‘Horseshoe Hell’

November 5, 2020

Film follows rock climbing taken to new level

BECCA MARTIN-BROWN

bmartin@nwadg.com

Filmmaker Clay Pruitt answers the phone for an interview from a sailboat off the coast of Charleston, S.C. He and his wife, Susan, have signed on to crew for friends moving the boat to the U.S. Virgin Islands. But a 10-day journey is nothing; they just spent six months living on a boat in the Caribbean with their kids. They didn’t intend to ride out the pandemic at sea, but Pruitt says if it looks like he had a plan, he’s OK with that.

Pruit is clearly an adventurer, so it only makes sense his entry in the Fayetteville Film Festival chronicles one of the craziest adventures imaginable. His half-hour documentary, “The 24,” is the story of a climbing event at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch near Jasper. Every year, hundreds of climbers from all over the world attempt to traverse the bluffs of Newton County continuously for 24 hours. They call it “Horseshoe Hell” — or simply “Hell.”

According to its website, twofourhell.com, “Horseshoe Hell is an endurance rock climbing competition and festival, held annually on the last full weekend of September, within the steep sandstone cliff walls of Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. Teams of two have the opportunity to choose between a 12-hour and 24-hour event, and the festival lasts five days with food, camping, music, swag, games, competition, parties and most of all fellowship.”

Pruitt and his wife did not go to Horseshoe Canyon Ranch five years ago to climb; it was just an outing. But one of their guides started telling them about Horseshoe Hell, and Pruitt was intrigued.

Clay Pruitt and his wife did not go to Horseshoe Canyon Ranch five years ago to climb; it was just an outing. But one of their guides started telling them about Horseshoe Hell, and Pruitt was intrigued. The result is a short documentary, “The 24.”
(Courtesy Photo/Clay Pruitt)

“My dad was a photographer, so I kind of grew up with a camera in my hand,” the Fort Smith native says. Then still cameras became video cameras, and he “never looked back.” He spent 10 years shooting commercials, television and feature films — including “Antiquities” with Mary Steenburgen — and he discovered his true love: small footprint projects outdoors. Horseshoe Hell fit his wish list perfectly, although he says it took a few years for the perfect opportunity to arise to film it. When it did, “the weather was awesome, and the people I’d chosen to follow did really, really well.”

What he discovered, he says, is that “even though we think of rock climbing as an event for extreme athletes, there are people from all walks of life who compete.” The year he filmed, a 69-year-old climber broke the record for the most 5.9 routes — the most difficult — climbed. “This is a sport that people can be in as heavily as they want to.”

The film debuted in January at a River Valley Film Society screening in Fort Smith.

“The best thing about ‘The 24’ is, it promotes Arkansas to the world — our beautiful landscapes, the strength of our people and the creativity of our local artists,” Brandon Goldsmith, co-founder of the film society, told The Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith.

“The movie captures the true spirit of competition and fellowship,” Goldsmith said. ”‘The 24’ isn’t simply a film; it’s an experience.”