Jon Siegrist Climbs Hard Alberta Sport
SUMMER ROAD TRIP TO THE ROCKIES
In the summer of 2018, Jon Siegrist and his partner, Shaina Savoy, visited the Canadian Rockies on a road trip. They didn’t have any specific routes in mind, just a trip to sample of steep limestone and quartzite. Over the course of a month, they ticked some of the area’s hardest routes and Siegrist tongue-in-cheek downgraded some climbs.
Summer 2018 was busy in the Rockies, with Adam Ondra climbing new 5.15 routes and Sasha DiGiulian taking down the second ascent of the Rockies alpine trilogy. One of the first routes Siegrist (who made the third ascent of Jumbo Love 5.15b in
“WHAT A UNIQUELY DIFFICULT AND BEAUTIFUL ROUTE. I HAD TO GET A LITTLE CREATIVE WITH MY BETA IN SPOTS, BUT IN THE END, I LOVED THE WAY IT ALL CAME TOGETHER.” — JON SIEGRIST
California) climbed was Alex Megos’s Iron Butterfly at Planet X in Cougar Canyon, which Megos graded 5.14c/d. “I climbed Iron Butterfly last night,” said Siegrist the following day. “What a uniquely difficult and beautiful route. I had to get a little creative with my beta in spots, but in the end, I loved the way it all came together.” Siegrist suggested a low 5.14c grade.
The weather in July in western Canada was a mixed bag, with cold temps and snow hitting eastern B.C. and the mountains west of Calgary on some days and extreme
heat other days. “We’ve had the full spectrum of weather from snow in July to blasting the air conditioner,” said Siegrist. “But we are loving every moment of it out here. It’s been great to explore, find our favourite little spots and enjoy the slow life in the truck again.” Siegrist then made quick work of Magician’s Apprentice 5.14b, which he sent on his second go and said is soft for the grade.
Siegrist and Savoy continued to visit Planet X over the next few weeks. Siegrist then made the second ascent of Evan Hau’s
Cobalt Gecko and said it’s a hard 5.14b. He said that Hau’s route was his favourite on the wall. “All I remember from when I first briefly visited Planet X seven years ago is not much liking it,” said Siegrist. “I found it confusing, insecure and hard. Well, it’s still confusing, insecure and hard, but so much more fun now for some reason. It’s awesome how much we can grow and change our preferences and our strengths.”
Savoy was projecting a handful of climbs herself and sent Shooting Star 5.12d at Planet X. “It was the end of the day, my
“IT WAS THE END OF THE DAY, MY SKIN WAS TRASHED AND HALFWAY UP THE ROUTE, I REALIZED I HAD TO PEE FEROCIOUSLY.” — SHAINA SAVOY
skin was trashed and halfway up the route, I realized I had to pee ferociously,” said Savoy. “I decided there was no chance, so I just went for it – the faster I fell, the sooner I could relieve myself. But then I found myself at the anchor. Anyway, that’s all to say even if it isn’t your hardest route, or maybe it is, and the odds are against you sometimes shit just pans out. I’m actually bummed to be done with this route so soon because of how classic it is.”
Siegrist also made a number of trips to Acephale, where Ondra sent his new route Disbelief 5.15b. Siegrist made quick work of the steep First Flight and climbed it on his second attempt giving it a grade of soft 5.14c. He then made a fast climb of Prime Time 5.14c. About Acephale, Siegrist said, “It took some ass-kicking, but we totally came around and loved this crag. Five awesome days up there with a great crew and mostly dope conditions and Shaina sent her project 39 Steps 5.12d/13a.”
Savoy also sent the classic Ice Box of Broken Dream 5.12d, named because even on hot summer days, Acephale can be a
cold crag. “After having spent time at both Acephale, where routes are short and bouldery, and Planet X, where the routes are long and pumpy, Jonathan and I had a discussion about whether I was a better boulderer or sport climber,” said Savoy. “By dedicating all of my energy to climbing routes, I would argue that I’m a better sport climber. Jonathan somewhat (politely) disagrees.”
The truck-living duo then drove to Squamish for the Arc’teryx Climbing Festival. Siegrist paid his first visit to the Big Show in Cheakamus Canyon, where he made a quick send of Supermanboy 5.14c and said the grade was soft. Back in the Canadian Rockies, he made the third ascent of Honour and Glory, which Evan Hau made the first ascent of and Adam Ondra repeated, grading it 5.14d. “We leg-burned our way up to the Coliseum the last two days, wheezing hard after a week at sea level. Yesterday I climbed the awesome route Honour and Glory. There is definitely a lot of hidden difficulty to this cliff. The hike is a solid 90 minutes and the conditions are bizarre because not