You needed a guide to even hike around the park and pictured here is Ivan who knew the area and wasn’t a bad climber himself.

By the same time next year I should be much better at the craft and look forward to going back and testing my newly honed skills.

On the walls stood some pretty challenging routes for a novice, testing not only strength but grip and technique as well.  I flashed the easier problems but struggled on the tougher ones which featured small or featureless holds with little to grab onto.

What all the routes had in common was a fun factor.  They demanded creative body positioning and dynamic movement so climbing them was a blast.

In spite of my weaknesses I finished fourth, just out of the prizes, a position I’m proud to have attained.  I’m climbing two to three times per week now so I expect to improve quickly and do much better in the next one.