Confront the Familiar: "Wrist Twister"

We have had two very eventful days since we last updated, so once again we are taking an early rest day and trying to let our bodies recover.

Since our first weekend here in Squamish, Paul has been pouring over a topo of an aid climbing route that I copied out from a book in the local climbing shop here. So, on the 2nd when Paul asked me what we were going to climb for the day, I sucked it up and suggested "Wrist Twister" (C3, 3 pitches... an easy day, beginner aid route). We spent the better part of the morning picking up the last few needed items from the hardware store, racking up and packing our day packs and by about 2 in the afternoon we were slogging up the trail weighed down by more climbing gear then I have ever had on me at one time ever before. Our trail quickly turned into steep rambling, then rain forest exploring, to climbing and scrambling up wet, mossy boulders with the aid of a wet, mossy, old fixed line. Good times.

The first pitch of climbing looked like it was going to be an easy bolt ladder (pre-drilled bolts that you can just clip into) and since I had just completed my first aid lead indoors a few weeks ago, I figured I could handle some easy bolt-pulling action. However, once we were at the finally at the base of the climb I looked up to find my first (visible) bolt a good 10metres of the deck and a left leaning arch of impossibly spaced bolts stretching off as far as I could see into the horizon of the blank wall. So I said "fuck that" and gave Paul all the gear.

Now I have to say I am incredibly impressed with Paul's ability to handle stress in situations such as this. Just as the second up the route I was pretty much reduced to tremors as I watched Paul make hard moves, test his placements with vigorous bouncing, or even as I jugged up the fixed line (my only real "climbing" for the day). Somewhere in the middle of the climb while Paul was dangling off of some bolt (or head, or cam, or nut...) I asked him if he he was scared and he answered back, "Its better not to think about those sort of things, you know? Just keep pluggin' along." And he did. When I finally hauled myself over the last bit of rock at the top of the climb I was shattered mentally and physically, but most of all I was so proud of Paul's achievement. He did an amazing job.

Thanks to all the night decent practice we got in Vegas this Feb we made easy work of the bush-whacking back to the campsite, ate some veggy wraps and collapsed into the tent. Made it back in just after midnight. Not Bad!

The approach trail...

So Much Gear!!!

Here's a good photo showing the etrier (rope ladder) that you stand in while aid climbing.

Pitch 2 of Wrist Twister

"What am I Doing up Here?!"

The Veiw

Paul's first "Copperhead" - this piece of gear is literally a chunk of aluminum (or copper) on a wire that you mash into the rock with the use of a hammer and chisel. Then you stand on it and hope it stays there. Crazy.