A Long Overdue Reunion
Life is hectic. Just when I thought I could not get busier I realized there is a whole new level. As a 30 year old, struggling aspirant mountain guide, striving outdoor gear sales rep, aging sponsored athlete, and newbie functional relationshipee….. well, time has it’s way of going by fast. All this while trying to recover from 10 years of hap-hazard financial responsible because I chose climbing as my number one concern. Then of course there’s the fact that I live in a ‘booming’ mountain town where those that are buying homes are usually retired and fresh from spending the last 30 or 40 years of there lives working and now plan on enjoying ‘extreme’ golf in “what has to be the Center of the Universe!”
When I moved to Canmore, 8 years ago, life was so simple. I was 22 years old and content to be very poor as long as I was climbing. I could say I was investing in my future because really I just wanted to be a climbing guide and that takes several years of dirt baggin’ it/climbing full time in order to get the skills necessary. During these early years I developed relationships with a handful of like minded individuals that will last forever and in these now hectic days of life will be nearly impossible to replicate. Of the half dozen or so faces that come to mind when I think of these life long ‘blood, sweat and tears’ brothers, all of them I hardly get a chance to see any more, but all of them are held to the highest level of love and respect. I know I will get out with all of them again; in the mountains or atleast to the local pub; and I really look forward to when these reunions happen.
My most significant climbing partnership of my 10 year career has no doubt been with Eamonn Walsh. The funny or sad thing is that over the past 4 years I have maybe climbed with him as many times. I had my most intense life experience with him on Mt. Foraker in the spring of 2001 and since then we have gone our separate ways, for no particular reason that I put my finger on other than we have both been focused on slightly different paths. Maybe it’s because I became a half cripple in the fall of 2001 when I broke my ankle and have felt sub-standard ever since.
I have always had pleasant intentions of rekindling some of these old climbing partnerships; partnerships from the dirtbag, obsessive compulsive, ‘House of Youth’ days. I must mention ‘getting out’ every time I see one of these guys. As we all know, talk it cheap, but I always know it will eventually happen and when it does it is always sweet.
Finally, finally, finally yesterday I got out with Eamonn again and yes, as predicted it was a special day. We have both been eyeing “The Drip at the Center of the Universe” on Mt. Birdwood since we started climbing together 7 or so years ago. We have both hiked in to it a time or two, or three(in Eamonn’s case). It is a stunning line, especially when viewed from the road. Any dedicated climber will easily pick it out on a photo of the face or while driving by.
The line has had only a few ascents and maybe has thwarted a second true ascent all the way to the ridgeline, 500 meters from the base. Rumors are it had never been climbed all the way to the summit either which would, of course, be a worthy goal.
It has been a hot few days here in the Rockies for the end of November. Ice climbs have been falling down daily. It could be too hot, we thought, but then again the weather man is calling for some clouds and the face has already had several hot days, without new snow, to clean itself off. My biggest concern was simply getting out with my old climbing buddy so I was willing to walk even if it was not, what we considered as, ‘in’.
We had easy walking on a thick wind and sun crust. A very
easy two and a half hours and we were at the base of what appeared to be an intact route. We weren’t even sweaty, a near miracle for a couple of M.O.G.’s (men of girth). The clouds were thin but present and we were gung ho. The route went well. By hitting the ridge, after several funky rotten steep ice sections and a bunch of steep snow, we claimed what may be the true second ascent and then reach the summit only minutes later.
Smooth as I always remembered it to be.
Thanks Busta!
When I moved to Canmore, 8 years ago, life was so simple. I was 22 years old and content to be very poor as long as I was climbing. I could say I was investing in my future because really I just wanted to be a climbing guide and that takes several years of dirt baggin’ it/climbing full time in order to get the skills necessary. During these early years I developed relationships with a handful of like minded individuals that will last forever and in these now hectic days of life will be nearly impossible to replicate. Of the half dozen or so faces that come to mind when I think of these life long ‘blood, sweat and tears’ brothers, all of them I hardly get a chance to see any more, but all of them are held to the highest level of love and respect. I know I will get out with all of them again; in the mountains or atleast to the local pub; and I really look forward to when these reunions happen.
My most significant climbing partnership of my 10 year career has no doubt been with Eamonn Walsh. The funny or sad thing is that over the past 4 years I have maybe climbed with him as many times. I had my most intense life experience with him on Mt. Foraker in the spring of 2001 and since then we have gone our separate ways, for no particular reason that I put my finger on other than we have both been focused on slightly different paths. Maybe it’s because I became a half cripple in the fall of 2001 when I broke my ankle and have felt sub-standard ever since.
I have always had pleasant intentions of rekindling some of these old climbing partnerships; partnerships from the dirtbag, obsessive compulsive, ‘House of Youth’ days. I must mention ‘getting out’ every time I see one of these guys. As we all know, talk it cheap, but I always know it will eventually happen and when it does it is always sweet.
Finally, finally, finally yesterday I got out with Eamonn again and yes, as predicted it was a special day. We have both been eyeing “The Drip at the Center of the Universe” on Mt. Birdwood since we started climbing together 7 or so years ago. We have both hiked in to it a time or two, or three(in Eamonn’s case). It is a stunning line, especially when viewed from the road. Any dedicated climber will easily pick it out on a photo of the face or while driving by.
The line has had only a few ascents and maybe has thwarted a second true ascent all the way to the ridgeline, 500 meters from the base. Rumors are it had never been climbed all the way to the summit either which would, of course, be a worthy goal.
It has been a hot few days here in the Rockies for the end of November. Ice climbs have been falling down daily. It could be too hot, we thought, but then again the weather man is calling for some clouds and the face has already had several hot days, without new snow, to clean itself off. My biggest concern was simply getting out with my old climbing buddy so I was willing to walk even if it was not, what we considered as, ‘in’.
We had easy walking on a thick wind and sun crust. A very
easy two and a half hours and we were at the base of what appeared to be an intact route. We weren’t even sweaty, a near miracle for a couple of M.O.G.’s (men of girth). The clouds were thin but present and we were gung ho. The route went well. By hitting the ridge, after several funky rotten steep ice sections and a bunch of steep snow, we claimed what may be the true second ascent and then reach the summit only minutes later.Smooth as I always remembered it to be.
Thanks Busta!
posted by Rob Owens at 11/26/2005 03:54:00 PM
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