Ice Climbing w/ Jaime
Jaime was a recipient of the 2023 Fall scholarship for outdoor education and completed an Ice Climbing course in British Columbia
Water ebbs and flows, collects memories and emotion as we interact with different facets of water – as fluid, as ice, as snow crystals. Growing up in Hong Kong, I never had opportunities to connect with ice nor snow. Moving to Canada has introduced me to this whole new realm, yet climbing on ice seems something that was once out of reach as an asian woman.
I visualise the outdoor community as a space that fosters relationships, curiosity and accessibility. Upon my course selection for the Adventure Studies program at Thompson Rivers University, I had my eye on ice climbing. Am I good enough for that? Do I have the right gear? Is this spot belong to me? My self-doubt rang at the back of my head until I received an email notification from Backcountry Squatters. I am very thankful to have received the scholarship from Backcountry Squatters; for supporting me on taking the Ice Climbing course instructed by Sarah Huennikens and Breaden Ennis.
This course allowed me to find strength in myself and see the world without a filtered lens; It doesn’t have to be a white-dominated, expensive suffer fest if we start inviting other folks in. It was inspiring to be mentored and to learn from Sarah Huenniken — a strong woman and an awesome human who continuously makes spaces for others. What I learnt from this course is building resilience and pushing through the sufferings, which is a versatile mental tool for my climbing career and for supporting others when I am guiding.
I thought the cold would be my biggest challenge. But we got so lucky with the weather during our days in Canmore and Banff. I am grateful to be learning new skills under the sun. We learnt movement techniques in single pitch ice climbing, mixed climbing and dry tooling. Breathing in, my arms are pumped. Breathing out, I find the duality of joy and bittersweetness in ice climbing. I find happiness through breathing through pain and suffering.
“Simply being alive is a blessing, a source of true joy. “- Thich Nhat Hanh
And, I felt seen and alive.
With better technique, the course empowers me to continue to strive in the outdoor industry- to take up space with pride and confidence. Backcountry Squatters reminds me to trust my light, believing in my potential to become a Rock Guide and to continue on my vision to create space for people like me.
Jaime
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