Spring at Smith

For some climbers the season at Smith never ended. Mine has just begun. Because of my knee injury, I've been out off the rock for over two months.

This past weekend was my first real attempt at real climbing (on rock, on the sharp end, on challenging routes.)

The day started off on a few east warm-ups, where I led and felt comfortable. The only times my knee hurt was when I was not moving, and in an energy saving clipping position. I have good range of motion, but sitting in the perch position (heel up my butt, basically) is completely impossible and would cause me excruciating pain.

After the warm-ups, my partner Mike Rougeux and I moved up to Aggro Gully to a 5.11b named Toxic. It is a rather short route (7 or 8 closely spaced bolts). The reason for choosing this route was because it is overhanging, so if I would fall (which I really shouldn't at this point) I wouldn't hit rock... only air. My first burn, I took a fall at the crux (a full dyno at mid-height) then on my second burn I sent with ease.

It felt really good to climb, move, and most of all succeed, even if it wasn't a climb for the record books. Climbing again after this accident makes me realize that I love the rhythm of climbing; the rhythm of moving over rock. When I lose that, I lose a little piece of myself.

Photo: Mike Rougeux on Magic Light, Smith Rocks, Oregon. Drew Peterson Belaying