When you think of hard big wall climbing it's easy to imagine long days of portaledge boredom and tightly rationed food supplies. Mason Earle, Nik Berry and Dave Allfrey's experience on Wyoming's Mount Hooker is slightly different. Despite working one of the toughest and, in terms of altitude, highest routes in North America, the boys spent large portions of the expedition in relative comfort. With ropes fixed to their high point, they were able to practice the route at their leisure, (which for Nik meant all the time), returning between attempts to relax at base camp. Mason's main goal of the trip was to free the route's 5.13d/8b crux pitch which climbs a blank, technical seam on the mountain's face. After days spent perfecting the thin moves of this A3 beauty, Mason was finally rewarded with a successful ascent. Mason Earle Finally Free Climbs His Nemesis Pitch - The 'A3 Beauty' | Operation Hooker, Ep. 2