After my niece’s impressive performance while “top-roping” yesterday at Whitehorse Ledge I was eager to bring her on her first multi-pitch rock climb. For those who do not climb, “multi-pitch” simply means climbing a cliff so tall that it takes more than one rope length to reach the top, so you climb it in stages, or “pitches”. I would climb up, build an anchor, provide security for her to climb to me, anchor her in, and repeat the process until we reached the top. This type of climbing is more committing as you can’t always easily get back to flat ground if you become uncomfortable. Sometimes you only have a very small ledge, or no ledge at all, to hang out on. The rope and the gear keep us safely attached, but to the uninitiated it looks awfully intimidating. Well, except for my niece.
Michelle and Alex dropped us off at the top of the cliff, and we hiked down and around to the start of our climb. While scrambling across the access ledge tied together I grabbed this picture of Jessica with Whitehorse Ledge in the background.
We made our way across the treed-ledge, and as the path narrowed Jessica remarked how cool it was that nature provided a trail along this exposed spot. This kid really “gets it”. We arrived at the base of the climb, and where many a new climber has looked up with a bit of concern Jessica did as well, but asked a completely different question than I am used to here. Usually it is “We’re climbing this?” “Where will you stop?” “How will we get down?”
Jessica though, looks up and asks if there is more to the cliff than what she can see. I ask her to elaborate and she wants to know if there is more climbing than the 200 feet of granite she sees above her. I tell her there is another 50 feet or so above that is out of sight. She responds, “Good, I want the climb to be as long as possible”.
That is some serious motivation! I’m smiling pretty wide as I lead up the first pitch. When it is Jessica’s turn she follows quickly and has no problem removing the protection I had placed in the cracks when instructed to do so.
There was an AMGA Rock Instructor Exam group at the first anchor so I built my anchor on a smaller stance just below the normal belay. Jessica arrived at the anchor and had no problem leaning back and getting comfortable despite there being barely any place to sit. This was good to see as during the drive to the cliff she had asked me if there would be places on the cliff to sit down, and our current position didn’t allow for it. None-the-less she seemed comfortable and I headed up the 2nd pitch with complete confidence in her ability to finish the climb.
After a brief break at the top of the 2nd pitch we waived to Aunt Shelly who was a little black dot down on the road watching our progress, and started up the 3rd pitch.
While Jessica followed the pitch I managed to grab some shaky video. YouTube has offered to reduce the shakiness after uploading, so I am curious as to how this will turn out:
A photo is worth a 100 shaky seconds of video though;
We topped out in just over an hour from leaving the car and Michelle and Alex arrived seconds later.
We took in the sights and headed down to the base of the cliff for some lunch. After some water and PB&J I took one more pic before heading off to Diana’s Baths for a relaxing, albeit crowded swim.
I found climbing when I was 15. It’s guided just about everything I have done in the last 19 years. It is an indescribable passion. I can say this though, the only thing better than climbing for close to two decades, is showing someone who is just over a decade old and seeing her, or him, absolutely love it. It’s re-affirming, motivating, and satisfying, and as one old mountaineering quote states… “Just pure joy”.
Hi Dave
Thanks for so eloquently sharing your adventures with Alex and now Jessica too!
We loved your commentary and and the awesome pictures! Looks like you have ignited the passion in the next generation of climbers! Great job Jess!!! Aunt Shelly and Alex look adorable as always too!!
XOXO
Kathy and Tom