Well, I was supposed to write this post a week ago, but time flew by and here I am a week later just getting around to it.  Oh well!  We've just finished a little backpacking trip and will be leaving BC tomorrow, but I'll save that story for next time.

For now, most of what I have to report on is climbing, climbing, climbing.  We did as many long routes up the Chief as we could fit in, as well as visiting other spots in the area like the Malamute, Slhanay,  and Bulletheads.  I was most excited about doing the Grand Wall; it's a pretty classic route with some hard climbing and it's one of the routes we didn't get to do together last time we were here.  The last few pitches of the route--called the Roman Chimneys--are not generally climbed anymore, and after doing them we could see why!  A bit dirty and mossy, a bit harrowing and not so fun.  But, after talking about wanting to do that part for 2 years, at least Mike can say that he's done it!

We continued to have beautiful weather until the evening of July 31st, when we saw the first rain since we arrived.  I guess July really is the best time to be here!  Since then we've had a few more showery days, enough to make it hard to climb but not so bad that it's a pain to be camping.  We also got to enjoy the local 'Logger Sports' festival, with competitions in more kinds of wood chopping than you knew existed!  Tree climbing and log rolling in water were also fun to watch. 


Just a few new pictures this time.....since we've been primarily climbing there isn't much new to show.  You can only take so many pictures of a person climbing above or below you on a wall; they all pretty much look the same! 

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