Dan Beland

West Coast climber Dan Beland climbed

Superman 5.14c on the Big Show in Cheakamus Canyon north of Squamish this spring. It was the only route on the steep wall that he hadn’t climbed. Beland’s journey to send all nine of the hard Big Show routes started in 2013 with a tick of Free Will 5.13c and was followed by a climb of Division Bell 5.13d. Of Division Bell, Beland said, “It took longer than I expected, but that’s OK, because this is a route that I will never get tired of climbing.” In 2014, Beland sent Pulse (Canada’s first 5.14a), Patience 5.14a and Heat 5.13d. In 2015, he ticked Revival 5.14b and said, “So awesome. Despite being a link-up, it climbs very naturally. A huge amount of effort has gone into this wall over several seasons and it’s all starting to come together.

Still, this is just a stepping stone en route to bigger objectives.

In 2016, Beland sent Supermanboy 5.14c and said, “After four years of obsession with this wall I finally ticked off the big one. This route is so good. On the send I had to try really hard, but I was solid and in control the entire way.” And in 2017, Beland climbed Captain America 5.14b. Beland took 2018 off from climbing on the Big Show: “Last year, I took a step back from The Big Show after getting an emotional beatdown in 2017 trying to climb Superman. After sending Captain America, I spent another two months trying to finish Superman. It actually shares the same lower crux which I had previously done. However, after falling on that crux another 50 times from the ground I was starting to feel pretty burnt out.” Beland came back stronger than ever and climbed Superman this spring and became one of only a few climbers to send every route on the Big Show. Superman was first climbed by Sonnie Trotter and is Beland’s fifth 5.14c. Beland said after, “Last one on the Big Show. Feels good to finally finish this up. I sent Free Will in 2013 and I’ve spent most of my summers since then working toward finishing the wall. It’s been a hell of a ride.”