Climbing Ha Ling Peak in Canmore and Beckey-Chouinard in Bugaboos: Preparation 3

On Sunday, July 3rd, I climbed up two 5.9 routes (Spider & Frenchman at Rattlesnake Point) in my street shoes top rope without falling. I thought I was good enough for the Beckey-Chouinard route. on July 14th, I climbed Spider with a pack that contains my mountaineering boots, crampons, thin down jacket (in case of bivy situation), etc. in my rock shoes. I couldn't finish it. I became concerned.

I told my American partner Ryan about my situation. He suggested that he will lead all pitches, which I agreed, as I have no ego in climbing. He warms up on 5.11s and he runs almost one marathon or one triathlon per week. He also offered to carry some of my stuff from the parking lot to the camp - a steep hike that took me 5 hours the first time I went there in 2009.

On Sunday, July 17th, I went Mount Nemo with my climbing friend Ilia for a final preparation for our climbing trip in the West. I received an email from Ryan (who was already driving towards Bugaboos) telling me that he would likely to climb in the Bugaboos with his friend on July 20th, instead of coming down to meet me in the Radium Hot Spring in the evening of July 19th and helping me carry my stuff up on the 20th.

I respected that he needed to climb as much as he could after driving for 15 hours to Bugaboos. But I called him later telling him that it would be in his best interest to come to get me, so that 1) we can bring my single 70m rope up, which would save up much time in rope management comparing to using his double 60m rope; 2) I will be able to get to the camp around noon on the 20th, instead of in the evening, so that we would be able to climb from noon to 9pm to get to know each other before our biggest climb.

He later emailed me that unless some crazy thing happened, he would pick me up at Radium.

I led a 5.10a sport route that I had led years and year ago. This time it was hard. I had to rest on the rope a few times to complete the crux move. I reported this situation to Ryan by email immediately.

I then showed Ilia how to do hanging belay on a multi-pitch sport route, as he and I would be climbing the 11 pitch 5.6 NE Buttress route on Ha Ling Peak . He practiced by leading the same route up and then belayed me up from the anchors. I climbed in my approach shoes and with a backpack to see if I could handle this top rope style. I couldn't. I rested many times. It became obvious that I must climb the B-C route in rock shoes and I would likely need to rest on the rope many times at the crux of the two 5.10 pitches. I reported this situation to Ryan by email.

In 15 minutes, I received an email from Ryan that he wasn't allowed to Canada at the border. I called him. We were both sorry for each other's situation.

I continued with my plan to trad lead the Cat's Tail route (5.9, one of the bests in Milton area). This would be for me, not for the Beckey-Chouinard route ascent. Ilia and I arrived at the base of the route. I was impressed by its height, exposure and difficulty. I wasn't sure that I could lead it trad, but decided to give it a try. While I would play it as safe as I could, which seemed possible as I could put quite a number of cams to hand crack section of the route, I put my cell phone besides Ilia in case he needed to call for emergency help.

I put several protections in the lower part of the route, took calculated risks for a couple of run outs, just so I could reach a relatively comfortable ledge to place protection, and put screamers on old pitons. Finally I reached the top! I felt stocked. This was the hardest, sustained, route I had ever trad led on sight.

Now my preparation for Bugaboos is complete. I will be flying to Calgary on July 19th. Ilia will drop me off at the parking lot in the Bugaboos on July 20th.