Summer鈥檚 here, school鈥檚 out and the climbers are coming to Squamish. Yes, it鈥檚 that time of year where our fame and notoriety draw thousands to our boulders, cliffs and walls. It鈥檚 a time of greasy jams, sore feet and battered fingers. The base jumpers are leaping off the Chief each morning with ever more increasing frequency and the hard sends quiet down with the approach of hot weather.聽
In local news comes a rare ascent of one of North America鈥檚 most difficult sport climbs. Mike Foley, an American transplant living in Vancouver, recently sent Dreamcatcher, 5.14d, right before the hot weather moved in. Foley had worked on Dreamcatcher for several years and was painfully close to a successful ascent. He showed serious tenacity in coming back and completing this project after years of efforts. Way to go!
A few more local first ascents happened with the arrival of summer. Lunar Tides, IV 5.11d, was just established by Jason Ammerlaan on the north end of the North Walls area on the Chief. Accompanied by 麻豆社国产Rock Guides owner Colin Moorhead, the two climbed the new line, which extends the original route, Gone Surfin 5.11a by eight more pitches to the top of the third summit of the Chief. For those who aren鈥檛 in the know, this route climbs the wall a ways left of the huge rockfall of 2015 and climbs improbable features, horizontal chimneys, cracks and ar锚tes, to the summit of the Chief鈥檚 third peak. Amazing work.
Another new line completed just a week ago by Jason Green of Straight Line Painting, the two pitch 5.11d Mystic Fingers climbs micro-corners and slabs just left of the 1969 aid route Third Abortion in the Bulletheads formation of the Chief. This area is located right above the Stawamus Chief Provincial Park鈥檚 campground, above the tent platforms in the forest. Great work Jason.聽
Finally, I wanted to weigh in on dance recitals and how they relate to climbing. Last night I went to TPAC鈥檚 year-end dance recital at the Eagle Eye Theatre and was overcome with admiration and blown away by performances from all involved. There were many climbers present, in the form of moms and dads of tiny dancers performing on stage. My own daughter was involved, and she was stupendously amazing, in my clear and unclouded view. I have never really watched any form of dance before, and what blew my mind was how each dancer seized their moment, as scary and intimidating as it must have been, and danced with enough confidence to show how much fun they were having and also how much pride they had in their hard work and the feeling of moving themselves around in space beautifully.聽
There are many reasons to climb, and most centre on arriving at the top of your 鈥渕ountain鈥� a changed person from the person at the bottom. How you proceed upon your path to reach the top is a very personal act. How you choose to move through that vertical environment, how it feels to move yourself against gravity, is a decision which instantly recalls the dancers I watched. Well done TPAC dancers, and well done to our local climbers. Let鈥檚 all try and dance a little smoother up there.聽
