It was a nice day, overcast but not rainy or cold, as we set out to climb at Area 44, a crag just outside of Squamish. My plan for the day was to have some fun, as I had finished my last exam the day before, and to learn some more about climbing. We parked on one side of the Sea-to-Sky highway and sprinted across to the other to the trailhead. Someone jokingly referred to running across the road as the most dangerous part of the day, a statement which might not have been too far from the truth. As we arrived at the rock face we planned on climbing, it became apparent that we were not the only ones who wanted to take advantage of the pleasant weekend weather. A decision was made to split up and half of us went on further to find somewhere else to climb.
After some confusion as to where we were going involving a lack of guidebooks and a hidden sign, we arrived at The Pillary, aptly named for its granite pillars. It was located above a field of boulders, meaning there were no trees to block the excellent view. Once the clouds cleared, we were able to see the dramatic, glacier-covered mountains of the Tantalus Range. Despite the fact that we were a 15 minute walk from the highway, the scenery made it feel like we were in the middle of nowhere.
We had a fairly relaxed start to the day, which seemed to be fine with everyone. The ropes had to be set up, so four of the more advanced climbers did so while the rest of us chatted and ate. This was not a top-rope area, meaning that the ropes could not be placed from above. Instead, the more experienced climbers had to lead climb the routes, which seemed terrifying as there’s no rope above holding them to the wall.
Once ropes had been placed on two routes, we were able to start climbing. The first route I climbed ended up being quite difficult; I was not the only person who struggled. It was one long granite slab, with whole sections devoid of handholds or footholds. Despite the difficulty, I somehow managed to get to the top -- not without falling several times. Thankfully, it was the hardest climb I would do all day.
Although the trip was advertised as beginner-friendly, the group ended up being composed
mainly of experienced climbers. However, I learned a lot on this trip, despite the absence of formal instruction. It’s surprising how much you can pick up just by being in the vicinity of experienced people.
It might seem strange to immediately go out and do something difficult the day after exams, instead of say, marathoning an entire show on Netflix. However, while rock climbing may be incredibly physically challenging, it is also an excellent way to destress. Clinging to a vertical rock face using your fingers and toes may not sound like a particularly relaxing activity, but there’s something refreshing about being outside and being active after spending the last several weeks cooped up studying.
Eventually, the rest of our group who had been climbing in another area joined us. Since they hadn’t done any routes at The Pillary, we ended up staying quite late. The group left the area around seven, no one wanting to waste the decent weather, especially at the beginning of the climbing season. As it turns out, we had excellent timing, as raindrops started to fall mere seconds after the cars pulled out from the parking lot.
Climbing turned out to be the perfect way to round out the school year.