Women's Climbing Clinics in Squamish!

In case you missed it in the last post, there are still some spaces available in 2 more women's specific climbing clinics this summer in Squamish:

Women's Crack Technique Course
August 21-22, 2010
$250 for a 4:1 ratio

Two Day Trad Leading and Multipitch Techniques for Women
September 18-19, 2010
$250

Drop me an email if you want to sign up! jasmincaton@gmail.com

Women's Crack Climbing Weekend in Squamish

The participants and instructors, perfecting our crack climber gang signs

The Crack Climbing Technique for Women clinic this weekend was a ton of fun. The participants Pamela, Helen, Jen, Krissy, Lisa, Elli and Colleen all had great enthusiasm and weren't afraid to toss any amount of their flesh into the rock in the name of climbing cracks. Thanks to you wonderful women for a great weekend, and looking forward to seeing you all out on the rock or in future courses! I was lucky enough to convince young cranker and lovely lady Hazel Findley to help me coach the women as they honed their finger locks, finger stacks, ring locks, hand jams, cups, fists, hand stacks, chicken wings, butt scums....

Thanks to Black Diamond for providing the cool t-shirts and to Pro Bar for supplying yummy, healthy snacks.

If you are interested in signing up for a Women's Crack Technique Course, the next one is August 21,11, 2010. Price $250 for the weekend.

Other courses coming up:
September 18-19, 2010. Two day trad leading and multipitch techniques for women. Price $250.

Contact me at jasmincaton@gmail.com to book a spot on either of these courses or to get more information.

Pamela on Exasperator

Climbing buddies Krissy and Jen at the base of the Grand Wall

Krissy on Exasperator

Jen on Exasperator

Lisa on Exasperator

Helen on Exasperator

Elli on Exasperator

Colleen on A Pitch in Time

Pamela on a Pitch in Time

Lisa celebrating her clean ascent of A Pitch in Time

Refueling in my back yard after a hard day in the Smoke Bluffs

Ceuse and Presles

The last 2 weeks of my France vacation were whiled away at Ceuse and Presles. Two limestone climbing areas that are remarkably different, given how close together they are geographically.

10 things I loved about my time in Ceuse
1. The hike to the crag: 1 hr long, gently switchbacking trail. Pairs well with thumping beats, CBC radio DNTO podcasts or a song in your heart, take your pick.
2. The views from the crag: lush green agriculture, dramatic snowy peaks, quaint villages.
3. The stone: amazing quality limestone with pockets and edges. Great friction where it's not polished to glass. Some of the most interesting movement I have ever experienced.
4. The campground: super chill, camp anywhere on the grass atmosphere, nice trees, hot showers.
5. The nutella jar full of red wine keeping me company as I chopped veggies for another one-pot-dinner.
6. The many friendly climbers I met from all over the world.
7. Rest day yoga on the grass at our campsite.
8. TV shows on the laptop while curled up in the tent.
9. Quordy pass and play games on the ipod. If you enjoy Scrabble you may also like Quordy... check it out.
10. Our 17 Euro air mattress that filled up the whole tent and was no less than 30 cm thick.

Techy above the void on Cent Patate, Ceuse

Yup, pretty much a climber on everything I wanted to try...

but there's always happy hour back at the tent... who needs a project anyway?

We spent the last two climbing days on our trip at Presles, a less popular and less polished single and multipitch climbing area less than two hours from Ceuse! We did two amazing multipitch climbs: Canada Dry and Vue de l'exterieur. I am already excited about revisiting this amazingly peaceful, uncrowded and high quality climbing area on my next trip to France.

Presles - so much rock, so little time

So much rock with no established climbing... yet

Airy traverse on Canada Dry

To finish things up, a few days in Paris:

The Mona Lisa, who I am pretty sure is smiling with secret disdain for tourists in Paris

The best way to see Paris is on the VeloLib bikes, which cost just a few Euros per hour

The best part of the Louvre was the Napoleon Apartments recreation. Haven't seen this many chandeliers since the Ouray Ice Fest.