Photo Gallery: 16 Try-Hard Faces
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Re-Gram: 16 Try-Hard Faces, Submitted by Our Readers

Lee Smith, Kaleidoscope (5.13c), Driveby Crag, Red River Gorge,Kentucky


Here is my try-hard face!

Plate Tectonics (5.10a) at the Red—my first 5.10a on lead outside!

Trying hard on the hangboard during quarantine.


Lauren Abernathy’s try-hard face.

This was taken after probably five attempts at pulling the crux move on Vertigo (5.11) in Eldo. Finally grabbed onto a decent hold and was both psyched and furious.

Here is my try-hard face! Chalk smears on cheeks and all!

I took this photo of my buddy Shepard Urbahn trying hard on Room to Shroom during our Joshua Tree trip back in January. It cracks me up every time I look at it!

Noah Ashley on Don’t Break It (5.11d), Marne Road Wall, Ohio. Might be some of the only overhang in Ohio.

A nice one at my local crag in Akranes, Iceland: Skagaslátrarinn (7b).


Here’s a funny photo of my try-hard face while bouldering at Peggy’s Cove!

Here is a try-hard-face photo of me climbing steep crimpers at my local namesake crag, Phil’s Hill, in Marquette, Michigan.

Try-hard face when sending Legalize This at Roche aux Sabots in Fontainebleau, France.

This issue, we put out a call for your best “try-hard-face” photos—shots of you climbing at some tense or crux moment, giving it your all. Our winning photo was of Lee Smith bearing down on Kaleidoscope (5.13c) at the Drive-By Crag in the Red River Gorge. For his shot of Lee, Andy Wickstrom won a pair of Upshot Belay Glasses from Metolius Climbing.