Fall Training and Failing in Skaha
Air Test At the end of this past summer, I spent two days climbing at the Skaha bluffs. While it was a brief trip, I was blown away with the quality of the climbing. It was the first time I had climbed on true endurance routes, and I quickly found myself inspired by a route called Air Test, given the grade of 5.13a. It was bolted and climbed by Hugh Lenny, a legendary developer in the area. While it had some very 'enhanced' grips, the ethics of development at the time make the line possible (or at least not 5.15). It is found in the Great White Area and climbs directly up the center of the most impressive wall. It’s forty metres long on a mostly flat 25-degree overhang with very few rests. A true fitness test. Over those two days I tried the moves, but the relentless enduro-style felt far out of reach. I felt as though sending the pitch would represent a benchmark in my growth as a climber. Fall Training I decided immediately that it was what I wanted to train for this f...