Jumbo Love: The Historic 5.15b Climb and Its Legacy in Sport Climbing
In the remote limestone cliffs of Clark Mountain in California’s Mojave Desert, the 76-meter (249 ft) sport climbing route Jumbo Love stands as a monumental achievement in rock climbing history. Bolted in the 1990s by American climber Randy Leavitt, the route was envisioned as a multi-pitch challenge but remained unclimbed until Leavitt invited a young Chris Sharma to attempt it in 2007. On September 11, 2008, Sharma completed the first free ascent, establishing Jumbo Love as the world’s first confirmed 5.15b sport climb—a groundbreaking moment that cemented its place as an iconic route in the sport.
A Historic First Ascent
Leavitt originally conceived Jumbo Love as a three-pitch climb but struggled to complete it. Sharma, joined by fellow climber Ethan Pringle, reimagined it as a single, endurance-testing 76-meter pitch. Living beneath the cliff at Clark Mountain’s "Third Tier" crag for weeks, Sharma battled the route’s physical and mental demands. His successful ascent in 2008, named Jumbo Love in homage to Leavitt’s nearby route Jumbo Pumping Hate, marked a turning point in sport climbing. At the time, several routes worldwide were proposed as 5.15b, but Jumbo Love stood out as the first to hold the grade after scrutiny.
Other proposed 5.15b routes from the era faced downgrades. Fred Rouhling’s 1995 route Akira was regraded to 9a in 2020, Bernabe Fernandez’s 2003 Chilam Balam settled at 9a+/b, and Tommy Caldwell’s 2003 Flex Luthor was downgraded to 9a+ in 2022 due to rock erosion. Similarly, Dani Andrada’s 2007 and 2008 routes, Ali Hulk Sit Start Extension and Delincuente Natural, were later regraded to 9a or 9a+/b. Sharma, however, solidified his reputation by climbing additional consensus 5.15b routes like Golpe de Estado (2008) and Neanderthal (2009), and later the 5.15c La Dura Dura in 2013.
Subsequent Ascents and Confirmation
Jumbo Love saw its first repeat nearly seven years later, when Ethan Pringle, who had worked the route with Sharma in 2007, completed it on May 17, 2015. The ascent was captured in the 2016 Reel Rock documentary Jumbo Love, which highlighted the route’s significance. Jonathan Siegrist made the third ascent on May 17, 2018, followed by French climber Seb Bouin on October 25, 2022. Bouin, an experienced 5.15b and 5.15c climber, confirmed the route’s 5.15b grade, even with modern kneepad techniques, describing it as “not just a hard line, it’s a whole adventure.”
Suprême Jumbo Love: Pushing the Grade
In 2010, Sharma began exploring a direct start to Jumbo Love, which he believed could push the grade to 5.15c. Though he abandoned the project by 2013, Seb Bouin took up the challenge after his 2022 ascent of Jumbo Love. On November 1, 2022, Bouin completed the first ascent of Suprême Jumbo Love, a 5.15c route that adds a 20-meter (66 ft) 5.14d section before linking into Jumbo Love’s crux. This ascent marked North America’s first 5.15c and the world’s sixth at the time, with Leavitt present to witness the milestone.
A Lasting Legacy
The 2016 Reel Rock documentary called Sharma’s first ascent of Jumbo Love a “watershed moment” in sport climbing. Ethan Pringle, reflecting on missing the first ascent, noted that Sharma’s success elevated him to “rock-star status.” Seb Bouin, inspired by footage of Sharma’s climb from his early climbing days in 2005, described Jumbo Love as a “king line” that captivated him for years.
For Sharma, Jumbo Love marked a shift in his career. Previously known for conquering routes bolted by others, he began seeking new challenges by bolting his own. This led to his collaboration with Adam Ondra on La Dura Dura, the world’s first 5.15c in 2013. Jumbo Love and its direct start, Suprême Jumbo Love, remain testpieces of extreme sport climbing, symbolizing the relentless pursuit of progression in the sport.
From its remote desert setting to its boundary-pushing grades, Jumbo Love continues to inspire climbers worldwide, standing as a testament to vision, perseverance, and the evolution of rock climbing.
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