A True Maiden Voyage in the Black Canyon

Thought I'd post this one up here about my friend Ryan, who climbed in the Black Canyon before she had ever rappelled, knew what a cam was, or even used a headlamp.

A True Maiden Voyage In The Black Canyon by Ryan Gannaway

I had a way more sarcastic response (3 words, starts with y and ends with e), but...instead I'll just say glad it went well guys, nice trip report.

Hey Ryan if you're reading this, do understand the faith and trust you are putting in the person who is mentoring you in climbing and taking you on climbs like this. It is serious shit.

Prefacing this with the fact that I haven't climbed in the black canyon, I have done enough alpine routes to know a little bit of the commitment factor involved. Loose rock falling off the cliff is very common there, and although your guide probably chose a very safe route, you should think carefully about the consequences of a serious injury to your partner during the climb. What would you do? Would you be able to save him, or yourself?

Some people build up their skills for years before attempting a climb like the one you did on your second day climbing. So props to you. I'm not trying to tell anyone else what kind of risks to take or not to take, just putting them in perspective. When climbing is new to you, it's hard to understand the decision making and technical craft that goes into sending a multi-pitch trad climb safely, much less guiding someone else with little climbing experience.

I'm sure your 'guide' is so hard, and so strong, and so experienced. But make sure you ask him A LOT of questions. Ask him, and all your future climbing partners, not only HOW, but WHY they do the things they do when setting up climbing safety systems. If they cannot give you satisfactory answers to both questions that you understand as a newer climber, you may want to rethink your decision to climb with them. "that's just how we do it" or "this is how everyone does it" do not cut it. He probly already told you all this shit though.

My other advice to you is to avoid MP forums. They will suck away your energy and enthusiasm for climbing and transform you into a crusty internet troll who never climbs outside and spends all their time bitching about the proper pack size and how to tie webbing correctly.

Ahhhh and so it begins ! Always has to be one on here somewhere !

Ill ask Jimmie Dunn ( a good friend/ climbing partner and neighbor ) n crew the next time I see them if they ever had a great adventure with newly found friends like that. Bet I already know the answer :) .

Nobody likes to spend a fortune on something unless there sure it will be something they are going to pursue , I myself started out climbing some pretty wicked shit with nothing more than tennis shoes and a harness made from tied 1" webbing and a partner who said they climbed . So who am I to judge ? I lived through it and so did the OP . Had a great time ! And a new found passion for a new sport that lead me to some great adventures over the last 32 years .

I think the trip report / story was great , having mentored/ introduced quite a few people to various climbing venues over the years I can whole heartedly understand the excitement of pulling it off . Cudos to the " guide" good on ya man ! I really don't know if I'd pick a route in the black to give an intro to climbing to someone , but you pulled it off
Nobody got hurt and looks like we have yet another fan . Win/ win .

Now go buy some decent climbing shoes ! Lol.
Cheers

I stopped at "...my first ipa"

MP forums will suck away your energy and enthusiasm for climbing and transform you into a crusty internet troll who never climbs outside and spends all their time bitching about not only HOW, but WHY, and how to climb in the Black correctly.

See what happened to Eric...

iceman777 wrote:Ahhhh and so it begins ! Always has to be one on here somewhere ! Ill ask Jimmie Dunn ( a good friend/ climbing partner and neighbor ) n crew the next time I see them if they ever had a great adventure with newly found friends like that. Bet I already know the answer :) . Nobody likes to spend a fortune on something unless there sure it will be something they are going to pursue , I myself started out climbing some pretty wicked shit with nothing more than tennis shoes and a harness made from tied 1" webbing and a partner who said they climbed . So who am I to judge ? I lived through it and so did the OP . Had a great time ! And a new found passion for a new sport that lead me to some great adventures over the last 32 years . I think the trip report / story was great , having mentored/ introduced quite a few people to various climbing venues over the years I can whole heartedly understand the excitement of pulling it off . Cudos to the " guide" good on ya man ! I really don't know if I'd pick a route in the black to give an intro to climbing to someone , but you pulled it off Nobody got hurt and looks like we have yet another fan . Win/ win . Now go buy some decent climbing shoes ! Lol. Cheers

I would be genuinely interested in Mr Dunn's reaction to taking someone into the Black Canyon for their second rock climb. If you talk to him about it, definitely let us know what he says!

yeah, agreed not the best decision but she lived through it. Ryan ended up travelling quite a bit the following year from Eldo to Yosemite. bunch of stuff up on her blog, which is good reading: gofindurpasion.com/

peace.

Cor wrote:MP forums will suck away your energy and enthusiasm for climbing and transform you into a crusty internet troll who never climbs outside and spends all their time bitching about not only HOW, but WHY, and how to climb in the Black correctly. See what happened to Eric...

Cor i'm sure you are sooooooo hard and soooooo strong. Maybe I'm just a little jealous not to be a hot girl who gets free guiding on sweet multi-pitch lines in the black. And it is a long winter in the gym over here in VT for those of us that don't ice climb.

Why is an important question to ask when you're learning trad I think. If someone doesn't know why then they don't really know what they're doing. It's a way to keep from being the blind led by the blind.

We were all n00bs once. Early in my climbing career I did an 11 pitch 5.9 multipitch sport climb with a rope and some draws. My partner had barely climbed outside and I had led maybe 20 sport pitches. No prussic, no extra gear, no self rescue knowledge, nothing. I was an idiot but I lived and had an awesome time rapping down in the dark and getting off route w/only 1 headlamp between the 2 of us. You gotta go for it sometimes and you usually get lucky and all goes well. Again, props to the guide and the girl.

"Cor i'm sure you are sooooooo hard and soooooo strong."

Hahahahahaa...... funny stuff there!

Eric Chabot wrote: Early in my climbing career I did an 11 pitch 5.9 multipitch sport climb with a rope and some draws.

What route? Sounds cool! Sounds like it's in Europe, too...

Optimistic wrote: What route? Sounds cool! Sounds like it's in Europe, too...

Prime Rib of Goat

Just teasing by rearranging the words a bit Eric….. Which ya gotta say made it funny! ;D

I have been there too.. nOOb experimenting and exploring and living through it!!

Cheers! Be safe, but not too safe!