MOUNTAIN LIFE - Blue Mountains | Fall 2018

52 ML BLUE FALL 2018 trying to free-climb one of the last unclimbed aid routes at Lion’s Head, Above the Clouds 5.13. This impressive 40-metre overhanging wall that summits the Lion’s Head Lookout required advanced bolting techniques and the ability to hold a hammer drill overhead with one arm for an extended time. While I was rappelling in to get started on this project, my husband yelled: “Leslie, hold the drill up with one arm!”, and I confidently tried but humbly failed. My stronger male friend finished the job and it bothered me more than expected. New routing had unknowingly become a personal quest to prove my equality in a sport full of men and I then stubbornly trained for months, holding heavy weights overhead, to ensure I’d never have to ask for help again. At first it surprised me that so few women developed new climbs, but the dirty and incredibly physical labour with power tools likely intimidates most (me included). But these limitations only motivated me to train weaknesses, perfect systems and develop my strengths. It is common now to see more women at the cliff than men—something very different from when I started climbing 14 years ago. Back then I was usually surrounded by muscular men screaming like barbarians to ascend the wall, a style I’ve adapted as my own. Despite this exponential growth in the female climbing population, very few pick up a drill to develop new climbs or repair old ones. A hot commodity with female climbers is the coveted “first female ascent”—an outdated phrase, with the amount of women climbing hard now. There are undoubtedly historic female ascents worth noting, but the overuse of this term is somewhat degrading and we don’t need a participation prize. The gender gap in the sport is closing fast; years ago men would often presume my husband was stronger than me (he isn’t), or get on a climb I was working on assuming it was easy (it wasn’t); and the warm- ups were referred to as the “girlfriend route.” With the rise of women in the sport, you’d have to be living in a hole to assume such things now. Outdoor climbing is proving to be one of the most gender neutral sports out there. Nature obviously doesn’t play favourites. Back then I was usually surrounded by muscular men screaming like barbarians to ascend the wall, a style I’ve adapted as my own. No "girlfriend route":Timms on a first ascent of Safety Meeting 5.11c, Lion's Head. KYLE THOMAS