SkiSickness

Here are a couple of September sessions to remember on two Squamish classics.

Whole lotta love.


My dad came to visit. He wanted to climb. It rained all day and the Apron was wet, otherwise I'd've taken him up Diedre. Instead I dragged him over the top of the Chief to the Solarium and made him prusik up Sunblessed while Naomi and I doubled our pleasure by both leading. I'm such a good son.

Water streaks on the Apron, fresh snow on Garibaldi.


Naomi and Randy wander wet slabs while I locate the top of the route.


Naomi leads the stellar lady-hands splitter of Sunblessed. To leave her a good rack to lead this pitch, I led it with three tricams and two nuts, which made it even more fun!


The rock is so beautiful up there.


Then Naomi snapped a shot of me leading this fun bolted pitch to the top after her.


Good times!


Old man on the rocks!


Naomi and I both had way too much fun on Overly Hanging Out the other day. This Malamute classic is not to be missed!

I follow the first pitch after kindly retrieving Naomi's chalk bag from the jungle.


Launching into The Great Arch!


Overly Hanging Out on lead.


I don't know if I've ever wanted so bad, or tried so hard, to make a clip. Got it!


She liked it.


OMG I can't believe she's doing that again! I think her belay was worthless, because I was crippled with laughter.


I guess I can see why she did that.


You are now officially having too much fun.

Last time I was in Squamish, Sky and I were also trying to find Sunblessed, but from the bottom, not the top. I had to ask him to get the rope out when we were climbing near-vertical moss-covered slabs in the jungle trying to find the crag. I didn't want to fall to my death in the woods.

Luckily we found the route and topped out at sunset. Then, hiking down the dark trail, headlamp-less Sky took off running, leaving headlamp-equipped me in the dust.

Rad your dad is on the rock. Is he a climber?

I took him up the Great Northern Slab at Index and South Early at Washington Pass three or four years ago. He enjoyed all of that. This time my failed attempt at patricide had him even more excited. Naomi's contagious enthusiasm and positive vibes about rock climbing gyms couldn't have hurt. I gave him a ratty old harness, a big locker, a belay device and an older pair of shoes and now he's taking a class at some gym in PDX. So we'll see.

Way to go, big fella! Send it!