The Motorola University

My back healed up quickly and without any complications. I was back to work and leading within three weeks of the injury. Unfortunately my motivation to continue projecting Spirit of the West had waned, but I was keen to continue trad climbing. Here I’ve compiled a brief summary of some standout multi pitches. Freeway Not sure, took a huge whipper on P1 though. Will update next season. Mighty Mouse A classic alpine multi pitch located in Geoffrey park in Pemberton. Perhaps the most splitter cracks I’ve ever climbed?  The best pitches were the 5.10d finger cracks. The crux was a bouldery 5.11 which Lindsay graciously led (She’s been my rope gun the last few months). The final pitch was a tricky slab which climbed beside a tiny seam. I used all my small nuts and rp’s. The true crux arose when we were hiking back. The trail alternated between dense sub-alpine Alder brush and the boulder fields which lay at the base of slide chutes. In the dark we lost track of the cairns and found our...

Posting this because I said I would keep updates on here. Had a good time climbing the freeblast. Unfortunately didn’t manage to onsight it, slipping once on the 11c slab and once on the slab above. Pretty happy with onsighting the rest of the route though. I particularly enjoyed the half-dollar, which has a weird flare which eventually becomes a chimney.  At Heart ledge Tristan and I had a chat and decided to head down the following morning. I wanted to keep heading up the route but it was not possible given the circumstance. I’ve been thinking about climbing the Freerider all year, so it’s hard to be writing this as we drive home. I’m thinking about what a long winter it will be and how long I’ll need to wait until I can go back to Yosemite. I’m not accustomed to having to give up on things. Giving up on this one has left me with a strange feeling. I like to be able to say I tried my best and gave it my all, which usually leaves me with a sense of satisfaction. Now I just feel a ...

A gallon a day each for water plus breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, respectively. Sleeping bags, sleeping pads,, and the big cams for the wide cracks. A lighter, a knife, kitchen supplies, and so much more. The plan is to be up on the wall for 6 days. Obviously trying the Freerider.  With the bags packed on Monday, this morning started at 4am hiking to the base of El Capitan, with bags so heavy my legs wobbled beneath them. I had the 70L haul bag on my back, and then the poop tube across the top, with the 40L haul bag hooked to that. The approach is only 30-40mins luckily, so we made it in good time without exhausting ourselves completely. The rest of the morning was spent hauling the bags up the fixed ropes to heart ledges, about a third of the way up the route. The plan for Thursday is to climb the freeblast slabs up to the bags, as well as “the move” pitch and the hollow flake. This would be a huge first day but give us lots of breathing room for the rest of the route. We were ...

 I’ve been thinking about this Yosemite trip for the whole year, and I can finally say I’m on my way to the centre of the universe. Stay tuned for updates. 

Hamish’s new rig. Omg it’s so pretty. Sweet barn in Peterborough. In Ontario for Shelby’s grad! Eating well and watching the oilers lose. Since the injury I’ve been a walking enthusiast. This is from an evening stroll. J star and I on break at Sakura Mart Flexing for the camera (I can’t do a one armer) Eric PTRD (put the rig down) Deck beer with Isaac back in Comox I felt like I was on a tear for a little while. I had sent my sport climbing project, onsighted some routes in Skaha, and did another thing in a couple tries. Wow! I’m on such good form.  So there I was, running it out on the first 11a pitch of freeway. I made it past the bolt and the crux and charged up the corner. I got to a little stance, and fiddle an orange metolius cam in. I like that cam, and still do, despite the events that followed.  I knew the placement was no good. I felt a bit shaky as I took the cam out, and tried to wiggle it back in again. I couldn’t see it well in the corner, as I was laybacking. Th...

 Adventuring with Arlo     Our friend was leaving El Salto to make her way to Turkey for another climbing trip, so Arlo and I decided to use our rest day to head to town with her. The hitchhike down was smooth because we picked up a ride almost immediately. I did, however, get quite carsick on the ride down. Amanda showed us where the AAA bus stop was on the side of the highway, and how to get a ticket into the city. The bus was packed to the brim and hot like a sauna. I was deep in a mental battle with my stomach and luckily I won. Lunch was pretty good and we spent three hours in the contemporary art museum. I'm no art connoisseur, but while I thought some of it was beautiful, it was mostly strange and disturbing. We made a point to view all the exhibits. After filling up a haul bag full of groceries we said goodbye to Amanda and hopped on the bus back to  Santiago. Once at the base of the pass we stuck our thumbs out yet again and started walking up the hill. It t...

      The climbing destination known as El Salto is nestled in the Sierra Madre at 1400m above the city of Monterrey by a small town called La  Ciénega de González. I knew where it was  on the map. I was to find a cafe called "Hanuman" and they'd be able to give me directions to Ramon's place from there. A large storm in Texas delayed my flights out  of Vancouver. Naturally, they sent me to Seattle, short checked  my bag so I had to go out of security, and then continued to f@!k me by canceling my flight once again. Needless to say I now know the best sleeping spots in the Seattle  Airport. After a night of binging Squid Game and couple planes later I landed in Monterrey a full  day later than I planned. No matter, I was so psyched to arrive. Airport Bivy     I stayed in a cheap hotel near the airport that night and sorted out my plans for the following day.  A bus ride to a town called Santiago, at which point I would hitchhik...