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| Lance nearing the summit of Dragontail peak via the Backbone ridge fin direct. Photo by Michael Rowley |
Wow. It has been way too long since I've taken the time to sit down and share my adventures, quite a shame considering the climbing I've been doing in the last couple months. Buckle your seat belt and put your helmet it on, here we go!
The middle of May I broke my wrist falling off my bike. I took a corner onto a sidewalk just a little too fast. I crashed, concerned drivers stopped and asked if I was okay. Within 10 seconds of crashing, I knew my wrist was broken and began my walk of shame to Hall Health. I texted Deni with defeat.....it was difficult texting with only my left hand...she met up with me at Hall Health, dripping in the coffee she spilled in her rush.
With some ice the pain subsided, but a colder realization took place. I was due to be an assistant guide on Denali in just a few weeks with Dave Hahn, an incredible opportunity and a dream I had been pursuing for the last couple years. The trip would be a landmark for me, a big step in my pursuit as an alpinist and guide. The dream was shattered, my summer was shattered, climbing was out of the question and what could fill that void?
It turns out the void was filled with more sickness. A few weeks later I went into surgery for a tonsillectomy. The six months prior I was constantly getting sick, every couple of weeks I would get something similar to strep throat, I repeatedly went to the doctor. Every doctor tested me for mono, strep and cancer. The fourth time of this I was fed up. My Uncle, an infectious disease specialist at Valley Medical, diagnosed me with Tonsillitis. This made sense so the cure was to get my tonsils removed, be miserable for a few days and then return to my healthy self and get on with my summer. It seemed great, my wrist was broken anyway so I thought doing the surgery now, before life got back in full swing was perfect. Needless to say, life is hardly perfect.
The surgery went fine, those tonsils came right out and anesthesia doesn't really bother me. Unfortunately the artery at the back of my throat refused to heal. My throat kept bleeding profusely even two weeks after the surgery. I spent many hours bent over a basin spitting up gobs of dark partially coagulated blood, cups and cups poured out of my mouth, once in a while a big glob of the red shit would clog my throat causing me to vomit into the basin adding half digested food and more blood to the mix. Staring down into a plastic basin full of my blood, spit and spirit surrounded by darkness and helplessness is one of the most vivid memories from my summer. The miserable ordeal lasted weeks. Through three surgeries I lost twenty pounds, and 40% of my total blood volume, at one point I wasn't allowed to eat anything more than simple chicken broth. This abuse left me with a pale skinny frame which could barely make it up the stairs of house twice a day.
I spent fourth of July on the couch sipping the delicious juices of the steaks my parents and best friend Cody, who was cool enough to hang with his bedridden friend, readily devoured.
The second unplanned surgery ruined my plans to visit Deni in Colorado. Apparently anemic folks don't do well on airplanes but my amazing girlfriend found a way pay for a flight home and found me in the hospital. She stayed for only a few days before returning to her field work in Colorado but the positive energy and love helped turn around my low morale.
I slowly got better and better, a couple weeks after my third surgery I began to feel like I was finally leaving behind the sadness that had consumed me so far that summer. My wrist healed remarkably well, I dedicated myself to the exercises my physical therapist gave me. I went through them as I watched my heroes on YouTube climb around the world for inspiration to get better. Eventually I was able to turn my hand all the way over without assistance and soon I was lifting weights and finally could do push ups again.
Throughout these ordeals I kept talking to RMI hoping I would be able to guide again by the end of the summer. This hope was crushed upon losing 40% of my blood volume, going to altitude was out of the question for my hemoglobin deficient blood.
By the end of July things were coming together but guiding was out of the question for the summer and finding a real job for the remaining summer was out of the question. I craved the mountains and the challenges they presented, I felt weak and unaccomplished. It was time to go to the mountains and make a comeback, prove to myself that I was still strong.
I set out with my buddy Jason Kowitz and half my normal red blood cells to crush the Serpentine Arete of Dragontail Peak, a cascades classic. I huffed and puffed all day striving to get oxygen to the muscles I hadn't used in months but we had a successful day!
The rest of the summer I climbed as much as possible with an aggressive passion usually planning my next trip while driving home from my last. I enjoyed the wonderful granite spires of Washington Pass, the alpine ambience of the Stuart Range, the low key vibes of Index and the grandeur of Squamish. I eventually got strong, actually I'm climbing stronger than I ever have in the past and finally pushing into the hard long climbs I've only gawked at in the past.
Now here are the pictures, hopefully they inspire!
Here is a list of the climbs I did and the people I enjoyed them with
Serpentine Arete 5.8 Grade IV 8-10 pitches Jason Kowitz
Direct East Buttress, South Early Winter Spire(SEWS) 5.10 C Grade IV 10 pitches Tucker Richards
West Face(twice), North Early Winter Spire 5.11a Grade III 12 pitches Tucker Richards, Sage Ebel, Deni Murray, Erik Poulin
West Ridge, Paisano Pinnacle to North Face, Burgandy spire 5.9- Grade IV 15 pitches Tucker Richards
NW Corner, North Early Winter Spire 5.9+ Grade III 6 pitches Tucker Richards, Erik Poulin
Beckey Route, Liberty Bell to SW Rib, SEWS 5.8 Grade III+ 14 pitches Deni Murray
East Face, Minute Man Tower 5.10a Grade III 4 pitches Deni Murray (attempt)
Rebel Yell, Chianti Spire, 5.10b Grade III 7 pitches Todd Kilcup, Jeremy Prins
NW Face, Liberty Bell 5.9 Grade II+ 7 pitches Todd Kilcup, Jeremy Prins
Davis Holland-Lovin' Arms, Index Upper Town Wall 5.10C Grade III+ 6 pitches Tucker Richards
Squamish Buttress, The Chief 5.10C Grade IV- 14 pitches Deni Murray
Liberty Bell Traverse, Liberty Bell Group, 5.9+ Grade V ~20 pitches Chase Nelson
Slow Children, Index Lower Town Wall, 5.10d Grade II 3 pitches Cody Mack, Michael Rowley
Backbone Ridge, Dragontail Peak, 5.9+ Grade IV+ 14 pitches Michael Rowley
Climbed somewhere around 150 pitches of rock on these routes!
Climbed somewhere around 150 pitches of rock on these routes!
So many great climbs but here are some highlights:
Surviving a flash flood with Deni Murray. It was insane! We experienced a sense of camaraderie and teamwork and survival we've never felt before
Backbone ridge with Michael Rowley. Such an incredible route! And Todd gave us perfect beta on gear. This route should be at the top of everybody's list.
The "money pitch" on Rebel yell. So strenuous, but so splitter! Big hands and big fists! AAARRGH
Pushing myself like never before on the West face of NEWS with Tucker and then again with Deni, Sage and Erik. I don't think anything compares to pushing yourself way beyond the limits you set for yourself, its an awesome mental state that is incredibly rewarding when you succeed
Slow Children at Index with Cody and Michael, amazing route, amazing day, awesome partners. Another moment when I pushed hard!
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