Zen.
If I had a single word (aside from “Canadian”) that describes the subject of this piece, zen is probably the most appropriate.
I’ve had the absolute pleasure of knowing Tyler for a couple of years at this point, but the experiences that I have shared with him are exceptionally distinct. The first time he joined me at Muir Valley, he stumbled upon a friend of his from Ireland. It was such a random meet that it really stood out and I started to gain a better understanding of just how traveled the man really is. A mega trifecta road trip in February of 2017 that included bagging the summit of Mount Washington, ice climbing, and trad climbing in The Gunks provided a solid foundation for what can only be described as the start of what I hope to be a life-long friendship.
The man has an uncanny ability to stay calm and cool in the most daunting and precarious of situations, and his passion for adventure and travel mirror reflect accordingly.
He has a subtle way of expressing his frustrations, as can be heard when utterly exhausted on challenging sport climbs: “Colin, WHY do we do this to ourselves? This is STUPID!!” he says, while chucking.
Because we can! DUH!
Tyler is set to move onto the next chapter in his life in 2018, and that will bring new adventures, new friendships, and new reasons (excuses) to expand my own horizons.
Sketchy Climbing 