A Passion for the Mountains - The Alpine Club of Canada

To Every Place There is a Season
by Lynn Martel
been to Wheeler Hut enough
I’ve times over the years to
have developed a visual and emotional
expectation of what I anticipate fi nding each
time I return – a deep impression of the log
cabin, the trees it’s nestled among and the
towering peaks surrounding it. It’s the only
Wheeler Hut photo by Nancy Hansen
Heidi’s Hints
Dear Heidi,
I’ve been sport climbing for several
seasons now, both in the gym and at the
crags. Technically I’ve improved, but
I’m still not comfortable leading. I’m so
nervous I can’t focus on the moves. How
do I overcome this fear and become a leader
instead of a follower?
Sincerely, Dog on a Leash
Dear Dog,
First, realize you’re not alone. Ever
noticed all that swaggering and posing at
the crags? Well, it’s just to cover up the
quaking knees and sweating palms we all
suffer from taking the sharp end of the rope.
It gets easier over time but the butterfl ies
never completely fl y away; that’s partly what
keeps us hooked on climbing. But while
a bit of anxiety is thrilling and keeps our
attention, it shouldn’t border on terror. So
let’s discuss ways you can confi dently break
into the leading world.
First lesson – leave your ego at home.
Self-image can only be a burden – a heavy
weight you drag up the climb that only
distracts you. That means you start by
leading climbs two to four number grades
below what you can toprope. Remember
this is a riskier game – learning should be
4 Alpine Club of Canada ● Gazette ● Summer 2003
hut I’ve skied into long after sunset more
than once, on purpose. So near the summit
of Rogers Pass and the parking lot on the
Trans Canada Highway, Wheeler stands like
a hospitable check-in centre, entry point to
grand ski touring and climbing adventures
beginning just beyond its latched doorway,
up the Illecillewaet and Asulkan glaciers.
Approaching the
hut after dark, I expect
to see smoke puffi ng
from the chimneys and
mere slivers of light
sneaking out from the
windows, illuminating
only the tops of the
massive snowpiles that
obscure them. Following
narrow ski tracks to the
back door, I expect the
outhouse path to be
walled by snowbanks
over my head. I expect
to enter a lively, bustling
fun; you can push arbitrary grades later. So,
if you can toprope a 5.10 without hanging,
start by leading a 5.7. Pick a friendly climb
with lots of bolts. This will greatly reduce
your nerves and you can always tell your
friends you just need practice clipping bolts.
A more scientifi c method is to divide the
length of the climb by the number of bolts
(including the anchors). This will give you
some idea of the average distance between
the bolts (I like about three metres when
climbing at my limit). And remember some
sport routes are set up to stick clip the fi rst
bolt. I’d recommend you do that anyway for
your fi rst few leads.
Second, wear a helmet. That’s part of
leaving your ego at home. The consequences
of a lead fall are serious, even on sport
routes. With the new style of fashionable,
lightweight helmets, well, there’s just no
excuse any more.
Third, pick a belayer you trust will be
patient, encouraging and attentive, not
checking out the babes/hunks on the next
route, or digging in the pack for food as you
make that dicey clip. Confi dence in your
belayer will add a tremendous psychological
edge to your leads.
Fourth, practice falling. Like many
things in life, the fear of falling is often
much worse than the actual act. If you are
comfortable with falling, you’ll be less afraid
place; both fi replaces crackling with dry
wood, voices and laughter fi lling the spaces
between the ceiling beams.
But in the winter of 2003, Wheeler Hut
was quite a different place.
I drove down from Mica Creek, two
and a half hours north of Rogers Pass,
where I’d been visiting some friends at a
heli-skiing lodge. The brand new lodge
boasted a spectacular stone fi replace,
leather armchairs, a rooftop Jacuzzi with
a mountain view, après ski sushi and a
four-story climbing wall. I had left right
before dinner and second-guessed my
decision not to stay for that night’s party
throughout my drive. But I was meeting
friends early the next morning at the Rogers
Pass info centre for a two night camping
trip up Bostock Creek and reasoned that I
would prefer to get the drive over with so I’d
be well rested for the ski.
Before pulling into the parking lot I
knew the snowbanks were pitifully low
for mid-February – I’d seen more snow
knowing the worst that can happen. Some
climbers who feel edgy on a given day will
take a practice fall or two just to put them
in the zone. This might best be practiced in
the controlled environment of the gym, on
an overhanging route with a knowledgeable
belayer you’ve warned. Don’t grab anything
with your hands, including the rope, watch
your legs aren’t tangled in the rope and aim
for a soft landing with fl exed legs against
the wall.
Fifth, develop a system for clipping.
Always rack your biners the same way on
your harness, in terms of how many per side,
order from short to long, orientation of the
gates. Discuss with your belayer whether or
not you want a spot to the fi rst bolt, if you’ll
shout for slack, etc. Be consistent. Soon
you’ll be so effi cient at clipping, it’ll be as
natural as chalking up.
Finally, build a pyramid. Once you’ve
led that fi rst 5.7, lead a bunch more before
hopping on a 5.8. And before leading a 5.9,
lead more 5.7s and 5.8s. This is known as a
pyramid, where each progression in diffi culty
is founded on an ever-widening base of easier
routes. Who knows, maybe some day you’ll
fi nd yourself tying in at the bottom of some
insanely overhanging crimp-fest in the south
of France. And, if that’s the case, be sure to
take your ego with you.
See you at the crags, Heidi