Adventure day!

I skived off work to go climbing today -- Chantalle was available as it was St Jean Baptiste day on the Quebec side. I had originally proposed Mont Rigaud, but then found some info on Eagle's Nest in Bancroft, a 50m cliff with a bunch of 2-pitch moderates and some single-pitch stuff that looked accessible. So, I sold her on the 2.5 hour drive (as opposed to about 1h30 to Rigaud) with the short approach (at Mont Rigaud you hike most of the way up a ski run, a short ski run, but still it is a solid up-hill hike).

So, I decide to start with a two-pitch 5.5 that starts with a bolted slab... and wow... that's hard stuff. I'd say 5.8, maybe 5.9 to the first bolt. New crag...run-out to second bolt... what's this going to be like? Actually, fine - the rest was slightly stiff 5.5. Then a 5.6 climb including off-width, for which I'd brought my wide gear -- fun climbing. A 5.10a, run-out, hard sport climb (7 bolts in 28m or so), but I got it on-sight. Then an adjacent 5.10a on top-rope, with lots of hang-dogging. We finished the day with a 2-pitch 5.8 where I took a couple solid lead falls onto gear, the second one actually popping my top piece (it slowed me down), then the next piece down holding. I was still twitchy by the time we'd reached the ground.

The weather was great, the cliff is interesting and may bear a return visit. And a great day to not be at work. :)