Crag Dog Supreme

One of the most essential members of any climbing crew is the crag dog.  Not all dogs are suited for that crag-life, though.  Some dogs are too energetic and tend to get in the way which can be dangerous while climbing/belaying.  Some dogs can be aggressive with strangers, a friend of ours was once bit by a crag dog.  Some dogs will run off, some can’t manage the approach.  But when you get the perfect complement to the team, a crag dog can make everyone’s day even brighter.  

High-Clip has often brought up the possibility of a crag cat, and while they are pretty rare, every once in a while, you’ll meet someone who brings their cat to the rock.

So, we were thinking, what would be the perfect crag animal, or better yet, the perfect combination of crag animals?  That being said, we each selected three animals that when combined would make the ideal crag friend.

Carrot

1. We have to start off with a dog!  Dogs are perfectly suited for the crag.  They are generally kind, curious, compassionate, love the outdoors, they even love snacking (an integral part of any climbing adventure)!  Our frankenpet needs to have some dog in it or things just wouldn’t be the same!
2. Turtles are more suited for climbing than people realize.  It’s like they have a climbing helmet permanently attached to their bodies.  They also know how to have fun (I’m assuming), look cute, have a ridiculously chill vibe, and presumably like to snack!  You toss some turtle into the crag animal DNA, and it’s sure to pay off.
3. My final animal has to be a capybara!  Just continuing the chill vibe brought in by the turtle, but dialed up to MAX CHILL!  Capybaras seem to get along with every creature in the animal kingdom, so when the humans are on the wall, this super pet will just be vibing, hanging out and making everyone around them happy. 

High-Clip

1. We want a bear for two reasons: we can ride the bear (like a horse) into the crag to cut the approach time/effort, and we can cuddle with the bear. Can you imagine how great the crag naps would be if you could just snuggle up with your bear buddy? Not to mention how warm you’d be…forget the days of climbing with ice cold hands. I suppose having a bear to protect you from threats would be awesome, too!
2. For any of you DnD fans, I’ll add an owl, too. Our winged bear can now fly (or at least jump really well). Not only will this help with the approach, but now we can get to better spots to take photos of our friends on the wall. Plus, the beak will be helpful if we ever want them to toss us gear or something. The night vision will help them feel safe/navigate at all times of day!
3. For temperament, we’ll add in some cat. Now, our owl-cat-bear will love cuddling, napping, and snacking during the day. Additionally, they’ll be fine to hang out alone if we want to do a longer climb/a couple pitches. It will be so fun to watch them explore and play with the other animals!

With all that said, we asked AI to generate our beautiful crag-pet-friend, and while not all six animals are clearly represented in the picture (above) in our heart they are all mixed to perfection!

Here are some additional options that were generated along the way…I’m pretty sure that any one of these would be the most beloved crag animal to ever exist, but the one with the turtle just chilling on the back of the capybara-dog-cat-bear-owl might be my favorite. Also, for some reason the owl wings are always hidden under the turtle shell, we can’t see them, but we’ll just have to trust that they are there!