Yet More Climbing

Mikah has been working nights in his job in the TV industry as a dolly operator. He put in a 75 hour work week last week, working afternoons and nights, getting home around 5AM. When I sent him email last week asking if he hwanted to play on Saturday, I gave him 3 suggestions: Climb the Angel's Crest or Stairway to Heaven on the Chief, or ride at Whistler. He responded in an instant and chose to go climbing.

They let him go early late Friday night at 3:30 AM and we met at 9AM and headed up to Squamish. "Angel's Crest" is a long climb that travels along the top of a ridge line from the bottom to the top of the second peak of the Stawamus Chief if Squamish. There are great towering blocks of rock along the way, a bit of meadering through the forest and lots of crack climbing.

It starts with a climb up a cedar tree to get to the amazing crack that's in the photo to the left and it finishes with a heart racing, adreneline pumping, grovel up a squeeze chimney.

I was too scared... er... I mean occupied to take many photos. I only got Mikah leading the first pitch and following the last. We topped out just as we were losing the sun behind the mountains across the valley and got back to the car around dark. It was a full, and very satisfying day.

I think the bulk of the climbing is over for me for this season. My well loved climbing shoes have pretty much had the biscuit. We're heading to Hornby for the long weekend. I still have 2 prepaid days left at the Whistler bike park so when we get back I'll probably spend a few days on the upcoming weekends up there.

I think its paddling tonight, then preparing for Hornby for the rest of the week. There is the old steel roofing that needs to be cleaned up so it can be painted. Nails need to be removed from some reclaimed cedar decking. More framing lumber need to be purchased.

As the Labour Day weekend approaches and the days are getting shorter I've been thinking about the past summer. Its been super busy but we've gotten in lots of great stuff. In fact its been one of the best summers I've ever had!