08/12/2026
Scared on Triple Peak.
Up at 5:00am. Morning coffee and a quick breakfast had. Grogginess gone by 6:30, hiking to the base of the climb. Route finding was pretty simple, but the scrambling was decently steep.
Once we reached the boulder field, the sun was out and we were starting to get warm as we hiked towards the small snowfield at the foot of the ominous Triple Peak. Neither Alana nor I had crampons, so it was a slow and careful boot pack for us up the hard-packed snow.
8 rolls around and we are climbing. I lead the first pitch! No problem 😌 Alana follows up and links into the second pitch. This one is a little damp, and she slides around a bit at the beginning but eventually makes it up, going off route once or twice to avoid the wet rock. I follow and eventually make it.
Pitch three is where this starts to get a bit spooky for me. I start the lead and struuuuuuugle up the slippery rock. I start to hamster wheel a bit but manage to get 3 or 4 bolts clipped, then I take a little slide/fall.
Little did I realize, but this was probably the key defining moment for me….confidence lost.
I try to make the next bolt, but fear and doubt start to set in. I have Alana lower me down, and she takes the lead. She climbs up no problem, nothing more than a muddy climbing shoe.
My turn. My turn to face that fear again.
I start to climb, and I get to the point of my failure and my leg starts to shaaaaaaaaake uncontrollably. I call for a take and take a few deep breaths before starting to hamster wheel again and absolutely struggling up the pitch.
Part of me has given up at this point. My body is coursing with fear and adrenaline. I get up the third pitch and I call it. My nerves are shot, and I don’t believe I’m a strong enough climber to make it up the next 3 pitches of 10s.
That’s about it. Alana offers to lead the rest of the climb, but I still want to head on down. Easy does it. We rappel off in a pretty timely manner and head on out.
I’ll be back again next August for another attempt!
