Skaha Bluffs--climbing in British Columbia, May 1999
====================================================

Nick dropped me off at the airport and I hopped on a plane to Vancouver to 
join climbing partner Magdalen after her meeting. Two days of wandering round
Vancouver--a lovely city, set 'neath mountains and next to water, we both 
decided we'd be quite happy living there!--in the rain and hanging out with
M's friends Adam, Drew and Michelle then it was off to Penticton B.C. for
six straight days of climbing at the Skaha Bluffs. Sitting at the top of
a crag, watching swallows swoop as I belayed M up; sneaking my way up 
apparently featureless rock; waiting out the rain in a little house made by
an overhang; watching marmot scurry back and forth, and deer wander through,
admiring the the flowers and greenery and blue sky...A climbing rack had
magically appeared since last we went climbing (someone had been spending
money on gear and it wasn't her...) allowing us to lead routes instead
of just toproping and we took on a mixture of 5.8s on lead, 5.9s on lead and
toprope and 5.10s on toprope--great climbing on great rock. All climbed out
one afternoon we dropped by the observatory where M has spent many summers
to gaze at the radio telescopes gazing at the stars; for amusement value
we went to see Star Wars on opening night provided we could just walk up
and get tickets without having to wait in line. Leaving Sean and Audrey's
place 5 minutes before the movie was due to start we did just that...Bryce
(a.k.a. Giles--Sean never could get his name straight) surprised M by taking
up her last minute spur of the moment invitation to come and joined us halfway
through. 3 people meant we got a little less climbing in but did mean we got 
some climbing pics--he and M went a little snap happy at the base of the
airy "Double Exposure" (5.8) leading to the comment "What a shame the camera
is out of film and at the bottom of this crag" later in the day as we 
enjoyed a particularly nice view a the top of "Splendiferous" (5.9). The 
extensive crag's ability to absorb people was strained by a 3 day weekend
and its accompanying crowds and then alas too soon our time was up. Bidding
farewell to our lovely hosts Sean and Audrey M and I hopped in the car to
drive back to Van. Heavy traffic almost made us miss our flight but we just
scraped in in time for them to reassign us seats next to each other and we
were soon safely back in Berkeley--where it was far colder than where we'd
been!

                   --on Emily Carr's "Above the Trees"