Parting Gift.

So as of last Monday I am no longer a resident of the West Kootenays. Chrissy and I packed our things, handed the keys to our Castlegar home to our real estate agent and headed west to the grey skies of Squamish. If ever you’re in town don’t hesitate to come for a visit. Our new place is easy to find. Just drive 1km past the Smoke Bluffs parking lot and turn right. We’ll be the hobos living in the 5th wheel trailer on, what I’m sure will be, the perpetual construction site of our new home.

Anyway, before I left I couldn’t leave without getting in one last day of climbing. So I got together with my good friend, local hard women and cover girl, Tanya Foster. Fresh off her first female accent of No Dogs Aloud, (sorry Sonja) Tanya was rearin’ to become acquainted with the rock at Arrow Lake. Never one to disappoint I insisted we start at Wapiti Wall. There Tanya made short work of Vince’s new route Camel Toed 5.11b, and I was happy to get the red point. By the way, if a future guide book is written that gives routes 3 stars, this route would deserve every one.

Before our day was done we also manged to establish a new route on the Wapiti Wall. We called it Parting Gift 5.10d mixed. To the right of Rock Ank follow the steep gear protected left facing flake then transition out onto the face above for some delicate sustained climbing past three bolts to the anchor. Shares the same anchor with Rock Ank. WARNING the green foliage you see off to the right of this route is all poison ivy. If you become extremely itchy or your skin begins to blister, you know you’ve gone off route.

Hope you like it.

Aaron Kristiansen

Tanya Scrubbing

Parting Gift 5.10d mixed