Kyle Broxterman

How do you know where to go when there are no bolts? 🫠 Looking up at a blank featureless slab and being able to read the micro beta is one of the coolest experiences I have in climbing. Sloping dishes, micro crimps, and tiny nubs guide your feet as they magically dance up the wall. The route almost never moves straight up, but rather side to side as you follow the weaknesses and trust the magic of friction. The Final Runout Slab Section on P3 of South Crack (5.8R)

I Do Fall Sometimes...😶 The start of O’Kelley’s crack is debatably the most sandbagged 5.10c climb in existence. A desperate cupped hand (or fist depending on hand size…fist was terribly painful) pulls up to a right-hand finger lock, smear your feet a little to get both hands into the finger crack…bump the feet up a little higher, and then go for the dead point rail. At least that's how I did it managed to pull through it on my third go! The rest of this climb is inconsequential in comparison in regards to difficulty, albeit pumpy as this whole climb is overhung by a vew degrees! Follow for the rest of “O’Kelley’s Crack” (5.10c) | Joshua Tree, CA.

How Long Was The Runout Off The Anchor? 😬 First off, I LOVE slab climbing. My first experience on granite slab was Serpentine (5.9) at Su***de Rocks and it freaking blew my mind! 🤯. I remember looking up at the sequence above me and out loud I said " Really? This is what you want me to do?". That day shaped the climber I am today and opened a world of climbing movement that is defined by footwork. In this video I was taking my brother out on his first ever climb and I decided I wanted to blow his mind too. Right off the belay on pitch 3 of South Crack (5.8R) you get the pleasure of a 40 ft runout on 5.6 granite slab. Easy climbing yes, but that doesn't change the consequences of f$&@!ng up. Operating, at any difficulty, under such black and white circumstances is something I LOVE and was pumped to share that with my brother. Both Hannah and Trent absolutely styled this pitch on follow which was magical to witness. Trusting the magic of friction is an experience that is hard to explain. 🧡

“Just take the whip…” Said me, never. I’ve always lived by the soloist mentality: don’t fall.. But on pitch 2 of The Original Route on Rainbow Wall, I found myself facing a move where a fall felt almost inevitable—90% chance I was coming off. With parties below, I felt the pressure to keep moving. To mitigate the risk, I built an absolute nest of gear beneath the crux—three solid pieces to anchor me no matter how I fell. Mid-crux, I found a surprise rest and slipped in a black Totem as a Hail Mary. It seated perfectly. No visual inspection, but it felt bomber. Then I whipped on it. Twice. And both times, it held.. This was the first real trad fall I’ve taken since my injury. And it reminded me of a truth I have been struggling with: If you’re pushing yourself, falling IS a part of it. But that doesn’t mean everyone should be pushing themselves on gear all the time. It took a catastrophic injury to teach me just how real the risks are—and how easily they’re underestimated. Now, I only put myself in fall territory when I know I’m securely connected to the wall.

Choosing Gear For A Trad Climb...Bring More Than Recommended. When Bryce and I discuss what gear to bring on a climb we lean in opposite directions. With Bryce leaning toward the lightest possible rack while I always am looking for which pieces I want extra of. In the end if I choose extra gear then I carry it and he kindly attaches it to my harness on his leads. 😅 When considering this route I knew pitch 4 was long and had a rather continuous finger crack both below through and above the crux roof. Gear called for doubles from .3 - 5...which to me means triples. And lord have mercy I was happy to have and place every single finger sized piece I brought. In this 30ft section of climbing alone I placed three consecutive .3s. Now...one could argue that other placements could have fit, you could have used nuts....yes those things are true. But for me having the option to place EXACTLY what my intuition is asking for is worth the extra grams in my bag and on my harness. It saves time, is safer, and allows for a more relaxed lead. If you're anywhere close to your limit on trad. Just bring extra gear. Especially if your osighting. This is Pitch 4 of The OG Route on Rainbow Wall

Who Knew It Could Just Get Better? LIVSN recently and quietly announced the launch of a new line of signature pants made specific for climbers by climbers; The “Crux” Pants. Before I get into the details let me just tell you that I literally can’t stop wearing these pants…and I thought my LIVSN overalls obsession was bad. 😅The Crux Pants feature a wide-leg, double-kneed design made with a new hemp-blend fabric making them EXTRA comfortable and hard not to want to wear simply EVERYWHERE. They are packed with functional features like a chalk brush pocket, elastic waist band with a built in belt, and perfectly placed double pockets on the back. These pants are well-worth the price tag and will serve you well at the crag and in everyday life for years to come. Plus, every purchase at LIVSN comes with a lifetime warranty.. And if something does rip or tear during your adventures they have an in house repair & replacement program. Click the link in my BIO to learn more about LIVSN’s Crux Pants ⬆️ Use code “BROXROCKS15” for 15% OFF your next order 💰 Rock Climbing | Bouldering | Climbing | Sport Climbing | Hiking

Does This Qualify For The "R" Rating? 🤔 The most runout section on Mai Tai (5.10d R) . . .

So Many Moves Just To Get Up 10ft Slab climbing is unique in the way that you might make a whole sequence of moves to get to the next stance 10ft away.... Out left, up, back right, then up left...all while wondering how your feet are sticking to any part of the near vertical blank rock your smearing on. This particular section felt super technical and desperate but being able to reach up to the flake while my arms were fully extended was the highlight finish to the sequence. Pitch 1 of Valhalla (11a) | Su***de Rock, CA