Meet Luci the Chihuahua, Likely First Dog to Summit Grand Sentinel

It’s not uncommon to see dogs at your local crags, but running into them far above the ground on a classic multi-pitch climb is rare. However, be prepared to possibly see this cute pup on a climb sooner than later.

Last week, Azalia Devi carried her five-pound teacup chihuahua named Luci to the top of the Grand Sentinel, one of the most classic rock towers in Canada. From what we can find, Luci is the first dog to ever summit the Grand Sentinel and she did so via the sport and trad route. We touched based with Devi about her and Luci’s day out.

How often do you take them climbing? I take her climbing multiple times a week, she is always by my side! Well, or in my back pack when I’m multi pitch climbing. This was the first time I climbed Grand Sentinel and we climbed both the trad line [South Face 5.8, four pitches] and the sport line [Cardiac Arete 5.10d, four pitches] that day. I took Luci up the four-pitch trad line in the back of my Arc’teryx hydration vest that has a little 14-litre pack on the back. This was her third multi-pitch climb. I’ve taken her on two other seven-pitch climbs.

Was it busy that day and if so what did other climbers think? There were two other climbing parties there that day, for a total of six climbers counting my partner and I. Well, we told the other parties that we were a party of three counting my little companion! I didn’t get a clear sense of the thoughts or opinions of the other climbers that day about having my pup along for the ride, besides perhaps a little bit of surprise and the typical “awe, she’s so tiny and cute.”

What’s the next adventure? Next adventure is Grillmair’s Chimneys [5.6, eight pitches] this week and next week we will be climbing for four days in the backcountry.

How does Luci get to the climbs? Luci does most of all approaches herself, up and down. She hikes, scrambles and can travel up and down low angle slab pretty much better than I can.

Anything else you’d like folks to know about climbing with dogs? Always have water available for them, not just for drinking but to splash them to keep them cool. Make sure to securely attach them to the inside and the outside of the pack. I use biners for extra security. If there’s a decent ledge that is safe, take them out of the pack while you belay your partner.

Dogs can totally hold their bladder for a while, but taking them out on big ledges/safe belay stations can give them a chance to go. Remember that any time you take your pack off this is the biggest risk of losing your dog if you drop your pack down the mountain. When I do take my pack off I immediately secure it with biners to the anchor.

I have a little collapsible water dish that I clip to my pack. I can actually reach behind me with the dish while she’s in my pack and she will drink out of it right from there. I wouldn’t recommend climbing with a dog much bigger than my little one.