Climbing

Learning from Professors

This post has been a while coming, but somehow I’ve been away from the computer for almost two full days! I can’t explain it. *shakes head*

Anyway, here’s what I learned [sic] on Professor Falls, which I climbed with Farzad on Sunday:

– It may be cold on Trophy Wall, but Professors gets hot: my usual softshell and base layer proved way too hot.
– Way too hot means my glasses get fogged up.
– Fogged up glasses mean that placing pro sucks, and leading WI5 gets seriously hard.

Obvious? Yeah, kind of. The forecast did call for only 2 degrees, so I figured being a little higher, and in the shade, would be quite a bit colder. Not so.

In light of this, I am now searching for an ultra-light outer layer that can substitute for my tried-and-true Arcteryx Gamma MX. Preferably, it’ll be light enough to be paired with my favourite new base layer piece, the Patagonia R1 Hoody, which is pretty warm for a base layer.

I’ve already looked at the Arcteryx Squamish Hoody but it doesn’t feel like it’ll stretch enough. It needs to have a hood, not ride out from under a harness, be DWR treated, stretch enough to climb in and preferably be abrasion resistant enough to last more than a season. Suggestions?

Other than my glasses fogging up, the climb was a blast. Beautiful blue ice, wonderfully hooked out placements and if my glasses hadn’t fogged up, a sweet 30m of WI5-ish mushrooms to finish it off. Next time!

Another great view of the, uh, Fairholme Range?