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Contraindications - Alpinist

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This story first appeared in Alpinist 59, which is now available on newsstands and at our online store here. AHEAD OF ME, Anna’s body flickered through shadow, then light, as we wheeled through the crusty snow, pedaling and skittering our bikes up the trail to Professor Falls. It was the middle of January 2016. The air was still, a brittle -25?C. My lungs bellowed. Eventually, Anna tossed her bike next to a larch tree and began running up the narrowing path. Stuffed under the lid of her pack, the rope trailed its tail end in the snow. I ditched my bike and took off after her. It was the first time we had ice climbed together, and I think we both had something to prove: speed, efficiency, strength, hilarity–but that day, mostly speed. We arrived at the base of the mottled turquoise waterfall, and I got ready to climb as fast as possible while Anna uncoiled the rope, her blue helmet half-cocked over her right eye where it would remain all day. We climbed quickly, rappelled quickly, had a

Home » Features » Contraindications Contraindications by Alison Criscitiello September 22, 2017 October 24, 2023 This story first appeared in Alpinist 59 , which is now available on newsstands and at our online store here . Anna Smith climbs High Plains Drifter (5.11c, 2 pitches) on the granitic Third Peak of the Stawamus Chief, Squamish, British Columbia. [Photo] John Price AHEAD OF ME, Anna’s body flickered through shadow, then light, as we wheeled through the crusty snow, pedaling and skittering our bikes up the trail to Professor Falls. It was the middle of January 2016. The air was

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