After re-working the equipment and a good showing the year before the team decides it is time to try for the top. The contraption is outfitted with snap-on portaledge style extensions to allow Brad to sleep at the halfway point, Bellygood Ledge. The whole climb is about 600 meters (1,900+ feet) in height and will require a bivouac, something that was again tested in the Smoke Bluff area earlier that summer. The peak of summer is chosen as it gives the team the most useable daylight hours.

The day of the climb turns out to be nearly the hottest on record. The carry-in crew makes an astounding 20 minute journey from the parking lot to the rock, but time is lost on getting the gear sorted out. The sailing track quickly locks up as groves are cut into the tracking, making it horrendous for Brad to continue, but he fights onward and upward until the heat gets the better of him. Safety becomes a major concern as Brad's heart rate and blood pressure reach new personal high levels. The climb is aborted before things can get out of hand, and other climbers later support this decision as the only responsible action to take.

Logistical and communication issues become the most important area for improvement for the next attempt. Brad is fired from any and all planning decisions and more volunteers come on board to help. The yellow contraption is officially retired as it is agreed that the design is mature enough to warrant greater expenditure.