Sarah Matt Paul and I went to Skaha over the labour day long weekend, hoping to avoid the torrential rains forecasted for Vancouver and Squamish. In the end it still rained a bit in Penticton, but the amounts were much less. On Saturday we climbed at the Maternal Wall, an awesome crag with steep and long pumpy routes, great fun! On Sunday the weather was more iffy, and we started off warming up at the Diamondback wall in the sun. Soon it started to thunderstorm, and we ran off to Werbworld seeking shelter underneath the overhangs. Werbworld is one of those new crags in Skaha, described in the new routes topo, with a bunch of fun juggy steep routes. The routes aren’t that long, but once you’re at the top it feels like you’ve climbed much further. Our last day, Monday, was spent at the Doctor’s Wall, and the Blipvert tower. There are some really good (but hard!) routes here. I’ll have to come back.
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Skaha with Three Rope Guns
Paul climbing through the pumpy traversing mid-height section on Banana Bypass, 5.11c.
Sarah trying to unlock the sequence on Dreams be Dreams, 5.12b. This looked like a rather difficult section pulling the roof, onto crimpy reaching holds for a ways until the next bolt. Sarah bailed.
Paul hanging out on Dreams be Dreams, 5.12b. Supposedly one of the best routes of its grades at Skaha, but I never got on it. Looks pretty amazing though.
We were watching Sarah work Dreams be Dreams, 5.12b.
Kelly climbing through the cruxy section at the top of this spectacular looking route. Dreams be Dreams, 5.12b
Thai restaurant in Penticton. The panang curry was tasty.
Sarah belaying at Werbworld
Paul working the final overhang on Strange Brew. He didn’t get it on this attempt because the jugs up there were wet. But once it dried, it was good!
Sarah starting up the boulderly start on Light Duty Power Pack, 5.11b at Werbworld. The first couple moves are hard, and then its mostly steep jugs.
Matt cranking the lower roof on Lost in Paradise, 5.11c, at Werbworld. Matt was the only one to flash this one! Probably the best route at the wall.
Matt cranking on Lost in Paradise, 5.11c, at Werbworld. Matt flashed this one!
After raining for about an hour, it cleared up again and it was back to tanktops and sunglasses instead of goretex and toques
Paul working on a funky mantel move on Strange Brew, 5.11c at Werbworld.
Me climbing through the steep section on Strange Brew, 5.11c at Werbworld. I managed to flash this one, sweet! Photo by Matt.
Matt on Alternative Medicine, 5.10b at Doctor’s Wall. Probably the only warmup here. It was cold that morning.
Matt climbing on Italian Jam Shop, 5.12a at the Blipvert Tower. It’s an awesome route, starting off on a finger crack, then some steep sustained bulges, and finally a short arete. The routes here are spaced quite closely and cross each other, hence the coloured hangers
Sarah, with her fully loaded backpack walking off to the bus stop.