I was definitely intimidated the first time I tried climbing – I figured at my age, I would never be able to do this. In April 2018, I began at an indoor rock climbing gym at the encouragement of my climbing mentor and boyfriend Petie. My first time out, the gym felt like an exclusive club, one to which I could never belong. However, I wanted to impress Petie, and I made it my mission to do this!

​So, I tried climbing, and I felt embarrassed, as I was not that good.

The fear of heights hit me initially, at least until I learned to trust the rope and the system. I felt inadequate and weak compared to the muscular bodies I saw around me. But I kept at it. I even got my lead card at the climbing gym – w00t!  When I was doing my lead test, and Petie took his requisite lob, I got pulled up off the floor and we had a mid-air collision! The gym owner immediately issued us an Edelrid Ohm load-limiting device to attach to the first bolt.

The author, Debbie, and her boyfriend and mentor Petie (also known as Pass the Piton Pete).

Why did I come back to climbing, and keep coming back? There was something about the feeling I really loved. It was something I was doing only for myself.

I felt strong.

I felt brave brave as I overcame my fear of heights. 

The victories were small but continual, giving me a way to overcome my insecurities. Climbing is psychologically, emotionally and physically challenging, and it’s these things that make climbing so rewarding. I knew I didn’t want to stop (at least up until the Covid-19 pandemic temporarily shut me down...)

Debbie ice climbing at Raven Lake in northern Ontario, Canada

​I quickly began venturing outside in northern Ontario (Canada) onto the rocks and ice. Since Petie is a traditional and big-wall climber (climbing for more than 45 years and even authoring a book on big wall climbing) I rapidly moved past clipping bolts to placing gear.

I found climbing outside to be even scarier than in the gym, but for some reason I seem to do a lot better. Even the moderate routes in Ontario can overhang quite a bit and I found these particularly challenging. 

​But, I like the challenge of the route finding and reading the rock, rather than just going for the next hold of the same colour. Even so, Petie and I typically rehearse our rope calls before leading and the most common call is "TAKE!!!"

Debbie on her first outdoor lead climb at Mount Nemo, Ontario.

With Petie's passion for Yosemite and his big wall climbing experience, I've had the great fortune of being introduced to that massive, vertical world. On just my second ever visit Yosemite, I jugged seven hundred feet of fixed ropes up El Capitan to spend a couple of nights on Lay Lady Ledge. 

Before doing that, I had spent a few nights in a portaledge (where you have to camp and live in a 4 by 6 foot space) closer to the ground. Lay Lady ledge was altogether different, though! It's a ledge big enough to unrobe and have a lovely little party. We brought up firewood, cooked sausages, enjoyed wine with supper, and made big wall margaritas. All that with a spectacular view of the North America and the Ravens and the peregrine falcons flying by. Amazing. 

Enjoying Yosemite on a portaledge!

Jugging up seven hundred feet on El Cap to spend a couple nights on Lay Lady Ledge.

Big wall campfire and wine on Lay Lady Ledge with Petie.

​On this trip, I discovered that Yosemite is really the Centre of the Universe for big wall climbing. And, I met plenty of welcoming Common Climbers like Tommy Caldwell, Sean Warren, Pete Whittaker, and Lynn Hill. We even had supper with the Swiss climbing phenom Nina Caprez. It may seem unusual looking from the outside in, but I felt welcomed and embraced. I learned that this is what you do in the Valley - that we really are all Common Climbers.

Debbie with Tommy Caldwell at the Centre of the Universe.

Petie, British Big Wall ace Sean Warren, Wide Boy Pete Whittakker and the author.

Dinner on the El Cap bear boxes with Swiss climbing phenom Nina Caprez.