I went back to Squamish feeling a lot better and started to properly siege the route. Keenan Takahashi and Jimmy Webb showed up, and we climbed together on the route. They both have a lot of psych, and it made piecing the route together really enjoyable. I was making quick progress, but I was running out of time. On my second to last day in Squamish, I had an incredible go, where I stuck the gaston just before the final jug but was too tired to make the bump. That go took a lot out of me, and I did not have the time to recover and give it another full value effort. I tried it the next day, but I did not have it. I had to leave Squamish again feeling super fit, getting my high point, and not sending the route.

The thing that made me the most disappointed, though, was that I could have prepared more before I went to Squamish, but I stupidly thought I was just going to do it. I thought I would just pick up where I left off and send the route. That was definitely not the case.

I planned to go back to Squamish, but I was not going to repeat my mistake. This time I was going to train. For most of the year I worked on my power in the southeast. Then about a month before the trip, I switched tactics and almost exclusively trained in the gym. I climbed a lot, focusing on power endurance. I was also working with Paul Corsaro, who made sure my body was healthy and strong. I was not actually sure how fit I was when I left Chattanooga because I had not tested my myself on anything but gym boulders, but I felt ready to tackle Dreamcatcher.