) and celebration is had. The 24HHH crew throws a huge barn party with some Belgium Wheat Beer and dancing.

This is our second year attending 24HHH of hopefully many seasons to come. We like to set up "community hang" zones around the property where exhausted and tattered bodies can find a moments rest before they climb-on again.

Community Hang