Went climbing yesterday, in Squamish!

It was over 10 degrees, and beautifully warm in the sun. It hadn't rained all week, and felt like a warm day in autumn. So nice to feel the rock under hand again.

I went with Thomas, Ilse, and David to the Malamute. The ocean was crystal clear, and no wind to speak of. We did some easy slab to warm up on 3 Stooges, and then Dave and I took a shot at Science Friction.

Its a crazy balancy and technical 11d corner. Lots of secret hold around the corner, laybacking a rounded arrete with feet smearing on tiny crystals... very fun! It was pretty slow the first time, but I got to the top in less than a half-dozen falls second time around, that's progress. The first time doesn't bear thinking about, but lets say Dave is a patient belayer.

Andy Cairns was out doing some circuits on the route left of us, and taking pictures, and sent me a few. Very nice of him, and its great to have climbing pictures that aren't taken from the ground!

Chilliwack Blonde, Old Yale Brewing Co, BC

OK, but another of the ones from behind the desk... bit sweet, bit mild, not so hoppy.

High Country Kolsch, Mt. Begbie Brewing Co., BC

OK, but maybe shouldn't have been left behind a desk for a year...

And only 4.5%! Would like to try it again.

Winter Ale, Brooklyn Brewery, NY

Kindof bland.

Winter Spice Ale, Big Rock, AB

A bit bland, not very spicy.

Bah Humbug! Christmas Ale, Wychwood, EN

This was good.

Hop Head India Pale Ale, Tree Brewing, BC

I needed a hoppy beer to go with Marie's Birthday Indian food Feast, and this is all that was available.

It was tasty enough, but I don't think I'll be buying more of it, I don't like Tree's lawyers (see here for more info).

Old Yale Pale Ale, Old Yale Brewing Co., BC

A little sweet, a little hoppy. Quite nice.

From a set of beers Julie bought for the Maillardville Cinq-a-Sept, but then left behind Jim's desk for a year... none of them have preservatives, but they seem to have made it pretty well.

Slipstream Cream Ale, Phillips, BC

Ok, I tried this before, and thought it had gone bad. It had, but its still a terrible beer.

Mike's had it before, and claims it was OK, but none of us had anything good to say about this latest try.

It tasted distinctly watered down, literally, like beer mixed with water, and ending with a strange and unpleasant flavour. The batch that was bad had a similar flavour, but much more intense. What are they thinking?

Agate Pass Amber Ale, Hood Canal Brewery, WA

Glenn brought this up from Washington. I guess there's no rules about these things, I would expect an Amber ale to be a bit sweet and bland, but not this one. It was amber, but was also pretty distinctly hoppy. Good, not great.

The brewery.