Later, on a variation of that route, I watched him take 15-foot falls, again and again, day after day, trying to link just two moves together. But the tenacity is the name of the rock game. Sometime after the 20th attempt, he got it and climbed to the top. Climbers who call Humboldt home do so for more than the rock. After all, there's no other place like it.
Climbers live and play here for the sunsets and the camaraderie.
They climb because pursuit of the sport itself draws them out for a walk through the redwoods to find routes. Looking for climbing is a great excuse to simply explore more. I, for one, am having fun and learning northern California like the back of my hand. Even though it might look like they're trying to kill themselves, most climbers are cautious by nature. They have to be.