A Day to Remember on Bean’s Wall
Adventures Outside Turf
"Let's just give it 15 minutes," Scoot said to me as the rain drops hit our helmets.
We had just finished the first pitch of the hardest climb of my life. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to tuck tail and run, but the day wasn't about me. Sure, it takes two to tango (and climb), and my risk tolerance was nearing it's limit, but I was in support mode for a friend with a big goal.
"Yeah, it looks like it'll pass over," I said with hesitation evident in my voice.
The rain passed over, and Scoot went on to cleanly send all seven pitches on one of the proudest routes in the Teton Range: Bean's Shining Wall of Storms -- 5.12. More on my performance later.
Bean's Wall was put up over multiple years by Teton climbers looking to establish a new age free climbing test piece (or maybe they were just looking to get to that beautiful roof pitch).
"As if we were strapped to the mast in a hurricane, we waited it out. When storm had just passed—the hail and graupel melted, the rock dried—another one struck us," the first ascent party recounts.
Thankfully, we escaped the true namesake of the wall, and the next storm didn't strike Scoot and I until we had finished the climbing, and only had to rappel once, scramble 1000ft down a loose gully, and walk 5 miles down 6000ft of elevation gain. We got lucky!
As for my performance on Bean's Wall, I gave it hell; there were multiple moments of tears and frustration. That grade of climbing is at my limit on my very best of days, but certainly above my pay grade in the alpine setting we operated in that day. It was never unsafe, but it sure was scary for the majority of the climb.
My adrenaline was drained. I distinctly recall contemplating calling in sick to work the next day (on a maintenance Monday, no less) due to mental exhaustion. Despite the challenges, and perhaps because of them, supporting a friend in pursuit of an audacious goal—one likely achieved by only a select few in Teton history thus far—made that day one of the most fulfilling experiences in the mountains for me.
The entire week was characterized by mutual support. Earlier, I conquered a route that had been a personal project, achieving my first-ever ascent of a 5.12 grade, with our turf intern Leo belaying me. The day before the Bean's adventure, I assisted Leo in his inaugural ascent of the Grand Teton. Leo even greeted Scoot and me at the trailhead with pizza and seltzer waters as we stumbled back from our climb.
Sending is cool and all, but supporting your friends is even cooler. Stoke the fire of your partners, in life and in the mountains. It'll surely come back around and lead to some special memories together.
Read more about the history of Bean's Wall here: American Alpine Club Article
