![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
I went up to the Western Cwm (pronounced koom) with my brother-in-law today. He ran me through the basics of lead-climbing for sport (sport-climbing, or clip-and-go), including setting a belay station at the top and top-belaying, too. I led my first route, a fairly easy one, then led two more, one of which had a couple tricky bits on it.
We ended up climbing 3 routes up Spindrift Wall, and one route up Cave Wall. We top-roped the Cave Wall route -- another group had already set a top-rope, and they set our rope for us, while clearing theirs. That route was a 5.6 crack climb. I took one fall on it. The three climbs on Spindrift were probably around 5.3, 5.4 and 5.5 for the last one. I will say that Gatineau Park real-rock ratings seem a lot tougher than gym ratings. In a gym, I will consider a 5.3 a ladder and will play with it doing things like climbing one-handed; same for 5.4 and maybe 5.5. (I did so on a 5.5 at Joe Rockhead's in Toronto, for example.) There was stuff on the 5.5 that I would have been far happier with a top-rope for, though I didn't actually fall. (It was enough that my brother-in-law commented on there being a bit of tricky section, and that I'd lead it nicely. Since he went up the 5.6 with far greater ease than me, I'm pretty sure it was for my benefit, but I appreciated it, since I'd felt that bit was tricky, too.)
The weather was gorgeous, too. Though, a bit warm. At the base, it was mostly shaded and not too bad, but the upper half of the face was completely open and facing towards the sun, so a lot of heating coming down. I finished my last climb under 2pm (or so) full sun, sweating enough that I had droplets landing on my glasses. Still, given that we were worried about rain because of Saturday's weather, this was great climbing.
It was also good to spend some time with my brother-in-law. We've seen each other at family get-togethers a fair bit, but not really had much time the two of us, so I don't feel I've really gotten to know him. This day of climbing was great for that. And, I really like him. He's a great guy, great attitude, knowledgeable but not overbearing. Seems a good teacher -- I feel I learnt a lot, without being made to feel like I was ignorant or stupid. And answered questions with good reasons.
[edit] Apparently the music was changed on Friday, so this was just coincidence.[/edit] And, to my amusement, when I turned my stereo on this evening I found Peter and the Wolf playing. Why amusement? Because it had been played for my niece last evening at the cottage, and I'm pretty sure that prompted gabriel_le to put it in the stereo this morning.
Now, to catchup on a couple days of too-busy-to-read-LJ and other online stuff, too.
We ended up climbing 3 routes up Spindrift Wall, and one route up Cave Wall. We top-roped the Cave Wall route -- another group had already set a top-rope, and they set our rope for us, while clearing theirs. That route was a 5.6 crack climb. I took one fall on it. The three climbs on Spindrift were probably around 5.3, 5.4 and 5.5 for the last one. I will say that Gatineau Park real-rock ratings seem a lot tougher than gym ratings. In a gym, I will consider a 5.3 a ladder and will play with it doing things like climbing one-handed; same for 5.4 and maybe 5.5. (I did so on a 5.5 at Joe Rockhead's in Toronto, for example.) There was stuff on the 5.5 that I would have been far happier with a top-rope for, though I didn't actually fall. (It was enough that my brother-in-law commented on there being a bit of tricky section, and that I'd lead it nicely. Since he went up the 5.6 with far greater ease than me, I'm pretty sure it was for my benefit, but I appreciated it, since I'd felt that bit was tricky, too.)
The weather was gorgeous, too. Though, a bit warm. At the base, it was mostly shaded and not too bad, but the upper half of the face was completely open and facing towards the sun, so a lot of heating coming down. I finished my last climb under 2pm (or so) full sun, sweating enough that I had droplets landing on my glasses. Still, given that we were worried about rain because of Saturday's weather, this was great climbing.
It was also good to spend some time with my brother-in-law. We've seen each other at family get-togethers a fair bit, but not really had much time the two of us, so I don't feel I've really gotten to know him. This day of climbing was great for that. And, I really like him. He's a great guy, great attitude, knowledgeable but not overbearing. Seems a good teacher -- I feel I learnt a lot, without being made to feel like I was ignorant or stupid. And answered questions with good reasons.
[edit] Apparently the music was changed on Friday, so this was just coincidence.[/edit] And, to my amusement, when I turned my stereo on this evening I found Peter and the Wolf playing. Why amusement? Because it had been played for my niece last evening at the cottage, and I'm pretty sure that prompted gabriel_le to put it in the stereo this morning.
Now, to catchup on a couple days of too-busy-to-read-LJ and other online stuff, too.
