With all the commotion this week, Squamish Climbing Magazine has not forgotten that this weekend, Grip it Climbing Centre in Saskatoon, SK will be hosting the Tour De Bloc. This event is part of the national series as well as the ACA Provincials meaning that it is sanctioned by both Climbing Escalade Canada and the Alberta Climbing Association. This is going to be a very fun event and most likely will include all the hard hitters from Alberta. For details of this event, please visit the Tour De Bloc website and stay tuned tomorrow here at Squamish Climbing Magazine for Tour De Bloc coverage!

Last week, Mike Doyle, a Canadian rock climber from the Lower Mainland who now lives in Las Vegas, NV, completed one of his most difficult projects to date. The route, Necessary Evil (5.14c), was first climbed by Chris Sharma in 1997, launching him into stardom. Located in the Virgin River Gorge, the route itself is considered a test-piece of the area and has destroyed the dreams of many hard climbers.

Mike Doyle is no stranger to hard climbing, with a number of 5.14b ascents including Southern Smoke (5.14b), Fifty Words for Pump (5.14a), and the first ascent of Lucifer (5.14c), as well as the first ascent of A.D.A.T.O (5.14b) on Vancouver Island. Squamish Climbing Magazine had the opportunity to catch up with Mike and here is what he had to say.

Mike on Necessary Evil. Photo courtesy of Rich Wheater ©

So Necessary Evil is complete. How does it feel?

Amazing! Honestly it was a huge relief to get it done. The weather has been crazy this year and conditions were not looking good for the next little bit. In addition, work has really gotten busy and all of February I haven’t been sleeping much between work, climbing and training. I really didn’t want to have to wait until next season to redpoint it.

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Mike Doyle has sent Necessary Evil (5.14c) in the Virgin River Gorge. Originally bolted by Boone Speed and then placed in history by Chris Sharma, Necessary Evil remains a test-piece for all generations. A prolific climber in his own right, Mike has been projecting Necessary Evil for the past year and a half. Mike Doyle may no longer be living in the Lower Mainland but I think it is safe to say we all consider his hometown routes to be right here. Congratulations Mike!

To start the month of February, we had the special privilege of interviewing Adam Ondra in anticipation of his upcoming trip to Canada. Adam’s first stop will be at the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF) on Monday, February 16th, followed by Adam coaching at the IFSC World Cup Camp at The Boulders in Central Saanich, BC, from February 20-22nd. Squamish Climbing Magazine thought this would be a great opportunity to check in with Adam and see how things are going this year. Adam is an absolute legend, with first ascents of some of the toughest routes and boulders in world. Here is what he had to say.

Hi Adam, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. How are things going?

Things are going just great! The start of 2015 was a bit hectic for sure as I had some exams to do at university but they are finally all done and I have a nice one month of holiday ahead. I took three weeks of rest during Christmas time, did some snowboarding and cross-country skiing, and started train again around January 2nd. It is always hard to get into the real business of climbing after a long rest but I am starting to feel a quite strong again.

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On the weekend of February 20-22, 2015, The Boulders climbing gym in Central Saanich, BC will play host to the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) 2015 World Climbing Camp. The camp will feature 12 of the top world cup speed and lead climbers from around the world. Confirmed guest athletes for the event include Adam Ondra, Sean McColl, Domen Skofic, Sebastian Halenke, Mina Markovic, Kim Jain, Charlotte Durif, Maja Vidmar, Libor Hroza, Stanislav Kokorin, Klaudia Buczek and Aleksandra Rudzinska. The event will combine a mock competition with workshops from these climbers, as well as event staff from around the world. Squamish Climbing Magazine had the chance to catch up with Kimanda Jarzebiak, the Chair of the not-for profit society that runs The Boulders climbing gym in Central Saanich, BC.

Looking out from the lead wall at The Boulders. Photo courtesy of The Boulders ©

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