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Re: [boymeetsrock] The Ties that Bind Us - A Day Out on Whitehorse with my Dad:
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boymeetsrock
Oct 5, 2010, 12:50 PM
Views: 9872
Registered: Feb 11, 2005
Posts: 1709
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At the crack of noon, we got a regular alpine start.  We geared up at the car and walked up to the cliff. I intended to take the Beginners Route, that being the easiest on the wall. But, there was a party of four on the first anchor who appeared to be a regular cluster f*@k. I changed plans to the Standard Route. Standard Route is 5.5 800’ approximately 8 pitches. The vast majority of the climbing is 5.3, with the difficulties coming at about 600’, through the head wall.
Dad immediately noticed the benefits of the climbing shoes as he put his feet to the featureless slab. In our discussions, I repeatedly referred to the low angle nature of the climb and the friction moves we would be making. I could see the look in his eyes as he realized what I had been trying to say. (He later admitted to having though, ‘why do we need ropes on such low angle climbing’)
I tied in. I tied him in. We set off.
The first pitch of climbing is very low angle. It’s forth class really, so I passed by the first belay ledge (which is essentially a stance belay) and continued on to the “toilet bowl.” The TB is an appropriately named feature (a pooper shaped and sized hole in the slab) which serves as the second belay for our climb. When the rope came tight about 50’ before the anchor, I told my Dad to start climbing behind me. He started up immediately. I made the toilet bowl, quickly put him on belay, and waited for him to arrive.
Once we were both tied in at the anchor I took a minute to ask him how he was doing. We’re about 200’+ up the slab now. Nothing intimidating yet. He says he’s comfortable, so we take a few minutes to relax and review, while the party ahead of us starts up the “Arch” pitch. Once the leader is well up the pitch I head off toward their anchor at the bottom of the arch. We share the bolted anchor, and bring my Dad up. He comes along smoothly taking out the two cams I’ve placed and joins me in no time.
We relax again, as the second of the party ahead moves off up the arch. Now, there had been a wedding forming at the hotel below the cliff as we started our climb. We had heard it, but it wasn’t until we were relaxing here that we consciously noticed the classical string music wafting up from below. It was very soothing and calming. That music not only added to the atmosphere of the moment, but through the day it would help to set our pace.
(This post was edited by boymeetsrock on Oct 5, 2010, 12:55 PM)
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Relaxing at P2 Belay - 2 - Web 2.jpg
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