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You’ll find this route on the center column facing the lead wall and if you like surprise endings, you’ll dig this route. It has some real fun moves and some fun features. You’ll find a nice mix of pinches and buckets with just enough grit to make a nine. The route starts off with a …

The post 5.9 | Salt Water Taffy appeared first on figure8.

This route is in the back corner next to the auto-belay and it is a douse. It’s a blue route with some nice corner work in the middle but the top is all tiny holds. This route isn’t rated yet but we have a spoiler for you. This route starts like many in this corner …

The post 5.8 | Main Sprinkler Valve appeared first on figure8.

It has been too long. The last figure8 Podcast episode was published back in January 2017 so I thought a nice easy 5.7 route would be a good warm up for my day and for the Podcast. This orange route is on the center column near the bouldering wall and is a nice warm up …

The post 5.7 | Liftchair Sunset appeared first on figure8.

I have been climbing on the guest pass of a friend at Salt Pump for a while. We have a routine, we climb a few top rope routes, get pumped out and call it a day. I’m lead certified at evo Rock + Fitness but had never bothered to get lead certified elsewhere. Until today, …

The post 5.6 | Steep Sheep appeared first on figure8.

You may not have noticed but I haven’t been on a lead route in more than a year. I’ve also never captured a clean climb on a lead route, ever! The sadness ends today with this 5.8 route at evo Rock + Fitness in Portland, aptly named ‘Rub the Belly.’ Today marks a milestone in …

The post 5.8 | Rub the Belly appeared first on figure8.

This green route faces the benches on the center pillar and was a fun one with some nice features. This route has some nice features and even though its a 5.8 it is still a great climb with lots of nice angles. You’ll even notice the light heel hock around the feature for balance. There …

The post 5.8 | Das Tufa appeared first on figure8.

If you scroll down a few you’ll see that this route below but the previous climb was done on top rope. This time around I sent it on mock lead. In lead climbing you have the added difficulty of clipping your rope, managing a rope from below and not above, and the potential for more …

The post 5.8 | Outside the Cones appeared first on figure8.

The last time I climbed this route, I was winding down and wasn’t able to climb it clean. This time around, I made it clean, but also realized again at top out that I was not only on the wrong rope, but the rope was also twisted. This route is pretty fun and was a …

The post 5.7 | Pirate Ships (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8.

This is the same route from below climbed a while ago but this time around I’m climbing for a lead test. When you take a lead test you usually have to perform a few basic parts. Demonstrating back clipping, z-clipping, are common requirements. Once you demonstrate some clipping knowledge, you’re asked to demonstrate lead climbing …

The post 5.9 | Get Your Wallet (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8.

Even though this route is rated a 5.9, it climbs more like a 5.8 so it’s what I call an ego climb. Overall it is pretty straight forward. There are only a few moments where you feel a bit awkward and off-balance but switching feet or matching hands means you get some advantage back. Some …

The post 5.9 | Get Your Wallet (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8.