The next morning, we left our heavy packs behind and carried only the essentials. stopped to drink water from a gurgling brook that tasted like the colorful wildflowers growing everywhere Then we started the climb. The first boulders were easy, and we didn't even need to rope up. Then we did our first wall a cliff similar to the climbing we did back home. scrambled up without any trouble. Later we came to a high wall, the most challenging of the trip Jack loaded himself with hardware and ropes preparing to be the first climber to ascend. This time I would hold the belay rope.