HAND CRAFT:
C E L E B R A T I NG O UR R E GIO NAL C L IM B IN G SC E NE 60
BY CHRIS TIESSEN It’s pretty easy to recognize a climber: just
Two-time Junior Worlds competitor. Indeed,
look at their hands. Thick. Muscly. Callused
Dylan’s climbing has taken us all over the
and blistered. Fingers always slightly bent
country – and a lot further. Arco, Italy.
– as if begging for something to clamp on
Guangzhou, China. Quebec City. Ottawa.
to. Looking for further proof? Ask for a
Montreal. Edmonton. Calgary. Canmore.
handshake. Or, better yet, an arm wrestle.
Victoria.
Just don’t plan on winning. I’m familiar with climbers’ hands. Not because I’ve got them, mind you. I’m terrified of heights. Always have been. And probably always will be. And not just the really tall stuff either. For me, any height is an unfriendly one. Heck, a few years back I couldn’t even build up the courage to re-shingle my own shed – which must be no higher than seven feet off the ground. Instead, I spent the day hauling old shingles to the dump and
Let’s just say I haven’t asked for an arm wrestle in a really long time. To be sure, Dylan’s many medals are proof of his accomplishments. But his hands – they’re proof of his passion for the sport. A sport that, regionally, has grown exponentially in the last several years. Indeed, with teams competing out of The Guelph Grotto (where Dylan climbs), Grand River Rocks (Kitchener), Core Climbing (Cambridge), Climber’s Rock
grabbing coffees for the crew. (Thanks, crew.)
(Burlington) and about a dozen more gyms a
My oldest kid Dylan is a climber, though. A
fact that sport climbing has been named an
pretty great one too. Overall Ontario Junior
Olympic sport for 2020 will only continue to
champ. Three-time Junior National Team
spur its growth – regionally, nationally, and
member. Junior Pan-Am Games athlete.
internationally.
bit further afield, the kids are alright. And the
