Hazel Findlay FA of Trad Testpiece Tainted Love (5.13d), Squamish
Trad extraordinaire Hazel Findlay makes the first ascent of a blank Squamish corner high on the Chief.
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Hazel Findlay said she had no plans to make any hard, trad first ascents when she rolled into Squamish, but “following her nose” and fellow Brit Neil Dyer brought her to Tainted Love.
The exposed and desperately thin corner, protected primarily by micro wires, sits right at the top of the Chief in Squamish, British Columbia.
“When it came to the send day I gave myself 30% chance of success,” wrote Findlay on the Black Diamond website. “It was crazy hot out and due to the forest fires, there was no breeze for relief. Despite the terrible conditions I reminded myself that ‘sending’ is mostly mental with the real variables and limitations existing between your ears.”
“I didn’t climb it ‘well’,” she continued, “typically I messed up all my beta, forgot everything I was supposed to remember but still, I managed to pull some magic tricks out the bag and moment by moment shook my way to the top.”
Video: Jonny Baker
Edit: Kipp Schorr
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