of Backpacks and Beards
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Mt Tupper – Upper Headwall of South Rib (5.11-) Personal Rating: ** Rock Quality: 6/10 Length: 7 pitches of 5.6 – 5.11- climbing Timeline: 12 hours (car-to-car) Gear: # Double Rack 0.3 – 3 I looked up at the relatively blank wall, seeing a few minor down sloping holds and poor feet with no obvious imperfections for gear placements, I thought we must have gotten a bit off route. I backtracked a… Read More
A 7’ wide runnel had formed down the center line of the slide-path and was a black hole vortex that sucked in every rock, dirt, and debris into it’s beckoning arms.
Personal Rating: ***** Rock Quality: 8/10 Length: 14-18 pitches Timeline (Bivy -> Bivy): 12 hours Gear: Full double rack (0.3-3) + ½ nuts Climbed: July 6, 2020 I yelled down to Tristan, “ROCK!”, and saw the focused look in his eye as he registered what I was saying before I had finished saying it. We both turned to look at the boulder rolling towards us. Now, in climbing rhetoric there are a… Read More
I awoke, or more, opened my eyes. The sounds of burners hissing, water boiling, and climbing gear gently clinking together overwhelmed all my senses. Pressing the lowest button on my watch revealed an ultra-bright 4:00am. I took one long, full breath. Soaking in the stillness and trying to enjoy the last remnants of comfort, or what was close to it (my air mattress had a steady leak that I would replenish every… Read More
The Push. Two bolts off the ground, body feels good. The climb is right at the grade, an enjoyable right hand jug… perfect for making this next clip. Tons of options for feet. Confidence. Next move is a slight reach, decent. one more move, a smaller crimp, not ideal but fine. You look up and see the next bolt a few more meters away. All of a sudden a familiar voice chimes… Read More
Climbing where you’d least expect it – Sudbury, ON If you search ‘Sudbury’ into google, it’s likely that you’ll find hits pertaining to mining, education, and perhaps the local hockey team, the Sudbury Wolves. What you’ll likely not come across or be looking for is the blossoming rock climbing scene that has slowly been growing within this Northern City, largely due to the well-run climbing gym that opened in 2015 – the… Read More
Unprepared, Unplanned, and Weather Permitting – How When Nothing Works, Everything Works Out When you’re out and about on the road traveling you’re constantly faced with unknown circumstances, unfamiliar regions, and typically this leads to a great story of being unprepared and learning along the way. However, it’s rare that these occurrences can happen at home, surrounded by so many recognizable comforts and living in a culture that is built on preparation… Read More
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