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JONATHAN HÖRST
One of the "Send Bros" who climbed 5.14a at the age of ten
Jonathan is the youngest of the “Send Bros”, as Cameron and Jonathan have become known. Like his older brother, Jonathan did his first sport lead climbs just before his seventh birthday and at age 10 years and 7 months he succeeded on his first 5.14a redpoint, perhaps the youngest person to ever climb this grade! At the crags, Jonathan has a keen eye for new routes—over the past three seasons he’s established more than a half-dozen first ascents, including Threat Level Midnight (5.13c/d) and Valkyrie (5.14a) at Ten Sleep Canyon, WY. Jonathan also enjoys playing America football during his climbing offseason and he maintains an “A” average in school.
Birthday: August 17, 2002
Home: Lancaster, PA
Favorite MAXIM rope: Airliner (Afterburner)
Don’t say “impossible”….believe “I’m possible”!
Jonathan Hörst
Get to know Jonathan ...
Tell us how and when you got into climbing?
I started climbing soon after I learned to walk. We have a climbing gym in our house, so it was a natural progression from walking to climbing. I started climbing outdoors with my family at age 4 and I did my first sport lead climbs at age 6. I did my first 5.14a redpoint at the age of 10 years & 7 months.
What are you doing when you are not climbing?
If I’m not climbing outside, then you will likely find me at school (which I enjoy a lot)….or perhaps in our home gym training. I also enjoy hanging out with my friends, and I have played American football for the past 8 year (during Fall season).
Do you have any peculiar eating habits?
My favorite food is ice cream! I really love that! ;)
What stokes you the most?
I get stoked heading to the crag on a nice day…and climbing anything, regardless of grade—it’s all good! Of course, I really enjoy working project climbs…and sending!
If you could choose a super power, what would it be?
Superhuman strength…and to be able to fly!
Career Highlights
God’s Own Stone
Country/City: Red River Gorge, Kentucky
Grade: 5.14
Length: 60ft
My brother climbed this route at age 11, so I set the goal to do it at age 10. Having the beta from my older brother, I was able to work the route and send it at the age of 10 years and 7 months – I’m told this made me the youngest person to ever climb 5.14. J
Devil’s tower
Country/City: Wyoming
Grade: various
Length: 800 ft
I’ve climbed the tower twice with my family—the first time I was only 8 years old, making me (at that time) the second youngest to have climbed the Tower!
Valkyrie
Country/City: Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming
Grade: 5.14a/b
Lenght: 35 ft
I really enjoy the process of establishing new routes—seeing a great line, rappelling it to look for holds, and then bolting and working on the first ascent. I’ve put up several FAs at Ten Sleep Canyon, and Valkyrie is the raddest! It’s only 35 feet long but it’s overhanging power climbing on one- and two-finger pockets for much of the route. I was so excited to do this FA in July 2016!
© Eric Hörst
