Page 156 - AGC-Journal-2016

AGC JOURNAL 2016

Exercise

Kiwi Belay

By Private Samantha Darlington

Exercise Kiwi Belay was a techniques, including foot, hand, finger
two week adventure training and bouldering techniques and belaying
climbers. These skills were then honed
package comprising of a throughout the rest of the week, with
week’s climbing in Joshua Tree carefully planned climbs to individually
National Park in California practice leg work and upper body skills,
before bringing the combination together
and a week trekking in the on more difficult climbs at the end of the spent
Grand Canyon. week. approximately
In the evenings the instructors recapped six billion years carving
Background on the days climbing and introduced the many layers of red, green and brown
more advanced climbing drills, from earthy rock. Naturally we jumped straight
using anchors, the use of static lines and in to cool off, swimming and watching
A few short weeks after arriving at my redundancy. the sunset. That evening the Park Rangers
first unit, I found myself and a group of gave a presentation at their Ranger
fifteen others, gathered in the early hours The Grand Canyon Station, pointing out the International
at London Heathrow, preparing to embark Space Station and talking about architect
to the United States. The aim was to Mary Colter who is responsible for many
introduce us to new activities and test our The second week we put our navigation buildings in the American South West.
physical and mental limits, whilst offering skills to the test by trekking the Grand
us the opportunity to gain either the Rock Canyon. The Grand Canyon is home to Sadly, the adage of ‘what comes up, must
Climbing Single Pitch Foundation award some fascinating creatures such as the free go down’ doesn’t apply when you are at
or the Summer Mountain Foundation roaming elk and very wild, but curious, the bottom of the world’s largest canyon
award. squirrels. We walked roughly eight miles and the ascent and eventual exit was a
around the south rim of the Grand Canyon long and tiring climb. However, the sense
on the first day to acclimatize ourselves,
Twentynine Palms preparing for the days to come. of achievement soon dulled the soreness in
the legs.
We arrived at Los Angeles Airport and After being spilt into groups we then
travelled to Twentynine Palms, where planned our trek down the Bright Angel Endnote
we spent the next five days climbing the Trail into the base of the Canyon over
warm desert rocks and crags. Each day 4,000 metres below. The following day With the physical activities over, we got
presented us with climbs at multiple consisted of map reading, pacing and lots the chance to visit the Hoover Dam, before
difficulty levels, which were challenging of picture taking. We descended roughly spending the last 24 hours exploring the
enough, with the thought of rattlesnakes seven miles down into the base of the illuminated strip of Las Vegas. After two
lurking in every crack. Canyon where we camped at the Bright weeks of gigantic meal portions, the warm
Angel Creek. Californian sunshine and the fear of
On day one, we visited an indoor wall rattlesnakes or killer bees, I returned home
to learn the basics of harnesses, knots The camp was surrounded by the icy cold with new qualifications and some of the
and ropes, before moving on to climbing waters of the Colorado River. The river has best experiences of my life to date.

The Grand Canyon

Above: The group overlooking the canyon

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