Rock Climbing

Rock climbing has become a big part of my life.  As a young kid I was always exploring the neighborhood and climbing trees.  I would climb as high as I could in the big trees along Millstream in Bountiful.  I had a tree hut in one of those trees as did my friend Scott.  I would climb out of the tree house and continue up the branches until the branch would sway and bend under my weight.  I got up really high sometimes and I'm sure if I had fallen it would have injured me significantly.  My first bone fracture was from climbing a pine tree up onto the roof of our house and then jumping off to the ground.  I broke my foot in 3 places.  Getting it set by the orthopedic doctor was one of the most painful memories that I have.  My Dad took me backpacking and hiking all over the state of Utah.  I especially enjoyed our trips to the redrock of Southern Utah.  I would scramble and stem up and down slots canyons as far as I could without any technical gear.  In the High Uintas I often climbed and scrambled up the mountain ridges and peaks around the lakes where we were camped and fly fishing.  I always wanted to go higher and try something a little more challenging.  I still have that desire.  When I look at a steep rock face or a mountain peak looming over the valley I am always studying the features and looking for a good "line" to climb.  When I was on my mission in Colombia there were some snow covered mountains in the distance and only on a clear day could I see them for a few moments.  I wanted so much to go to them and climb them.  In some ways it was a torture to go about my missionary duties and resign myself to stay in the foothills amongst the people.  I wanted to go see and stand on top of those majestic looking peaks.  I still do.

Living in St. George has afforded me the ability to climb on a daily basis.  The cliff bands and canyons in the area provide many excellent rock climbs.  To my joy, Debbie has started climbing with me regularly and will spend hours each week at my side belaying and climbing.  Naturally she has her limits and sometimes I still have to find one of my friends to tackle the harder more difficult climbs.  I have yet to convince her to ice climb with me. Marty has also been a great climbing partner for many years.  There was a time when he and I spent many hours each week tied into the same rope exploring and attempting the many rock climbs of Southern Utah.  I still love to climb with Marty when I can get him out on the rock. He is my most trusted partner.   Many of the scouting activities in the past has included rappelling and climbing.  All of the young men in our ward know how to put on a climbing harness and tie into a rope and rappel.  Some of them have gone on to climb on their own with their friends.  In my speaking assignments on the High Council of the YSA Stake I am known for incorporating climbing into my messages.  The other leaders often refer to my climbing and mountain experience, even more so than my skills as a doctor (which is just fine with me).  My vacations are often created and scheduled around climbing much to the dismay of my children.  I think they will eventually see the reason behind this as they mature and get tied up in the grind of life, family and raising kids.  Climbing will be a part of me until the day I die.  I am a climber.