So in addition to meeting my little honorary nephew Patrick, Daniel and I spent our mini vacation up in Squamish BC for some rock climbing. Once again questionable weather...we were actually going to go to the City of Rocks in Idaho but the weather was even worse there...so we took our chances with up North. I love Squamish, it feels like trad climbing paradise. Despite the wait, it was an uneventful border crossing. They are still doing a lot of work on the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler, but what a beautiful drive. If I could have the money for a vacation home.... and become Canadian (*I think that's the clincher right there) I know that is where I would buy. Spend my winters in Canmore and the CA Rockies and then summer over in Squamish for some rock climbing...tough life...
The first day of climbing on the 25th we got to know the Smoke Bluffs area right in town. I was really impressed with this "crag" with tons of classic climbs of varying ability. We climbed Penny Lane 5.9 first. Daniel let it and then I led it. I was initially going to just follow it but another girl was talking about leading it when we were done...so I guess pride comes before fear in my book ;-) Great climb with a bit of a funky section at the bottom until you realize just how sticky Squamish granite really is. Then off to Quarryman 5.8 which I lead and then down to Neat and Cool. At Neat and Cool I lead Cornflackes a really easy but entertaning 5.7, and then lead Corner Crack 5.8 (fun!) . I finally convinced Daniel into leading Flying Circus 5.10a which we both were really glad he did, it was a great climb. then we toproped this unprotectable large flake called Lieback Flake5.9. We went ahead and called it a day after that, went and got coffee, and laid out in the grass and read and napped...ahh vacation...
Baby got a new pair of shoes
Dan on Penny Lane 5.9
Elisif on Quarryman 5.8
Elisif on Corner Crack 5.8
Elisif on Lieback Flake
The next day we did Diedre, one of my favorite multi-pitch climbs. It is 6 pitches with a couple of pitches of classic 5.8. We got done with Diedre in under 2 hours and decided to climb another climb on the Apron. We did Calculus Crack 5.8, a climb with 6 pitches , with the plan on climbing Karen's Math 10a up to Memorial Crack 5.9 at the top. the first two pitches are bullcrap of climbing a vertical jungle of sketchy trees who knows how many people have pulled on, the 5.8 and 5.7 pitches were really fun but that was when it started raining :-( Daniel had gotten the first pitch and ended up linking the two and I boogied as fast as I could because I wasn't sure how many pitches we had left on the climb and didn't want to be leading on wet, slippery granite. Luckily we were virtually done with the climb by the time things really got wet but I wish I had enjoyed those pitches a bit more, plus we didn't get to do Memorial but oh well, with two multipitches under our belt we headed down once again, this time for burgers and beer and not a lot to complain about!
Elisif on Pitch 3 of Diedre
Daniel on Pitch 4 of Diedre
The ominous sky
The third and last day we slept in hoping for things to dry out. We wishfully checked out Exasperator 5.10c which of course was wet and seepy...so we headed to the Smoke Bluffs again because they dry out so quickly. We went back to Neat and Cool and hung out near Cat Crack 5.7 doing that and then a 5.9, Jigsaw Flow (felt like an 8) to the left. We headed over to and I lead Pixie corner 5.8 , a little wet but really fun. We then decided to head over to Octopus' Garden...but guess what... It started raining. No biggie though, we got great climbing in and a ton of classics under our belt with a good tic list set up for next time. We grabbed coffee and headed South, stopped at my parents' in Olympia to hang out for a short while, then to Tigard to pick up Reuben, and home to get ready for work the next day! What a great, relaxing vacation, it was so nice and laidback that I was a little grumpy to be back in PDX ;-) Until the next adventure....
The third and last day we slept in hoping for things to dry out. We wishfully checked out Exasperator 5.10c which of course was wet and seepy...so we headed to the Smoke Bluffs again because they dry out so quickly. We went back to Neat and Cool and hung out near Cat Crack 5.7 doing that and then a 5.9, Jigsaw Flow (felt like an 8) to the left. We headed over to and I lead Pixie corner 5.8 , a little wet but really fun. We then decided to head over to Octopus' Garden...but guess what... It started raining. No biggie though, we got great climbing in and a ton of classics under our belt with a good tic list set up for next time. We grabbed coffee and headed South, stopped at my parents' in Olympia to hang out for a short while, then to Tigard to pick up Reuben, and home to get ready for work the next day! What a great, relaxing vacation, it was so nice and laidback that I was a little grumpy to be back in PDX ;-) Until the next adventure....
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