Katie McKinstry: Climb A Line Above The Sky

Have you ever had a big goal? The kind of goal for which you spend a lot of time
preparing, so much effort planning, and getting everything 100% right just for a
possibility of succeeding? Then, the month, the day, the moment, the second to attempt
the goal comes and you're a swirl of emotions... excitement that the goal might be
achieved, but also this really big and looming fear that it might not come to fruition.

That was me in November. Well, really this goal started all the way back in 2022 when I
saw Sterling Athlete Kevin Lindlau project and send “A Line Above the Sky”. A moment
etched into my brain like acid etches through copper on an intaglio plate. “A Line Above
the Sky”... a line envisioned by Tom Ballard in 2016. Bolted and brought to life, it spans
45 meters with 27 draws, and the route silhouettes the climber along the edge of the
roof with only the sky beneath them. Tom sent this route in 2016 and gave this visionary
line the new grade of D15, the first in the world.

When you walk into Tomorrow's World, it's a drytooling crag that makes your jaw drop
and you can't find a place to focus on first. The intimidating roof fills your field of vision,
with a sea of draws hanging from the ocean of limestone. At first glance, each line
blends into one another, making for what feels like an impossible task to find a route to
climb. Looking down, the ground falls away from the roof of the cave, creating a gaping
mouth open to the world below. Sheepherders find their way up and down the slopes of
the Marmolada in the summer, and skiers slide their way back to town in the winter.

Having spent time in Tomorrow's World in August of 2022, I watched as Kevin dedicated
his time to the Line, respecting Tom’s route, and the vision that it was, and the history it
held. Watching him send, and try hard on a route that stood out like nothing I had ever
seen before was the fire I needed to think that maybe this was something I could do too.
That trip, I climbed “Edge of Tomorrow” a D13, and spent time projecting “Oblivion” a
D14, only to get one move away from finishing the route.

Flash forward to April 2023, we bought tickets for another drytooling trip back to the
Dolomites. Let the training begin. Countless days spent in the training gym called the
Mountain Project. Leaving the sunshine of the outdoors to enter the small and dark
“cave” to get strong. “Beep.. Beep… Beep…” the never-ending sound of the timer on my
phone. Hang for 5 seconds, rest for 3 seconds, add weight… write down progress…
Gosh, my skin hurts. Ugh, I'm so hungry… what time is it? Whoa, it's been almost four
hours.

It’s May. I just walked across the stage at my graduation. An official graphic designer.
Who also dry tools. I just packed up my entire house and placed it into a storage unit.
Time to save some money for the big trip. Back to the gym.

July. Wake up in the car, drive to the gym before it's too hot. Train. Go to the library and
work, drive back to the forest service area. Sleep.

September. The day I am walking down the aisle to marry the love of my life. So much
planning and preparing. Plus, now I have a different last name... Whoa. Time to
celebrate.

October, on the plane and headed to Italy. Where has the time gone? I hope I trained
enough and didn't take too much time off for the wedding.

November 19th, over a month of climbing behind me. The wind is light, the air is cool. I
can feel winter is on its way. That kind of feeling when you know fall is hanging on as
long as it can before the next season completely takes over. Only a few more days left in
the trip and I can feel the pressure.

Yesterday was hard. Totally in my head. Didn't get past the first 10 draws on the route.
Just worked the first 10 moves over and over. Feeling so emotional and like maybe I
can't do the climb.

Today though, the warmup goes well. Feeling smooth, and most importantly, present.
Feeling like having an emotional day the day before took some pressure off. Time to go.
I tie into my harness with the Sterling Aero. Each movement trying to think and focus on
the task at hand… even the task of simply tying in. A deep breath, time to focus… time to
try hard. How deep is that pit of try-hard? Hard to know the bottom. On the rare
occasion, it feels like it is an abyss, no bottom to be found. Most often, you find the
bottom faster than you would hope for.

Right hand up first position, match left hand second position, clip the first draw, heel
hook rock below with the left heel, step up right with the right foot into the pocket, move
right hand first position onto the ledge… the beta happens without even thinking of it.
Each move feeling simple, like I have done it a million times. The flow starts to hit me.

The goal. Today… just get to move 34. Then readjust the goal. I hear Joe yell from below
“Alright! Through the traverse, now into your happy place!”. He’s right, I'm in the roof,
figure four, figure nine. I can do this all day. Big deep breath, it's move 34. Rest, find the
grip position, and breathe. Move done. Clip draw #18. Alright, the goal changes. Get to
the high point… move 39. I'm here. I'm present. And I'm still hanging on. Rest for just as
long as you need, move before you pump off. Next goal. Make it to the crux, attempt.

I'm staring at it. God, it looks big. Rest longer than you think. Take your time. Even if you
fall, it's a big success just having gotten to this move. You're in the Mountain Project,
just another training move. Push harder than you think. Time to move. BAM, hit the hold.
Holy shit. Three moves to go.

Don’t fuck it up. Take your time. Take in the moment. And clip.

It’s hard to find the words to sum up finishing a big goal. The big goal: climb A Line
Above the Sky. The connected goal: Be the first American woman to climb a D15 and
the fourth woman in the world to climb the grade. The most important goal: Enjoy the
process, do it in a style you're proud of.

I am a firm believer that pushing yourself out of your comfort zone makes you a better
person. Being uncomfortable makes you a more well-rounded person. Goals make you
better. Achieving and failing makes you better. Going through a difficult puzzle makes
you more dynamic. These are the reasons you should try something that takes time.
That doesn’t have a clear win or lose at the end of it. Climbing this route has only lit my
fire more to try hard on other things in my life, but also share the experience with others
so they can too.

Author: Katie McKinstry
Photographer: Joe Stylos