Guiding the Monkey

Guiding season is in full swing, and I had a great time guiding clients on Monkey Face on Sunday. Three other guides and I set up a tyrolean from the "Springboard" to the mouth, and then took them up via Panic Point to the top, from where they rappelled 200' to the ground. Great day of guiding for me, and fun for everyone.

Test of Endurance/Summertime Guiding

School's finally out for summer, and last week I started my "vacation" off right. I drove out to Smith Friday night, worked a guiding gig all day Saturday, drove to Corvallis Saturday night, raced the Test of Endurance 50-mile mountain bike race (5 1/2 hours on the bike...tough!), drove back to Smith Rock, and did a multi-pitch guide training all day Monday. I drove back home Monday night thoroughly worked over, but very psyched.

I'm hoping to get as much guiding work as possible this summer; it looks like I'll be out at Smith quite a bit. Monday's training renewed my motivation to pursue an AMGA Rock Instructor certification so I can legitimately guide multi-pitch terrain (of which there is plenty at Smith Rock). My fellow guides at Chockstone are great to work with; they are all quite unassuming, and totally accomplished climbers and guides. Monday's training was challenging, and gave me the perfect shift in perspective about climbing/guiding.

The Test of Endurance was very hard, but I expected as much and am happy that I finished. The amount of hard climbing in that race is sickening. I'm content with how I've been able to balance my interests in cycling and climbing...both are demanding and you can never stop improving in either pursuit.