A Birthday Climb (Hardwear Sessions)

By Dawn Glanc | Read Dawn's Mountain Hardwear Athlete Bio.

Indian Creek, Utah

Dawn Glanc climbing in Southern Utah.

One of my favorite places to climb is Indian Creek, in Southern Utah. There is something about that area that calls to me after a long season of ice climbing. To me it is a little bit of paradise. The landscape is surreal. The rock formations in the creek and the canyon lands are something out of a fantasy story. Each year I find myself there in the spring to lose myself in the desert and soak up the warm sun.

I try to plan this desert experience around my birthday, which is in early May. I love to celebrate my birthday climbing with my friends. This year friends came from all distances to help me celebrate. Old friends and new friends came together to drink PBR and enjoy the campfire. I even had two birthday cakes with candles, accompanied each by a jolly happy birthday song. The party was a great way to welcome my advancement in age.

Each year, as a birthday present to myself, I try to send a climb. I typically pick a route that will be memorable. I try to pick a route that will challenge me, and one that will leave an impression on me. Since I had a crappy birthday last year, I wanted this year to be a big day of climbing and celebrating. I felt I had to make up for last year. This year I wanted to climb something fat for my big day, so I chose Big Baby.

Indian Creek in Southern Utah

Rock formations in Indian Creek.

I woke up early on the big birthday and headed to the crag with my climbing partner for the day, Wayne Harney. We had to arrive early to get the morning shade and the cool morning temps. As I racked up for the climb I felt nervous, anxious and a bit scared. That mix of emotions is something I love to embrace. It excites me and gets me ready to deal with the sharp end. After a nervous chalking up of my hands, I took a few deep breaths, and bumped knuckles with Wayne. That was my cue to start sending.

Big baby was everything that I had hoped it would be. It was fun and challenging. The moves felt great. I felt as fluid as a person could be on a heinously wide splitter crack. I gracefully managed the roof, and then wrestled the #4 section. As the crack widened to a new #5, I threw my knee in as soon as I could for a no hands rest. When trying to move after the rest I realized my knee was completely stuck in the crack. I had to do everything I could to remain calm and not blow the red point. After what seemed like hours, I freed my appendage. The feelings of relief allowed me to focus on the task at hand. I looked up and I could see the chains, which seemed miles away. With pure determination I stacked, jammed, kicked and grunted my way to the top. I was completely worked and elated when I returned to the ground.

Big Baby Climb

War wounds from the Big Baby climb.

My birthday was awesome this year thanks to my friends and to the climb of the day. Big Baby proved to be a memorable event. It satisfied my birthday goals and it proved to be exactly what I had wanted. My experience on this splitter off-width is one that will leave a lasting impression on me both figuratively and physically. The deep abrasions on my knees, anklebones, and on my right hand will continue to remind my of this year's send for weeks to come.

Dawn's Gear - Women's Butter Zippity
Super lightweight and buttery soft, with a wicking finish.

"The buttery top provided great friction on the rock. It almost felt like velcro. The fabric stuck to the rock but kept me from sweating out as I grunted up the crack. The butter zippity has now replaced my long sleeve cotton shirt I typically wear on wide cracks." - Dawn Glanc