Prarie Climb

All right Jon - here's your mid-week post!

I was prepared to tell you all about the Big Rock Clean Up I was supposed to go to last night...but alas, plans changed. First off, what's the Big Rock Clean Up? It's an annual event put on by the Calgary Mountain Club to help preserve an climbing area out by Okotoks. From what I've heard, lots of people go, pick up garbage, drink some beer, do some bouldering and generally have a good time. Ryan and I had every intention of going last night...but then Ryan decided that with the beautiful weather we should really take advantage of Prarie (another north facing wall that's cold to climb on unless it's damn hot outside!!).

So we went to Prarie.

We stopped for some fantastic Vietnamese on the way out of town and then drove out to Powder Face trail to hike up to Prarie ... either it wasn't that bad of a hike, or I am getting used to hiking because it really wasn't that bad! We ended up being the only two up there and it was awesome!!

Ryan had me work a route called Pleb which is a 9+, and I managed to red point it on my third attempt!! (red point - climbing a route from start to finish with out taking or falling, but knowing how to climb it because you've worked on it) Not only that, I cleaned the route as well!! (Cleaning - basically securing yourself at the top of the route, taking your rope off and retying again through chains so you can bring down all your gear - scary!!). I was so excited for doing it! I also have to say that I admire Rye's patience with me and climbing and having to stay on really easy routes for him because of me...I appreciate it!!

Of course by the time I did red point Pleb (and I'm glad I did when I did because Rye said we weren't leaving until I did!) the sun was starting to set, so we hiked back to the car and drove back to Calgary. We decided that we were both starving (I had forgotten we had actually eaten dinner before we left; I was that hungry!!), so we stopped at one of Rye old watering holes (Buffalo Bill's - I think) for wings and beer - so yummy after climbing and hiking!! I think it was close to 11:30 when we got home and I will admit - I was exhausted!!

I hate my alarm clock and I'm tired today - but it's such a good tired!