Man of Leisure

We are in one of Squamish's most popular climbing areas, but things feel strangely remote. Oddly tranquil. Jen and I are alone with our shoes still wet from a rain which drove away the usual crowd of climbers.  The distant Shannon Falls rumbles like our stomachs as the sun sets over Howe Sound. Beautiful dusk. The pebbled granite is dry to the touch. 

Three years climbing and I still get the same intense thrills. 

This climb is right at my level - a perfect challenge. It starts abruptly with a traverse off a shelf into immediate exposure. Then a wide step and sustained climbing up a dyke while balancing on mere crystals. When I reach the last bolt, it's a featureless wall until a hand-crack starts high above. When  reach the crack, I'm high over the bolt and sweating in the intense humidity. It is shallow and wildly flaring.  I try one, two, three pieces of protection - but nothings good. I'm dangling on bad hands with no feet and sweat streams our of me lubricating my grip. I'm terrified.

It's a dreadful feeling - the one when you realize that you are going to either fall, or that you have to go higher in order to protect yourself. Every meter you climb now means two more meters if you fall. I remember three years ago, we were clueless out there on a wall jamming bits of weirdly shaped medal into cracks. So many unknowns - every movement was hard back then. In those days, I would have just jumped - taken the fall here before things got out of control. But I'm stronger now, wiser. I can do it.

Be calm. Breath. And move. "Clip". The sound of safety. The carabiniere closes around a green camelot with all four lobes biting in a perfect constriction high up where the crack deepens. My fear evaporates instantly. My palms are suddenly dry. And I can't help but yell something joyful but inaudible down to Jen 45 meters below. My small scared adjustments are replaced with confident movement again. I crank through the last section. Sent it.

Jen

Today was what it is all about. I could not be more excited to let the keyboard fade away and have climbing become my world for more than just a weekend.