The Everything Ultimatum

I always had this sneaking suspicion that if I climbed more than one day a month I might be a happy climber again....

But living on Vancouver Island meant I worked a lot, then would try to plan a Squamish trip, catch a ferry that might be cancelled, full, recently hit a dock and destroyed it... or it would rain. Or I would get one amazing weekend, realize that I can actually climb ---- and then not get back to Squamish for a month or more. At which point I have forgotten how to climb and back to Square One. 

However, having moved to PoCo I thought that would change. Last summer, once the raining finally stopped (August, was that?) we went climbing a few times, and kept climbing slab. Marc would lead a lot, and I would whimper. I HATE slab. Featureless, slippery or grippy, I can never tell, stupid insecure  run- out pro.... mmm slab. 

This however, is the Summer of Sun. We ran up to Squamish for some climbing as early as May, went to Red Rocks, bouldered on hot days - and in the last week climbed a lot of slab. Hey - I LIKE some slab! Not sure about the leading, but it is sticky, for the most part, and I'm starting to see features.  Amazing what little crystals, divets and slopey waves of rock can do!

I haven't been to the very top of the Chief yet - despite innumerable trips up the Apron. The easiest line is the "Ultimate Everything" - long, but easy. Take the easiest route up the Apron, then either up Broomstick 5.7 for 2 pitches or anything you want, then hike to the base of the South Buttress and climb for 10 pitches......

We prepared. 

Preparing for a climbing day can be hard work. Chocolate waffles.....

We did a few prep runs up the Apron, simo (simul?) climbing some routes, even climbed Snake just for kicks. This is a good picture of me, because you can't see my face.

Anchored on Snake 

On D-Day - we got up nice and early and started at the very bottom, pretty much road level. We simo (again - simo- or simul-? "simo sounds bad-ass, like a sumo wrestler. Simul- sounds like a nutritional supplement, like a colon cleanse. But that could be fast, which is the point of simul-climbing...and Sumo wrestlers would be hard on a rope) So, we simul-climbed the bottom pitches, with me leading just for kicks. Marc took over where I stopped, and then led up Banana Peel, a lovely and completely run out slab up the Apron. We pitched out the first one, then simul-climbed to the top. I was wearing my watch, and at this point we were about 2 hours since the start, which was pretty much record time for us.

Hike to the base of the Buttress, and then up we went. Hard pitches alternate easier ones, so climbing them together is tough because no one wants to be on the hard one as a simul-climber, so we kept pitching them out. Slow, but fun. Marc started with all the hard leads, because he's cool. And I hated his pitches even on second.  I kept checking time, and it was 2:20 in the afternoon. For several pitches. Being an excellent diagnostician I decide that we have the ability to stop time. This is a handy superpower.

After a while my pitches went from romping up 5.7 to a layback-then-mantle 5.9. Fun, and easy cruising to the anchor. Quite a few more pitches, and Marc's leads became slightly easier, and the alternate ones (mine) picked up a touch. I led the amazing traverse - and placed gear, clinging tenuously to the rock, and then noted the giant bolt they'd placed for me that I missed on my initial scan around. Not once, but three times.....

Then there was the last few, and I felt obliged to take the last 5.9, then he would take the 5.4 and the 5.10. My 5.9 was a little stouter than imagined until I actually found the secret handholds. Twice. Style may have been poorer than I care to admit to, but in the end I was at the anchor.

Marc led up the last headwall - super cool wall, great pitch - and very intimidating once you're in it. I'm sure the blank wall had some footholds, and maybe next time I get there I'll see them, but at this point it was pretty dubiously blank for a section. One of those climbs I'll do in a few years and think "How did I not see THAT giant foothold (tiny wrinkle in the rock) last time?"

This is the top. YAY!!!!!

Marc at the last anchor

Squamish and Howe Sound Below

Garibaldi in the Background. Sandwich time, which is why I can't look at you

We seem to have also developed the ability to restart time, which is good for the rest of the universe. Unfortunately we do not have the power to restart my watch, but I'm sure a watchmaker with fresh batteries does. 

We got home in time to have dinner and for me to sleep really well until the alarm went off. As always, much to soon - but isn't that everyone's dilemma?