Our home wall overhangs at thirty degrees. After graduating from jugs, the boys wanted a challenge and so asked for me to set a route on twenty millimeter edges. When the route proved too difficult for them to make easy progress, rather than ask me to change it, they asked for a training plan and expressed a desire to learn how to project a route. Eventually, they were able to climb the route on lead. This short movie documents the eight months they spent training and working the route.
Spring time in the Rocky Mountains means snow couloir season for climbers, and this year, we figured out how to get technical crampons to work on the boys' small feet. So, the boys and I took a short camping trip that culminated in their first real alpine snow climb, including a few small snow fields before a 500 vertical foot gully. They learned the mental and physical persistence that direct snow lines can demand, and I was admittedly in awe at their incredible capabilities while being so young.
We've done a few series on techniques I think are important for any climber taking on multi-pitch routes but especially for a climber out with children. Well, it was time to put those skills to practice as we broke from climbing with two adults per kid and tried out two kids with one adult. This short film shares our beautiful afternoon out on the rock.