UK/USA/Belgian Team Add Venezuela Mega Route

7th March, 2012

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George Ullrich (UK), Siebe Vanhee (Belgium), Sam Farnsworth (UK), and Mason Earle (USA) have climbed a new big wall route in Venezuela, behind the huge waterfall of Salto Tuyuren on the Amuri Tepui, a wall that John Arran described as "having the possibility for the most overhanging big wall free climbs on earth."

The route is now named Kids With Guns and goes at a grade of 5.13a, A3, E6 6c.

The team with their new route Kids With Guns in the background © George Ullrich/Venezuela Team 2012 — The team with their new route Kids With Guns in the background
© George Ullrich/Venezuela Team 2012

George Ullrich has written a full report on his blog:

"Our best estimate is that the 500 metre wall overhangs almost by one hundred metres. The route transpired to provide 21 pitches of climbing, the overwhelming majority of which were on immaculate and wildly steep Quartz-arenite (pre-Cambrian metamorphosed sandstone)...

...For the twelve days we spent on the wall there was a complete lack of the horizontal- with the exception of some unexpected but welcome ledges. Every pitch resulted in a shockingly airy abseil and a invigorating morning start swinging out 20 meters from the portaledges onto the rope to regain the previous days highpoint.

The entire route would almost uncertainly go free with some protectable but unlikely roof sections providing wild cruxes. We were happy to have established a new line on the steepest wall any of us have ever seen, in such good company and in a unique beautiful part of the world."