Another stellar five days of sport climbing in one of North America's top destinations. Seven of our athletes, along with 3 coaches, made the 11 hour haul up north. As in years past it was the perfect mix of climbing hard, play, good food, and environmental admiration. We had the pleasure of staying at some new digs, an amazing guest ranch a mere 20 minutes from the canyon.
Maple has no equal when it comes to the style of climbing. It always catches us off guard, especially for those visiting for the first time. Day 1 is always used for acclimatizing, climbing a high number of moderate routes for building up confidence and getting used to the rock. In the almost dizzying matrix of cobbles and pockets one often finds oneself spending most of the time searching for holds rather than moving. However, our crew quickly developed a keenness for spotting the right way, and a trust for yarding on those cobbles.
Not once did I or another coach have to prod anyone to get on a wall, or try a certain route. Everyone showcased an amazing level of self-motivation not seen on this trip before. That drive ensured that everyone went home proud of something. Be it getting 10 plus routes done in a day, or clinching the send of a project. I can't stress enough how rich of an experience this trip is for our athletes. Every year it serves as stepping stone into a new level of climbing, highlighting what is possible as long as you have the desire to work for it. I look forward to many more of these trips and seeing what more this team is capable of on real rock!
Please visit our shutterfly site to view a gallery of photos from this year's trip:
https://tucsonclimbingproject.shutterfly.com