Rock Climbing on Mt. Etna

Sun. May 7 - Kat came and picked me up at 9:00am this morning and we drove up to Mt. Etna. They climbed here last week, so she knew where to go. It was to an old waterfall on the south side of Etna about 3 miles from the base camp we usually park at for snowboarding. The location was called Acqua Rocca and it took about a mile hike to get up to. We drove up there with 8 other people so we all helped carry the gear and everything together. We got to the bottom of the waterfall and I immediately knew this was gonna be a good day. The waterfall was about 80 feet tall and the instructor, Pascal, told me we'd be climbing about 50 feet on most of the pitches. We started to set the climbs and he led climbed a few more to get everyone started. Another couple was there that day too, so they set 2 more pitches for us all to use. We eventually had 5 paths and they were each so different. We all took turns belaying each other and climbing throughout the day. I spiderwomaned up some hard ones and everyone was pretty amazed. It was awesome, it had been over a year since I've been climbing, but it all came back so quickly. The day was so much fun and we took a bunch of pictures to be able to put up at ITT. 4 oclock came by really quick and I had no idea we'd be there so late. We hurried up and took down all the routes and cleaned up. I called work to tell them I'd be a little late, but Kat tried to get me back as fast as possible. It all worked out and the day was what I had been craving for awhile now. I'm gonna start using the rock climbing wall in our gym more often with the club on night's that I'm off. I finally got to work at 5:45pm, but the guy on the earlier shift didn't mind. It was a quick shift and I got home around midnight since I had a lot to clean up and drive home in my big ole hoosier truck.
*** I love Mt. Etna for so many more reasons now... she's not just good for snowboarding. I can't wait to go hike up it once all the snow eventually melts.

Acqua Rocca on Mount Etna

Pascal and I climbing the center routes. I beat him on the way up. It was an awesome climb.

If you look in the very center of the picture, you can see the rock waterfall. Its about a mile hike to get to the waterfall from this parking lot. We are about 1/2 mile East from Mt. Etna South base camp where I snowboarded this winter.