The more we climb as a family and more we teach our little kids to climb….the more we remember how climbing humbles us -- It teaches us how to depend on each other and and it functions to nurture the friendships which bring us together in beautiful places.

Last week we left straight from Church on Sunday afternoon and drove 11 hours to Smith Rock arriving at our campsite at midnight. It only take 9 hours if you drive straight there from Vancouver, BC….but one of our little kids require things like milk....and our toddler has to pee more than any human being I know. So we stop at coffee shops along the way:


It had been 8.5 years since we were there. It was good to go back. 8.5 years ago our trip ended abrubtly after Heidi took a long lead fall and injured her ankle on a climb called Wedding Day.


The first time we went to Smith Rock….we didn’t have kids. Now we have three. “I hope they like it”, I whispered to myself as my family slept in the car while I set up tents under a cold midnight sky.

With high hopes for climbing MonkeyFace we were disapointed to wake-up Monday morning to rain. My disapointmet didn’t last long. “Remember where you are!” I told myself. And my kids didn’t seem to mind….they’ll play anywhere. “Maybe I need to learn how to be as flexible and understanding as them” I wondered to myself.

Tuesday we woke up under beautiful skies! My partner Oli and I left our campsite early to hike to the base of a beautiful multi-pitch in Smith. We followed the crooked river and found what we were looking for. I said to my friend, “Oli, we are in a beautiful place! Today is going to be a great day! Let’s climb!”. He led the first pitch.





It didn’t go well. He looked sick and unwell when I arrived at the belay. It was clear we had to go down. After rapelling, he said “I feel terrible that I’ve wasted the day. I’m so sorry, Joe.” I suppose I could have rubbed it in….after all, we did drive 11 hours to go to Smith Rock. That’s a long way to travel to just camp!


I remembered where we were -- Smith Rock! I remembered who I was with -- a friend! I remembered what climbing is about for me – humility and constantly reminding me how to nurture the friendships which bring us together in beautiful places.


I said, “Well, I suppose I am disapointed that we aren’t climbing. But I am not disapointed in you. I am really proud that you made the right decision in going down. That was a hard decision to make…and you made it. That’s something to celebrate.” Honestly, those were hard words to say….I wanted to climb!....but they were true words – and true words are the best words to speak.

Smith Rock round 2 was not turning out how we planned! -- and the next morning….it rained. But we decided to climb anyway. A few short routes in between showers was all we had time for.



It wasn’t until later in the day that the sun parted the clouds and Heidi and I were able to get away for an hour while our friends watched our kids. We both got a spectacular climb in, on dry rock, on a beautiful part of the Picnic Lunch Wall.




That same day, as the sun set on Smith Rock….we left Smith, driving through the night to get back to work in the morning. True adventure …. 3 little kids now asleep in the car, conversation in the front seat, and thankful to have had the chance to be away for a few days under the stars.

Sure…we didn’t climb much….yes….we had rain….but we were together. And I suppose, at the end of the day, that’s what really mattered.

Maybe in another 8 years we’ll be back and actually get more routes in….but one thing is for sure:

We’ll be together.