Got out the past couple days off with some good friends for some personal days of climbing. John and I were motivated to try Kitty Hawk and Unicorn…but as it rained on our drive down the David Thompson we soon had reservations about being under the bowl all day. Kitty Hawk did not look in, but Unicorn looked like it might be?
We continued our drive and saw Oh Le Tabernac. It looked beautiful. It also though looked like the winds were nuking above the bowls…tons of spinning snow, had me fearful to be under that bowl. Regardless…we still started apporaching the climb, in knee to thigh deep wet and crusty snow. Finally I was officially uncomfortable enough with the high winds to turn us around. Oh well…we got a good leg work out in! The climb isn’t going anywhere, and we would come back when the avi hazard was a little lower.
At this point it was 12:30…so we hummed and ha’ed and finally drove to the weeping wall. With it all to ourselves, we motivated and were starting up at about 1:30. Too bad we hadn’t started there at the beginning of the day! By 3 we were at the top of the central line of the lower wall. The upper wall looked enticing, and we both were a bit bummed we didn’t have more time.
Back in the car though, we were both just psyched that we even motivated to get out of the truck and climb! It can be so hard after en early start, long drive and multiple false starts, to remotivate again to get out, get cold and wet and get climbing! With good company though, the day is always worth it no matter what the climbing brings! Thanks John! We finished the motivation, but doing some drytool work in the stairwell of my building…who would have thought that stairwells would be so good for playing on your tools. Thanks Gord for showing me some tricks to work on:)
Jen Olson was back in town….well, not really…she never REALLY is! She just returned from Ouray, was off to Revelstoke to work, then heading to Switzerland for the World cup, then Scotland…maybe France, back to Revy, then Norway??? I don’t know…I can’t keep up! Either way, she has a suuuper cool winter planned, but with that comes alot of added stress. We both wanted to get out climbing together though, and so we met in Field, her from Revy and me from Canmore to go to Pilsner. The best part about this though, is that we both had totally different agendas! Jen was ready to dry tool, and I was ready to ice climb! We discussed who was bringing what..but funnily enough we both spaced essential parts of the rack. Jen didn’t bring screws…thinking she was dry tooling…and I forgot draws…probably subconsciously…as there is always that laziness on a day off, to just drive and not really climb! Luckily I brought “back up” screws, and together with our anchor material had enough stuff to make 8 or so draws.
Jen crushed a mixed a route on the right. It was pretty fun all in all, but I hate following her up routes, because she always makes it looks like there are feet…when there really aren’t. I think I need a footwork clinic from her, because I have noticed this OFTEN. Anyway, she made it look easy…and it wasn’t, I was quickly pumped out!
We watched our friends climb Pilsner and afterward decided we would take a look.
Since Jen only had fruit boots, and I was apparently the ice motivated one, I got to lead it. it had a weird brown look to it, lots of features and completely dry. It looked intimidating…and the fear of going into the “unknown” almost held me back. It ended up being very fun though with great feet and a great route in the shape it was in. We joked that it was a good thing we didn’t get cell service…cause my long lead might have driven Jen to get some “things done” in the mean time!
We rapped down and headed back to the cars, laughing at Jens fruit boots and all the stuff we spaced that day. Fun to climb with a supportive partner despite having to both drive our separate ways back at the car. Thanks for the day out Jen! See you as you pass back through Canmore!