Approaching the North Buttress of Begguya (Mt. Hunter)  ©Doug Shepherd

Climbing with three has it's appeals.  Splitting the work with an extra person, more warmth while cuddling, and general camaraderie. That said, I've been known to repeatedly say "I hate climbing in the mountains with three" and turn down climbing trips, especially on technical alpine routes.  My reasoning for this comes from many failed climbs with three people, due to general slowness, stuck ropes, difficult communication, and even a lack of stoke!

However, I've recently had a break-through, efficiently climbing large routes with a team of three.  Part of this is finding the right partners and part of it is due to finally figuring out the right gear and tactics for efficient movement with three people.  Keep reading for my take on making it work in the mountains with three.

After the second wettest June since records started being kept in 1895, the weather has finally started drying out in the East. That means FULL days of climbing again- not squeezing in as much as possible between storms and downpours! I returned to Cannon Cliff in NH to climb Vertigo, a climb I had been rained off of about 5 years ago. This route is a classic, full of history! As Mark Synnott put it in an article for Climbing Magazine, "Vertigo climbs a 400-foot granite buttress reminiscent of Yosemite or Squamish."

First Ascent:-July/1971. Mike Peloquin starting the Half Moon Crack belayed by John Bragg. Photo Paul Ross from mountainproject.com