If there is one thing climbing parents can’t wait for, besides a real good night sleep, is the first time they will get their little ones on the rock. My kids are now in their teens, so I decided to use my journey to help you benefit from the things that went well and hopefully, help you avoid the things that did not go so well.

We get it, you’ve been stuck climbing in the gym all winter. You're tired of the crowds, that weird foot smell that all gyms have, and the feelings of inadequacy as you get smacked around by routes made out of plastic. Suddenly its April, and you're at your breaking point, you NEED to climb some honest to god rock, but it’s spring in the Bow Valley and the weather is rapidly changing from 15°C in the sun to 2°C and snowing . Luckily for you, there is a great alternative; Skaha Provincial Park, a gem in BC’s Okanagan desert.

Every winter it's the same, we get crazy cold temperatures for a couple of weeks (a month as of last February), and then out of no where, we'll get a few days or weeks of really nice temperature - usually above 10°C - when you'll see everyone around town get their flip-flops out, and their bikes, and also their ropes in order to hit the nearest crag. In order to help you choose where to go, we did a short list of the crags to check out when the weather gets nice again.

Want to be alone on one of the most popular peaks in the area? This route's for you. Here's my trip report with tips on what to bring and what to expect, pitch by pitch.