From Atop One Steep Slab
It took this accomplished climber more than four months to link all the difficult segments of her newest challenge together, but on a cold Yosemite day in February, Beth Rodden bagged her newest first ascent: Meltdown. The climb is being called the hardest naturally protected rock climb ever achieved by a woman and likely the hardest trad pitch in the United States (traditional climbing using careful placement of cams, nuts, and hexes to set your own safety system). This 70-foot overhanging crack has yet to be rated, but it is in the 5.14c range. Back on ground level, Beth took the time to give us the scoop on how she was able to accomplish such a feat.
credit: Corey Rich Photography
I went to the route each day thinking if I could just make a little progress somewhere, whether it was the crux or not, I might be able to do it. I think I really realized that I needed to rise to a level that I hadn’t been at before, mentally and physically. I really worked on my power by bouldering with friends, and I climbed through fatigue when I needed to and rested really well.
It took me about three months to climb from the bottom through the crux. About two months into it, I figured out a new sequence for the crux, which allowed me to make a lot of progress. I completed the climb about a month and a half after that. The climb itself was definitely very difficult for me. The individual moves were really hard, and having to put them all together was really challenging. On top of that, being a traditional climb and having to place gear added yet another layer.
I think the hardest part of the climb was the culmination of everything counting down. I felt pressure on this project that I normally don’t feel. Usually, I can climb when I want—when I feel healthy and strong and have a lot of time, but the waterfall [nearby, that kept spraying Beth and the rock with water, making the route slippery and raising the water level below her], the weather—it all added up. I think at times I would be all consumed by it. I really had to learn when to obsess about the route and when not to.
I think I go through [the feeling of success and failure] daily with my climbing. The successes are always icing on the cake and really make all the training worth it. But a lot of times, I think failing teaches me more. It teaches me how to push through, how to improve, and how to take a step back and really analyze why I failed and how I can improve for the next time. I think this climb taught me that I can push myself to new levels and surprise myself. I didn’t think before this one that I could ever climb that hard and work that much on a single pitch climb.
Climbing Meltdown is an amazing feeling for me. It was a very involved and long-term project for me and taught me a lot. I just feel very lucky to have been able to redpoint it. I usually go through a little lull after such a big accomplishment; however, as I get older I just know that it is coming and I learn to go with the flow. But I am really excited this season to climb and boulder with my friends here in Yosemite, so I have no lack of enthusiasm right now. —As told to Bryn Fox
