For a long July 4th weekend 7 climbers and 4 family members decide to make a trip to the one climbing area in the Pacific Northwest for which rain is in the forecast. As government weather sites continue to predict significant probabilities of rain, the party finds commercial websites with more optimistic forecasts and declares, in effect, god is on our side - were going to Squamish. Day 1 (Friday) is mostly a success. Rain begins at 5pm, by which time all rope teams are well off their respective routes (Banana Peel and Diedre). Day 2 (Saturday) is a success or failure depending on ones perspective. At 8am the sky is overcast but it is not raining. One of the climbers looks at the sky and declares that it is probably not going to rain until 11am. Nobody dares question this assertion. It is decided to try more multipitch climbing. Nobody asks what happens if 11am occurs mid-route. People go off to their respective routes. Rain begins at 10am. One party (of 2) gets caught by rain just after the crux pitch has been led. Following the crux pitch on slick rock is still an adventure, but the party finds alternate routes and reaches the top at 3pm and makes it to camp before 5, with plenty of time to lay out the soaked rope under a tent to dry. The other party (of 4) are climbing as 2 teams of 2. Rain starts as rope 1 leader reaches the first anchor. Rope 1 leader yells to the bottom asking rope 2 if they still want to climb. Rope 2 climbers look at each other and, after brief hesitation, yell back no. So rope 1 follower climbs the pitch dragging rope 2 behind to facilitate a rappel (the pitch is 55m). Rope 2 team (minus the rope) pack their stuff. Rain stops. Rope 1 follower finishes the pitch. Rope 1 leader yells to the 2 climbers left on the ground: Are you sure you dont want to give it a try ? No What ? We are not sure Ok, come on up ! Rope 2 team unpack their stuff again, tie themselves to the tail end of rope 2, and are belayed by rope team 1 to the top of the first pitch. Rain starts again, this time stronger. The 4 decide that maybe the skies are trying to tell them something and rappel the pitch. Everybody packs their gear. The sun peeks through the clouds. Damn they say, the rock is still not that wet - we should give it another shot. They do. This time rope 2 goes first. Just as the leader reaches pitch 1 anchor rain begins a 3rd time, even stronger than before. The slab gets wet this time. But somebody has to bring the 2nd rope up to rescue the leader, so rope 2 follower suffers through 55m of wet slab and drags rope #1 along. The 2 rappel. Rain stops again, but by now the rock is quite wet and the team has finally gotten the message - they pack their gear one last time and head to the car. Day 3 begins with a sky similar to day 2, but pessimism finally prevails and the climbers (of which there are now only 4) pack up their stuff and drive to Mt Erie, where the 4 finally have a productive day of challenging cragging with sunshine.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Jul 2014 05:26:13 +0000
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