11th Commandment

Quick entry.

For the past week or so I've had my mind on climbing 11th Commandment. It's a route down in Kootenai Canyon in the Bitterroot Valley.  It was one of the first climbs I did in Montana; therefore it was one of the first climbs I ever did as a "rock climber" because prior to living here I hardly ever climbed and never went outside.  Last summer, I couldn't get up 11th on a toprope.  I got about 1/2 before getting stuck at the crux.  Even when I climbed it in May (also on toprope), my arms got over-pumped and while I got to the top, it was a struggle. I had it set in my mind that I was going to go lead 11th first thing when I got back to town...

... and I did it! AHHHH it felt so good. It was a big hell yeah in my book.  It's not even that hard of a climb (10.a) - - although it is super muscly and the start is overhanging on the way to the first bolt.  Either way, I lead that shit and it was the PERFECT way to start the school year. Plus, ratings are totally relative.  It could have easily been a 10.b/c in other places.

Unfortunately, the graduate students are already freaking out and stressing. I had trouble finding a belay partner for today -- people somehow already were backed up with work. Before school has started. The last day of summer. Give yourself a break and go climbing! You'll be way more productive later, I swear.  I called up my friend Andrew, who is fairly new to rock climbing but who had expressed interest in going when I got back. He was down.  I trusted him to belay me, although he'd only belayed on lead a handful of times.

We warmed up on "Sleeping Beauty", a 5.9 and a Kootenai classic.  You have to cross the river to get to it and the all is in glorious shade all afternoon. I'd never lead it before, although I'd toproped it a bunch last year.  I felt like I cruised up it.  Andrew had fun, but it was a hard warm up for someone new to climbing.  We then crossed back to the main buttress to do 11th.

It was just so awesome to do those climbs. And while I was doing them I was loving it.  Sometimes I'm climbing and I'm in a bit over my head and the fear/adrenaline overwhelms any other feelings.  But today I just had fun (ok, there was a spot on 11th where the rope drag was really bad and I had to tug to get slack to climb/clip bolts and I was freaking out a little. But just for a moment).  I feel like climbing gives me something to live for. I know that's kinda deep, but it is a lifestyle, more so than any other sport.  I can't just take a week or two off climbing and expect to jump off right where I left off.   It just doesn't work like that.  I've been viewing other activities (yoga, running, ect) as ways to get me better at climbing.  This is probably a really bad time to be obsessed with this, seeing as I have a master's degree to complete, but I just don't want to put it on hold.  I'm feeling on a roll and I want to keep going. crossing my fingers I can just do it all....