Three ravens stalled, riding the updraft. In the blink of an eye, one tucked its wingtip. Below, two climbers gasped at the complex barrel roll. The raven pulled into a dive down the 100-metre cliff. One of the still-soaring ravens said to the other, “No way, did you see that. What a show off.” Then, the climbers turned to each other, amazed at the natural grace of the flying. “I love how you see animals playing for the sheer enjoyment, showing off to each other,” one climber said.
The beauty of the act is one thing. The enjoyment of beholding the action and sharing that appreciation among friends, another. Sometimes, it is equally as joyful. Without further ado, I want to share a few of my favourite climbing stories.
Fifteen…