Dan Beland's Climbing Blog

First time climbing at Horne Lake, Amphitheatre

I had heard all the hype about Horne Lake and how it is THE place to go on Vancouver Island for hard and steep sport routes.   I was training at the gym 4-5 days a week and feeling strong after recovering from a shoulder injury a few months prior so I figured I better get up there and see what it’s all about.

The Report…

Horne Lake climbing is AWESOME!  I warmed up on a couple of 11a’s then got ready for the route I had been waiting to get on since first hearing about Horne Lake, Globetrotters.

At 5.13d, Globetrotters is way above any level of route I had been on before, so I was half expecting to get my ass handed to me.  But, to my surprise I ALMOST made it to the bolts (after several falls, of course).  I made it just past the 5th bolt before falling the first time.  From there on it was pretty much draw to draw until I got to the lip of the roof.

People tell me that those last few moves pulling the lip are the crux and I would tend to believe them.  It felt like it would go, but I was so bagged that I didn’t have enough strength left to complete it.  Next time perhaps.

Photos