Highlining Mamquam Falls
Mamquam Falls, B.C. We want to acknowledge our immense privilege and gratitude for the opportunity to gather on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam Nations.
We spent the day hanging cliffside with some pretty stellar humans. Richard Glickman, Hillary Mastrodicasa and Amanda Hehner rigged a 30-foot-long highline over Mamquam Falls, and then proceeded to walk and dance their way across.
Richard has been highlining for about seven years now. “I probably peaked in 2018,” he laughs as he recalls the 450-metre-long line he walked at Skaha Bluffs. Richard is an advocate for gear longevity, and he has the bum-battered pants to prove it. If he’s walking the highline, you’ll find him in a timeworn pair of Prana pants with gaping holes from years of lofty adventures. Hillary has been leaning into her newfound love of aerial silks, and Richard has been teaching her how to rig her own lines so she can practice at elevation.
Spending the day with Richard, Hillary and Amanda affirmed a few things about the nature of highlining. Preparation and learning is a huge part of the adventure, and so much of that comes from being immersed in a community that is generous with their time, knowledge and equipment. When it comes to acquiring skills and gear for adventure sports, knowing your source is key to feeling confident in your performance. While being out on the highline is a solitary act, that moment is made possible through a deeply collaborative environment.