Lucifer

[allah]

Just got word last night that Mike did Lucifer. He said on his 3rd try of the day yesterday. Just want to give him mad props, that is a strong send

[whadam00]

Just got word last night that Mike did Lucifer...

Things that olnly climbers can be proud of!

[Noell]

YEAH!!!!! I am soo psyched for him. That's just awesome! What a strong climber and great guy - we're gonna miss having the remaining portion of Team Canada at the Red this winter!

Congrats to Mike (and props to his belayer for all her work too!)

[Andrew]

Good work mike, Grade?

[dmw]

Hell Yeah! Good Job!!!!

[pigsteak]

wow..impressive.

[mike_doyle]

Thanks guys. I can't believe how many people were emailing me or stopping by at the crag just to wish me luck (which is what it took). I really appreciated the support of the community.

I posted the following in the online guidebook but the formatting didn't work that well, thought I'd repost here where it's a little more readable.

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Well, it’s true, I redpointed Lucifer yesterday and for awhile now people have been asking me how hard it was, and how it compares to other routes etc… I’ll do my best to answer these questions here.

First off let me just say that I am going to grade it 5.14c but that I won’t be surprised if it gets downgraded.

There’s a few reasons why I feel it deserves 14c:
- IF (and that’s a big if) Thanatopsis is 14b then Lucifer is probably 14c
- I can’t deny that it took me 6 weeks to do. I’ve got excuses about skin, temps, blah, blah… but the fact is it took me 6 weeks and I’ve never worked a route that long and that continuously; 2 days on, 2 off – for 6 weeks. So sure, why not, 14c.
- I feel that grading it 14c will lead some of ‘them’ (you know who ‘they’ are) to travel to the red, climb Lucifer and get on some of the other projects that are around and still being bolted.
- I fell three times past where I thought I would fall, when I was convinced it was 14b.
- The most compelling reason – my 8a score could use the extra 50 points.

Here’s why it might get downgraded:
- The route is not necessarily my style. I felt the two main crux moves were throws where if you were slightly taller it might be easier. Just as I fit well on Thanatopsis, someone else might fit better on Lucifer.
- I was being dumb, had bad skin and bad temps for many attempts J
- I’m probably not strong enough to climb 14c

How does it compare to some of the other routes at the red? Well I’d say it’s more involved.
- Thanatopsis was easy climbing to the 4th bolt, a six move boulder problem to a huge rest, and then one last hard move.
- 50 words for a pump, which I only got on once, seemed like it had a shorter, harder section between the 3rd and 4th but then a no hands rest at the 5th and easier climbing to the anchors. I can’t really compare the two routes that much since I was only on ’50 words’ once when at the time I couldn’t do all the moves on Lucifer yet. I knew Andrew was working ‘50 words’ and felt that both lines deserved to be done. Knowing Andrew was working it and getting closer to the redpoint I felt my time would be better served working Lucifer, then two of the stellar open projects would get ticked. They are quite different routes. Best of luck to Andrew, I really hope he gets the FA on that thing.
- Lucifer is easy climbing to the third bolt, then a V7/8 boulder problem out left and up to the 4th, to a clipping hold where you can shake quickly. After that you do a V9/10 boulder problem to a moderate rest at the 5th and then the power endurance, 13 move V9/10/11 boulder problem to the break (and no I can't grade boulder problems hence the triple slash grade).
So while I think Lucifer has harder moves than Thanatopsis, I think 50 words has a harder, shorter section than Lucifer.

That’s my opinion, but whatever… grades are relative and it’s all for fun…
Flame on.

[reospeed]

good job!

[redpointron]

nice work mike. and a superb post describing the route and the process, i might add...

if you climb it 'they' will come and when 'they' come, we will have you (and the equipper--kenny?) to thank.

regards.

r.r.

[SCIN]

Very nice work, Mike. Thanks for posting the comments about your experience with Lucifer. It's cool to read that stuff. Now get the hell out of town so us non-superheroes can start feeling cool again.

[Crankmas]

killer dude and once again thanks for the comments on the process and perspectives

[Lateralus]

Awesome achievement!
Does this make Dogleg 5.14D then?

[mcrib]

Doyle rules. I hear your better half sent snooker as well. Strong work.

[mike_doyle]

Awesome achievement!
Does this make Dogleg 5.14D then?

At least...

[TankAzz]

Doyle rules. I hear your better half sent snooker as well. Strong work.

don't leave out her send of table of colors, either... my new female climbing hero!