Climbing gear, ready to go

Climbing gear is aesthetically nice - it's well designed and it makes good noises. The click of a new carabiner is hard to beat, and the engineering that goes into a camalot is enduringly impressive. I bundled all my stuff into a bag today, all the while thinking about what I might use it for overseas.

Climbing gear ready for a big trip.

One climb I would just love to do is this one:

Le Miroir d'Argentine, Voie Originale de l'Y. Photo by Alex Saunier, CC-by-sa.

I know, right? The mountain's called Le Miroir d'Argentine and this route - the Voie Originale de l'Y - is grade 5a+, or about Ewbank grade 15 or 16. It's 14 pitches of slabby limestone! Something to aspire to, for sure.