My boyfriend had told me his dream was to climb the face of Mount Yamnuska. Technically it was well above our ability. While we might be able to handle the actual climbing, route finding and placing trad gear was another thing.
I contacted Jeff in May to ask if it was possible (thinking it would be an incredible birthday gift). I gave Jeff a rundown of our climbing abilities and objectives. He let me know it would definitely be doable, and gave me three routes to research and decide between.
A week before our adventure (now September) Jeff contacted us to confirm the details. He also mentioned that the weather wasn't looking great, and gave three extra route options further west out of the weather window. The day before Jeff got in touch again to confirm the route we would do (the weather had shifted - we could do Yam). I appreciated that even if Yamnuska hadn't worked out, Jeff had thought of a few great alternatives.
We met up with our guide Christian early on Saturday morning. He reviewed our gear in the parking lot, and helped us make final decisions about what to bring. Christian was a fantastic guide. Calm and patient, we always felt safe. My boyfriend and I are both interested in learning more about climbing, so Christian would take the time to explain certain knots, belay techniques and trad gear. Plus, Christian was fun!
We had an incredible day. The route picked for us (Western Union, 5 pitches, 200m, 5.8) was perfect for our ability level. It pushed me, without being so difficult as to be frustrating. I am so excited to drive past Mount Yamnuska on a regular basis an be able to say I climbed it. We will be booking again with Alpine Air Adventures.