A Day Climbing in Squamish, BC
This is a modified write up I did for Solo Eyewear's blog last year. It's a quick articulation of my experience doing a multipitch climb in Squamish, BC. It was adapted from a larger story which will be featured in a book I've been working on.
There I was standing near the top of a cliff, 200 metres in the sky wearing only my underwear, about to jump into a beautiful waterfall fed pool. I was contemplating dropping my boxer shorts to expose my rear end to the large crowd of tourists below. They look so tiny down there. When I waved no one returned the gesture. “They deserve it!” I thought. I could see them toting cameras. The thought of them viewing their photos later, only to find a mischievous man near the top is hilarious to me.
5AM comes earlier! Crawling out of my tent to meet the stillness that dawn brings. A quick breakfast starts me on my way. Arriving at the approach trail already racked up, with anything of excess weight left behind. The vibrations of anticipation begin to sync with the rhythms of nature. The sound of the gentle wind, the birds chirping, and the river flowing all meld together like a carefully planned symphony which matches what’s playing inside my body. Interacting with nature makes these feelings a reality. Rock climbing puts me in my place of the musical line up.
The climb progressed smoothly with little to no hick-ups. The burliness of climbing a dihedral corner wakens the muscles, while the airy exposure of being high above the Howe Sound excites the senses. Pitch after pitch was done quickly and before long the top was near. A traverse and friction slab separates me from the summit. Enjoyment and smiles overtake any pain or dehydration being felt.
After hours on route a decision had to be made. Follow the path right to descend, or take it left to visit the pools. Beguiled by the experience so far, it seemed only fit to continue on. Transitioning back to a bipedal movement, I hiked upward to greet an unexpected group of waterfall fed pools. A look over the edge brought me back to reality. When I arrived, there was no one else around. Now the park was filled with tourists to take in the spectacle of nature. A dip in the in the cold water refreshed my senses and centred my perspective. It calmed my mischievous nature.