Playing Hooky in Tucson

Monday, I was moderating a panel at an event in Tucson, and decided that it's important to enjoy some of the latitude that being in business for myself offers (like not having to write a conference report) and so I had decided to hire a guide and explore the mountains above Tucson. This is in an area called Mount Lemmon, in the Coronado National Forest. The weather was a bit chilly by the time we got to the climb start, and a bit windy, but nothing as raw and chill as a couple weeks ago in West Virginia...and I had the right jacket for it. And it warmed up later.

I know that after a while, all the climbing pictures look the same if you weren't actually there: Pictures of rocks. I like pictures of rocks. For those who care about rock and texture, for the record, this stuff was wonderful rock for face climbing (which is to say, stuff that offers only very tiny ledges for toeholds, but when you put your toe there, by gum, it sticks! You have to trust your feetlings, Luke, but this very stable granite did not crumble, and then when you get a handhold that offers more than a tiny crimp to grab, it feels like this huge gift! The texture and cracks and breaks and patterns of the rock are so beautiful. Many patches of this stuff also had amazing gold lichen, too. I am always astonished at the random fractal splendor of the angles and lines and blocks, and it's hard not to think, wow, who designed this? Or, gee, what a great place to put a hold!

My guide, Jeff Fassett, was great! Somehow I am reassured when my guide's visage has as many lines and fissures as the rock we’re climbing, though I've had excellent guides of all ages.

He picked the perfect combination of routes to hit my sweet spot for challenge and hover just below the peg of my fun-o-meter. I enjoyed my first experience of trad climbing on his lead, and thus greatly built my confidence in climbing outdoors, too. He had an exquisite sense of when to let me figure it out for myself and when I was at a point where I was more tired and was just plain going to have a better time with a few ideas on where or how to place a hand or foot. I learned lots, and the hand-and-foot movements became much more natural for me by the end of the day; powerful, elegant, and begging to be used.

I appreciated all the things he shared with me about gear, technique and philosophy of climbing and guiding...and knowing how to take pictures of the client!

So many skills go into first-class guiding that can be nearly invisible or rarely needed; the ability to read a client, gauge a skill level, anticipate the gear they might need, pace the level of challenge and assistance, create rapport, build trust, have in reserve the skills of first-aid, rescue and improvisation, communicate key information at the right time, wait and let them discover things at other times, and pop in the elements of surprise, delight, and pinnacle moments that comprise an extraordinary experience.

As Lorne pointed out, these are also skills common to teachers (and parents, who are each also teachers) in our family, while I think of it. I salute you all!