Hiking/Climbing in Mission Gorge

We went for a family hike on 2/7/10 out at Mission Gorge that was really fun. The weather was nice and there was a ton of water flowing through the bottom of the valley on account of the recent rain, which was neat. We also got to see the old dam that the padres and Indians built.

Patrick and I split off after the hike and did a little climbing. We met a Cambodian Buddhist monk who watched us climb for a little bit, then asked if he could try. He hiked up his robes and set down his prayer beads, we got a harness on him, and he did the climb barefoot! It was very cool.

Up by the dam:




Patrick getting ready to do his first trad lead. Whoop whoooop!


Patrick over at the far west end of the wall:


Thomas with the Gorge in the background:


View of the Gorge, the quarry, San Diego, the sky, et al:


Our monk friend climbing:


Thomas and monk (you can see some more of his gear in the background):


Patrick and monk: