THE PERSONAL GEOGRAPHIC: There's a FIRST for everything!

Tuesday happened to be one of the rare sunny days we get in Vancouver, so needless to say it was spent outdoors CLIMBING.

The absolute basics

Driving to Squamish was breathtaking as usual. The Sea-to-Sky highway is my favourite highway because it's just so scenic! The water, the trees, the mountains, the skies....it's like a feast for your eyes! Okay maybe I'm being a little dramatic....but it definitely makes for a great drive, and an even better road trip for all you weekend warriors!

This glorious piece of rock above is called The Stawamus Chief. It's possible to both hike and climb it, and is actually one of the most popular local hikes. The face of this granite dome is insanely hard to climb, but I hope to climb it before the year end. Cheers to being ambitious!

Free advertising, you're welcome Starbucks!

This day of climbing I had two FIRST time experiences.

My first climb was a free solo, which meant I climbed it without rope or any other protective gear. I know it may sound ballsy (or stupid, I know you're thinking one or the other...probably the other) but it really was just a 5.6, (meaning it was ridiculously easy.) But still it felt GREAT! Maybe I'll try something a little harder next time? "Maybe" being the key word here.

It was great having Al, a locally infamous free soloist help talk me up. It was nice knowing that I wasn't doing it completely alone, and having some mental support the whole time was reassuring.

Here's a FIRST I'll never forget.

My second FIRST was trad climbing, which means putting the gear in the rock itself. According to wiki, "It is important that the leader be proficient at placing trad gear because his/her safety depends upon the soundness of each individual gear placement"......well sh*t.

In other words, if you place it in wrong and you fall on it, there's a chance it could just pop right off.....but I try not to think about it....

Here I am climbing "kangaroo corner," extremely sketched out!