matt segal

Yesterday was amazing; for starters I became uncle mAtt. Scout Kingston Burke came into the world at 3:29 p.m. weighing in at 6lbs 11oz. Crazy! My sister’s a mom…Fun for me I’ll have a little one I can play with and eventually take climbing and wont have to deal with much of the screaming or dirty diapers! Congratulations to the family!

On an other note, the note of my selfish pursuit of climbing up things… the master of the flying guillotine finally went down. The problem is maybe V6 X but with a shit tone of bouldering pads (maybe 15) you could probably make it a little safer but I chose to keep it simple and just solo it…

The climb is wild; you may have walked right under it and never even noticed it. Sonnie Trotter and I first top-ropped the line 3 years ago when both of us were trying the Cobra, but neither of us went back for the ropeless ascent. The movement is not that difficult, we both climbed it on our first try but is extremely insecure and was left abandoned for 3 years until I came back with highball master Kevin Jorgeson.

Once again Kevin and I both did the moves with ease but neither of us sacked up for the ropeless, it was slightly damp in the forest, which didn’t inspire the confidence needed. But fortunately yesterday was perfect conditions and with Will Stanhope and Jason Kurk heckling the master of the flying guillotine V6R/X went down.

The weather is looking good so I’m off to hike up the hill and try the Bra! Will be back soon with photos of the new family member as well as the new route…

Since the birth of this site I’ve been receiving lots of feedback from the community. Some good and some bad, regardless I appreciate it all and feel the need to share. A friend emailed me “My only suggestion is on your header, the “L” in life is capital but no others are. A style thing? Either do them all and maybe instead of spelling with the ellipses with some -dashes. Looks a bit more concrete that way, still means what you want it to, and that you know what you’re saying.”

My response was the header was very deliberate. Yes dashes would be “more concrete” but I’m not looking to be concrete. I’m not sure how this whole blog thing is going to turn out…I felt that the ellipses leave room for interpretation, who the hell knows what’s going to come of this.

As for the capital “L” in Life, very deliberate and not just for aesthetics. Reggie Ray a Buddhist teacher of mine would always refer to Life with a capitol L. In the English language we use capitalizing to show importance, we’ll capitalize religious terms and we’ll capitalize our names, well… Life is the most sacred thing of all, so why not capitalize the L?

On a completely other note nothing has changed in Squampton. I’ve climbed once in the last 6 days and I barely would call it climbing since the conditions were so bad. I hiked up to the Cobra with Yoshida (aka The Ninja) a climber who traveled all the way from Japan solely to climb on the Cobra Crack. At first I was a little nervous about the language barrier between the Ninja and I, would be kinda scary to go for it on lead with almost zero communication with my belayer. But as usual we got up to the base and the conditions were total crap. So we both decided to rehearse the moves on TR. A training day! Though I don’t feel I need anymore training days… Just one nice cold crisp day! Is that really too much to ask?

So hopefully I didn’t miss my chance at the last semi descent day in Squish, and when I say semi descent I mean no rain but also no wind and super swarmy. Not ideal conditions for sending the Cobra but I went for it anyway. Turns out that it wasn’t the greatest idea being that I barely survived the “easy” sections of the route… Oh well… hopefully the weather will break soon for another effort.

In the mean time I’m sitting in front of my computer lurking on the Internet. Standard procedure…but at least I have this blog now that allows me to kill more time on shitty days. Everyone keeps asking me how much longer I’m going to stick it out in Squamish for and the only answer I have is which ever comes first: one I completely loose the plot and go crazy because of the rain or two I send the Cobra. I actually feel pretty close to both so only time will tell…

Lurking at the Adventure Center with Neli Sibylle and Tristen

Life at the Camp Ground: Thomasina and Cedar head back home from a day in the Boulders

Will Stanhope Getting ready to battle on the Cobra in prome coditions: wet and warm!

Media Action! Before my failed attempt on the Cobra I was in Vancouver doing a live interview on Global TV. Super classic! It was for the world premier of the Sharp End a film by Sender Films that will be featured in the Reel Rock Tour.

This is my first post EVER and I’m not sure how begin. Do I just jump right in and start spewing about how I’m in Squamish BC attempting to climb a finger crack that is currently a waterfall due to non stop rain. Or should I begin with an explanation of my intentions behind blogging or maybe begin a simple warning: you may find me offensive…I don’t know! I don’t even know if anyone besides my mom will read this.

The one thing that I do have to explain is that this site is a work in progress and being that I’m technically challenged and do way better in the mountains then in front of a computer screen it may take me a little bit to post photos and videos.

I guess none of that’s important, but I needed to break the ice for the shy part of Matt Segal. But what is important is that the sun is beginning to poke through the clouds and the rocks are beginning to dry. Hopefully by tomorrow afternoon the now waterfall they call the Cobra Crack will be dry enough for me to go battle with.

At the moment the Cobra is the only thing that is keeping me in Canada, especially since all my peeps bailed back to California. You know who you are, feel guilty yet? I’m still around suffering in site 52! Just kidding… I’m super psyched to be in Canada trying the Cobra, which is one of the most inspiring crack climbs I have ever seen.

I first encountered the Bra three years ago when it was still a project. I came out specifically for it but it was an extremely wet season and out of the ten days I hiked to the base only three of those days were climbable. So I threw in my towel and bailed but know I’m back and psyched. Its already seen 2 ascents this season first by Nico Favresse and second by Ethan Pringle (also known as EFP), hopefully the sending vibes are still there and I will be given the opportunity to climb it as well. Ok I’m out for now, will keep you posted, who ever you are…

City of Squampton