Teva Mountain Games
Posted on Wednesday, June 10th, 2009
In the 21 years I’ve been climbing, I’ve come to take pride in my backcountry skills. I can get along almost anywhere and be fairly happy. I like to do all the different facets of climbing, trad, sport, bouldering and aid. I like to keep myself well rounded and have spent a lot of time honing my skills so I can rely on them.
As I came over Vail pass and descended into the town of Vail, nestled in the Rocky Mountains near my home. I realized I would need none of those skills.
Nada.
And that was just fine.
I was entered in the Citizen Climbing Comp at the Teva Mountain Games. A festival that is for celebrating us.
Mountain folks.
It’s a weekend of climbing, biking, kayaks, and music. The climbing consists of the World Cup of bouldering and a more humane comp, the Citizen.
As I walked over the morning of the comp, I was amazed at the number of climbers. 150 total, climbing in two waves on a wall that stood about 18 feet tall. Now I know what you’re thinking, 18 feet, that’s nothing. Let me be the first to tell you.
18 feet is freaking huge.
When you drop from the top, it takes a bit to hit the pads. And with a prosthetic leg and fused back, I wasn’t excited about landing.
The morning was chilly with a chance of snow, but the mc, Timmy O’Neill, kept saying how good that temp was for sending. I just wanted to get moving to warm up a bit.
My first two problems went well, that being I climbed to the top of the plastic and wood mountain, fell back to earth, and walked away.
I started climbing with some new friends, and we made our way through the problems. The problems are set up on a number system of 1 through 33. One being easy, 33 being silly hard. No ratings, just a number. It’s nice because you most likely will climb harder not knowing a grade. After all, it’s not V8, its number 27 silly. Heck I loved being 27, how bad could that be?!
We were given 2 hours to climb as much as we could. By the end, I couldn’t make my right hand close around holds anymore so I figured it was best to stop.
Half way through the event it began to snow and rain, so some of my mountain know-how helped, I huddled further under the big covering and made jokes, which I think is best when you’re cold and tired.
I was really blown away by the number of hard climbers. It seemed that most of the people there were strong and very motivated.
In the end, I placed second in my division, I was beat out by a mutant of a man whose arms looked like corded rope, but I was still super psyched to have made the podium for the second year in a row.
Two other friends placed in they’re slots, making me feel like we all had a great showing. Not that we placed, but that we were all out there supporting each other and using the best skill we all have.
Doing what we love in the mountains.
Craig DeMarino is a Cloudveil Inspired Mountain Ambassador.
For more on the Games, check this out.
Wow, congrats on the the second place, you were really pushing it. I never did get that darn 16….lol. It was incredibly fun though. Just wanted to let you know that you were one of the nicer people at the comp and you climbed very well.