Hey, I was wondering if you might want to go climbing this weekend? I think it鈥檒l be really fun鈥攊f you鈥檙e up for it.
I had this one route in mind, if you鈥檙e into it. It鈥檚 a decently long hike in, which I know a lot of people don鈥檛 like, so definitely tell me if that鈥檚 a deal-breaker鈥攁nd then a bit of a scramble, and then five pitches of technical climbing to the summit. It鈥檚 not really a mega-classic route, but a couple of the pitches are supposed to be fun, so I think it at least won鈥檛 be crowded. I鈥檝e been wanting to do it for a couple years, ever since I saw a photo of it. The timing is perfect for it on Saturday, and I鈥檇 love to head up there with you. Does that sound fun? Unless you have something else on your tick list that you鈥檇 like to do, in which case I am totally cool with that.
If it鈥檚 OK with you, I think we should plan to be up there really early, so we give ourselves enough time to get up and down before any weather moves in, if you agree that that鈥檚 a good idea? I figure if we meet at my place at 4:30 a.m., we鈥檒l be at the trailhead by 6:00, and that鈥檒l give us all morning to get up there and get up and down safely, which is sort of my thing but you know, everyone鈥檚 different.
I guess if you really need your sleep and feel like 4:30 is too early, I totally understand, so whatever you鈥檙e comfortable with is fine. Maybe 5 or 5:30 would be better? How about 4:45?
We can take my car鈥擨 think the last couple miles to the trailhead are pretty rough, but you don鈥檛 need high clearance to get up it. Unless you鈥檇 prefer to drive? I鈥檓 totally flexible. I am happy to drive, but if you鈥檇 rather drive your car, that鈥檚 totally cool. I can go either way.
We can even ditch all the gear and free solo together if that鈥檚 your jam?
It looks like there鈥檚 a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms after 2 p.m. on Saturday, so I think we should establish a fixed turnaround time that we both agree on to make sure we鈥檙e heading down and can get below treeline before any potential lightning starts鈥攕ince it鈥檚 basically totally exposed to weather above 11,000 feet and being up there in any sort of weather is pretty unsafe. I think 11 a.m. is a good, safe time to turn around, even if we aren鈥檛 on the summit by then. But if you think that鈥檚 way too conservative, let鈥檚 discuss it.
We can take my rack and rope, unless you have some specific pieces of gear you want to bring, or prefer to use your rack, or twin ropes, or whatever. I鈥檓 not picky, just happy to get out and do some climbing. We can even ditch all the gear and free solo together if that鈥檚 your jam?
At the top, you can either do three rappels off to a descent gully, or scramble off the top and do about three hundred feet of downclimbing to the same descent gully. I think it鈥檚 way safer to do the rappels, since the downclimbing has quite a bit of loose rock and it鈥檚 pretty notorious for accidents, so I would definitely advocate for the rappel. Is that OK? If you鈥檙e uncomfortable rappelling or something, let me know and we can figure out what鈥檚 best. The rap stations are all bolted, just FYI. Again, I鈥檓 flexible.
Sound like a plan?
We can also not plan anything and just kind of wing it, if that鈥檚 more your style.
Just one more thing: If we somehow have some sort of accident and I get injured, I鈥檇 love for you to basically do everything you can to save my life, including getting me stabilized and transported to medical treatment as soon as humanly possible. Does that work for you? If you have another take on it, I鈥檓 open to suggestions.
Also, we don鈥檛 have to go Saturday if you have other stuff going on. I am open Sunday as well, and the weather looks really similar, so if that works better for you, totally cool with me. My schedule is open, I鈥檓 just stoked to climb.
Or, if you鈥檙e not feeling it for some reason, we can just go to the climbing gym instead. Like I said, I鈥檓 flexible, just want to get in a few pitches. Even on plastic.
Of course, if you鈥檙e not up for climbing, we could just get a cup of coffee Saturday or Sunday morning, and plan a climb for later in the summer. Or not talk about climbing at all.
If you鈥檙e busy all weekend or something comes up, we don鈥檛 even have to get together this weekend. I have plenty of stuff to keep me busy, and don鈥檛 want to impose on your schedule.
I can also just leave you alone and never talk to you again if that鈥檚 more up your alley? Totally cool, just let me know.