Photos by Patrick Shea Climbers like Batman Tyler received seven bonus points for wearing a costume during the Second Annual True Penitence Climbing Festival in Penitente Canyon Oct 14–16. The Second Annual True Penitence Climbing Festival in Penitente Canyon started on the night of Oct. 14 and ended midday Sunday, a combination of challenging climbs, historical presentations, music, film, awards, and food. Separated into categories according to gear use and skill level, climbers paralleled ascents at the second annual True Penitence Climbing Festival in Penitente Canyon.

PENITENTE CANYON — The Second Annual True Penitence Climbing Festival drew climbers to Penitente Canyon Oct. 14–16 for challenging ascents in costumes, historical presentations, music, film, and food.

Sponsored by the San Luis Valley Climbers Alliance (SLVCA), the festival opened on Friday night with presentations and music nestled in the rocks near the trailhead.

Bob D’Antonio, a man who many consider to be the grandfather of climbing in Penitente Canyon, assembled a guidebook of the routes years ago. Nate Liles worked with Wolverine Publishing out of Newcastle to print an update this summer. Both Liles and D’Antonio skipped through slides and shared observations of changes over the years.

Emcee Wes O’Rourke and SLVCA President Angela Lee are the driving force behind the group and its board of directors. The couple runs Sol Mountain Farm and has actively promoted climbing access in the Valley. Both quite capable climbers, O’Rourke and Lee factor social equity with environmental stewardship as part of the alliance mission.

“We’re a nonprofit, Access Fund affiliated local climbing organization,” O’Rourke said. The SLVCA Vice-president also said, “We do stewardship work on the trails. We get kids out. We do events like this. We protect climbing access.”

Introducing D’Antonio, O’Rourke said, “Bob was one of the first people to set foot in the canyon as a climber in 1984. He has put up 2,000-plus first ascents, hundreds of those here in the San Luis Valley.”

Starting with free coffee served before the first ascents on Saturday, competitors tackled challenges for their chosen category. Since many of the routes are rated 5.10 and above, the Recreational group had to start early and share rock time. Categories included Top Rope Hero, Recreational, Intermediate, Advanced, True Penitent, Elite, and Traditional.

Each climber filled out a scorecard and had a witness verify each “send,” a fall-free ascent of a route. In addition to receiving seven bonus points for wearing a costume, competitors accumulated points commensurate with each climb’s difficulty. Final scorecards due by 7 p.m. included a line for the total number of routes conquered on the first try, followed by other lines for second and third attempts.

Winners in each category could choose a new rope or a new pair of shoes courtesy of event sponsors La Sportiva. Representatives gave free demonstrations throughout the competition. All award-winners received special trophies manufactured out of ancient hardware removed from the canyon rocks during route restoration.

Elite category winner Boy Go won uncontested for the second year in a row. As he announced the victory, O’Rourke noted how Boy Go needs a challenge next year, perhaps from some younger climbers in the crowd.

The night before the competition, everyone sang Happy Birthday for Cooper, a 12-year-old who took second place in the Intermediate division. The young talent fits the profile of a new generation for future versions of the True Penitence Climbing Festival.