Have You Tried Climbing Yet?

By Ryan Long on January 22, 2013

Picture yourself 1,000 feet in the air staring into the depths of oblivion. Your callused fingers are numb from gripping the rock and your heart is racing to the beat of the wind upon your back. You look down. The trees below look to be tiny daggers rising up to take you. They stab the air in unison. Their branches would slow the fall wouldn’t they? They look so soft and green. Could it be they could break your fall? Falling would be nice, anything to ease the ache in your poor muscles. “NO!” you cry out. You are no quitter. You have been determined since the beginning. You will reach the summit. Arm over arm you make your way slowly to the top. You hook your foot over a shallow ledge and pinch a crevice with your fingers, so close. Your fingers move over the ledge ahead, finally an easy hold. You peek your head up, the end is in sight. Next is your foot, one inch at a time. A moment of clarity, your vertical crawl is about to end. One more step. Your hand slips. You fall. You die.

Photo by alexindigo via Flickr.com

At least that’s what would have happened if you had decided to climb outside. Who enjoys death? Not me, that’s for sure. Go out and try climbing I highly recommend it. It is actually a pretty easy sport to get into. No mountains or boulders in your area? No problem! Search the Google-machine for a local climbing gym. They could definitely use your support. Dreadlocks don’t roll themselves you know. Don’t be put off by the hippy vibe, embrace it. Soon you might find yourself hugging trees and beating drums, but don’t fret, your college campus is always in need of people to sleep in hammocks on the green. Jokes aside, in my experience, the people were all very helpful. In many sports there is a disdain to anyone new. These beginners are often coined with derogatory names like noob or kook, but for climbing I haven’t heard any yet, that is, to my face. It is a very accepting atmosphere. If anything people are all too willing to give advice and will go out of their way to strike up a conversation.

“What will I need?” you ask. Child, please, I’m getting to that. The answer is:

Not much.

When you first begin you can come with a few bucks and a head on your shoulders. At most gyms you can rent the shoes and harness. If you’re smart you should sign up for a lesson. They’ll teach you some basic knots and how to get from point A to B on a wall. This whole process will cost around $20. Not bad for a day’s worth of fun. If you are worried about calluses on your pretty little fingers this may not be the sport for you. The first couple of times it will hurt, a lot. Unless you are a lumberjack or anyone who uses their hands to work, expect some gnarly calluses. I have been climbing for around a semester and my hands are as firm as a gorilla. Eventually you will want to buy yourself a nice pair of climbing shoes, a harness, and a chalk bag. These can range from the ultra-expensive name brand to the former rental smelling of curry. I chose the latter at a sale at my local gym and nailed a pair of shoes for $12.

Have I mentioned that it gets you fit? Well it does. You have to work though. Prepare to have your whole body ache at the end of the day. Don’t let that dissuade you. There is a unique satisfaction you feel at the end of a tough climb. With two hands in the finish box, you feel like a champion. It might have taken you weeks to gather the strength and courage to make it, but that second at the end where the route is done is one to live for.

If you want to look like you know what you’re doing here are some terms to know: