The Hazard Chronicles

We love summer time, and we have been thoroughly enjoying it. Also, we have tons of pictures this week, but our computer is down (again). We'll put them up next week. In the meantime, enjoy this story:

This week I decided to take Jackson on a hike- "Just papa and Jack," as he would say. It was a good hike. We went to Q'emiln Park which is right down the road from our house and has trails, rock climbing, a beach, and a playground. I also brought our climbing guide book with the intent of scouting out some new areas.

Well, we walked for a while on the main trail, and then took a smaller climber's trail to go check out a new area. This whole time Jackson was climbing and jumping on everything he could find- trees, boulders, bushes, etc. The whole time he was just sort of singing to himself in his cute little high-pitched voice about how he was on a hike with "Just papa and Jack," and how he was going to go back and put sticks and rocks in "Papa's car" (this has become a favorite pastime of all the kids). I loved it- and Jackson is totally in his element when he is in the outdoors so he was obviously having a great time.

Anyway, after checking out some climbs we started back toward the main trail when I saw someone coming toward us. Now, the trail we were on was a little-used climber's trail, which means that it isn't really a trail at all, and that nobody uses it unless they are going to the cliff. As the stranger approached, I noticed that he was an older man, probably in his 60s, that he had probably not shaved in a month, and that he was alone. As he got closer, I saw that his clothes were very worn and that he was carrying a tattered old army-surplus backpack with a shovel and a bucket hanging off the back of it. My first thought was that he was homeless and looking for a place to rest. But seriously, in Post Falls? We don't have homeless people here. They all go to Spokane.Seriously, Post Falls has nothing to offer to a homeless guy.

Well, I didn't think too much more of the stranger and was planning on just passing by when he, indicating the climbing guidebook in my hand, casually asked if I had been checking out the climbs. I figured he was probably lonely and in need of a good conversation, and Jackson was off exploring in the bushes, so I figured I could indulge him a little bit. I stopped and told him about how we had moved into the area within the last year and how impressed we were with the beauty of the area. I also told him that I was a climber, and was trying to become more familiar with the climbs. To that he smiled, and then asked what kind of climbs I was looking for. Did I want something steep and strenuous or something that was technically demanding, or a mix of both? As we talked, it became increasingly obvious to me that this man not only knew the area well, but that he had an encyclopedic knowledge of the rock climbing in the entire region.

At some point during our conversation I extended my hand and apologized to him that I hadn't introduced myself yet, to which he politely shook it and answered that his name was Rusty. At that, I caught my breath a little and looked down at the guidebook I was holding. On the cover was a picture of a young athletic climber high on a cliff, and under it, the authors name- Rusty Baillie. Could this be him? If it was, then he alone had established about 80% of the climbs in the area, and was one of the most prolific climbers in the Northwest.

When I looked up from the picture he confirmed my suspicions with a dismissive smile, mentioning that "that picture was taken a long time ago." No kidding! We talked for a while about the climbing history in the area, and he told me some of the routes he was currently working on. We were just ending our pleasant conversation when Jackson came up to me and, pointing to a nearby boulder asked me in a very clear voice, "Can you spot me, Papa?" I excused myself and spotted Jack as he made his way carefully up the rock. I have to admit, I was a little bit proud. I mean, really, how many two year olds do you know who will ask if you can spot them on a boulder problem?

After he was to the top, Rusty came up to me again. "You know, your son reminds me a lot of my own grandchildren."

I smiled.

"They like to rock climb too." There was a pause as he seemed to consider something for a moment. Finally, it seemed that he came to a conclusion. "I don't suppose you know where Schoolhouse Rock is?" He asked me.

"I've never even heard of it," I responded. "Is it around here."

"Well, you haven't heard of it because it's not in my guidebook." Rusty winked as he said this. "Like I said, my grandchildren like to rock climb." He then told me to go up the trail and to turn when I got to a large rock on the left. I thanked him and told him I would see him around.

Following his directions, Jack and I went back up the trail and found the rock he was talking about. There was nothing but a bunch of bushes and trees. There was no trail. There was no anything. Curiously, we tromped through the dense undergrowth, not really knowing what we were looking for. And then, suddenly, we turned a corner and were standing at the base of the most perfect learning cliff that I could imagine. It was not too high, and had a very easy walk up the backside. At the top there were at least 7 top-rope anchors, each placed over a distinct climbing route. Cracks, slab, face...it was all there. None of the climbs were harder than about 5.5, but all had high quality, sustained climbing at that level. There was even one route that was bolted, with the bolts each placed about 4 feet apart- perfect for a first lead! This place was the perfect training grounds for aspiring rock climbers (or should I say, aspiring parents of rock climbers?) I couldn't contain myself. I pulled out my phone and called Rachel and announced that we were taking our kids climbing!

Later that same day we took all the kids to Schoolhouse Rock. Rusty was still there on the trail (he was working on his own route further down the canyon), and he wished us luck as we passed him. And then our kids climbed, for the first time, with ropes on a real rock. They all had fun. Evelyn made it to the top of two of the climbs with a little help from me. Jackson was crazy about finding cracks where he could wedge nuts and Friends. Addy wanted to stay down low, but had fun helping with rope work and belaying. And Maren just watched.

One day, Maren. One day soon you too, can climb on Schoolhouse Rock.

It was a good day.

Thanks Rusty.