Quinn Brett: Canada Alpine Climbing Tour
Quinn Brett joined our team of Ambassadors, Spring 2013. Since then she’s been putting our backpacks and shelters through their paces in some of the world’s great outdoor playgrounds. In July, Hyperlite Mountain Gear sponsored Quinn (along with Lizzy Scully, Prairie Kearney and John Dickey) as “Team Glitterbomb” on an expedition to climb unclaimed big walls in Greenland. Team Glitterbomb did three new routes in Greenland. “Plenty for Everyone” (5.10+/11-, 1800ft) on The Barnes Wall; “Morning Luxury” (5.11a/b, 1400ft) on The Breakfast Spire; and “Four Quickies” (5.9, 500ft ) on The Submarine Wall.
Words by Quinn Brett
“When you type in your Google search bar “genuine, good-spirited, ego-less hard mutherF#^&ing crankers,” I am positive the search will mention or show photos of a Canadian rock climber. For years I have fallen for their niceness. This trip sealed the deal. I basically had the raddest three week tour in the Bugaboos, Lake Louis and Canmore.
For a trip into the Bugaboos, a large and waterproof pack is needed. The hike isn’t too long, but the 4000 feet in elevation gain is a butt buster. You can do it a few ways: carry a giant load first go saving yourself multiple trips, even the loads and hike it twice, or take the bare essentials to get you through the first few days then hike down for more food later. I chose option 1–but I was lucky that my climbing partner had much of the gear already up at base camp.
The 3400 Windrider from Hyperlite Mountain Gear proved to be the perfect pack for this destination. Its roomy, comfortable, waterproof, durable and I enjoy how it can be a HUGE pack or fold down into a medium sized pack.
I left the pack up at base camp for five days as I toured other locations in Canada, stuffed with my climbing shoes and other gear. Upon return I found my gear dry as a bone, despite huge rainstorms–and thankfully critters were not drawn to nibble the straps!!
After our first day’s first ascent, local hard man Chris Brazeau proceeded to shuffle me around the best new free lines in the Bugaboos. Many of these climbs were old aid lines that Chris and his buddies, Jon Walsh, Jon Simms, Simon Meis, Cody Lank and others opened up with much effort over the last six or seven years.
Sendero Norte was the tour opener. This 13-pitch route is stacked with pitch after pitch of 5.11 and 5.12 climbing. For topos and a photo of the route line check out Jon Walsh’s blog.
Both Chris and I fell on the lower thin seam crux pitch and both had a fall or two on the upper roof crux pitch. The rest of the route we both climbed clean. Rappelling down I kept saying, “this was my favorite pitch, no wait THIS was…”
Sendero is one of the highest quality routes I have climbed!
I was lucky to spend almost three weeks in Canada. I can’t believe I haven’t visited this amazing climbing locations before–next summer I hope to spend a bit more time!”
Quinn Brett, September 2013
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