Kangaroo Point

I've been incredibly fortunate to learn the basic skills of sport and trad leading from an amazing group of people.  Today Kim and I went for a chilled climb at KP with Rob and Mike.  

Learning from Rob - an experienced international mountaineer and climber,  Nathan - an instructor at Mt Barney Lodge, Mike is one of a handful of people to climb the 5 highest mountains in the world without oxygen and, Noel, who's climbed with these guys for years, and you can see the pool of experience I've been so lucky to learn from, and climb some great routes with.

A highlight (or was that lowlight?), was when I was thirding up Stars Look Down, a grade 21 trad route at Frog Buttress, and Mike decides to tell me that the sapling we're all anchored to is slowly pulling out, so try not to fall.  A bit of stress and confusion later ("why don't you just lower me off so we don't all die?"), I get to the top to see a very solid looking chain and a redirected anchor.  Words were had, and some laughs, followed by me rather enjoying Rob's slightly alarmed climb of Resurrection Corner as rain crept in.

Plenty of fantastic climbing awaits in Canada, but without the hijinks of these guys, it'll won't quite be the same. [A]