Rock Climbing

Katie D.

January 31, 2009 - 5:30 PM

When I was a little kid I would climb anything. I could amuse myself for hours climbing on rocks on hikes with my family. I remember whole summers spent either up a tree or in the neighborhood pool. And sometimes I got to go rock climbing on an indoor climbing wall. It was one of my favorite things to do: I loved the feeling of climbing up the wall, the moment when you were so high up that you felt like everyone must be watching just you, and then the feeling of letting go of the wall and letting yourself be lowered back to the ground.

This term I'm in a rock climbing class at the UO. I'm so excited about it, too. I am by no means the star climber I was when I was little. I have less than ideal upper body strength, and have lost that childish joy of feeling like everyone is watching as I climb. But I haven't lost the love of climbing the wall, of hanging on to fake rock hand holds far above everyone's heads, scanning for that next move upwards. I've had to learn to fall again, which is something that never scared me as a child, with a child's easy faith that nothing bad can happen. No matter how much you trust the equipment and the ability of the person belaying you, there is something in the adult consciousness of the world that warns not to fall from 30 feet. So I have to fight the urge to use only the most comfortable handholds, the largest footholds, and to think through each new move upwards before shifting any weight around.

The class meets just once a week, for two hours each class. The first classes were mostly demonstrations on technique, as well as lessons on using the equipment. We learned how to wear the harnesses and how to tie into the ropes. We practiced belaying and learned the commands. They also showed us how to "tie in" to clips on the ground, in case you are belaying someone a good deal heavier than you are (which proved to be necessary one class when a falling climber sent the belayer swinging up and toward the wall. The backup belayer caught them both). We also met everyone in the class, and learned everyone's names.

Now that we've learned the basics, we've started working on technique. The wall has marked "routes" with duct tape next to handholds and footholds you should be able to use exclusively in a climb. I have yet to complete more than half of one of these routes, but I'm sure I'll learn eventually. The instructors also give us suggestions for exercises to help us improve technique and strength. They have us use small footholds exclusively, or move our feet three times to our hands one. We work with "static" climbing (pausing between each move) and "dynamic" climbing (using momentum to move yourself upward). Eventually we're going to do timed climbs in class, and try climbing blindfolded.

I now have a climbing buddy, Leslie. Aside from trusting her to catch me if I fall, I also need her to yell encouragements up to me, and sometimes give me hints on footholds I might not be seeing. We're a pretty good team, and are both very excited to be in the class and to have the opportunity to climb. We're also both beginners, which is helpful since both of us fall, get tired, and need encouragement from below.

I took my first real "fall" during class last week. I slipped off the wall and was left hanging from my harness. But I found that it's the idea of falling that's the problem, and not the reality of a small slip downward and then hanging next to the wall. So once that first fall was over I fell several more times. I'm learning. I don't have the strength yet to do some of the moves I try to do. I'm still working on balance, technique, and the idea that I can hold myself up with a half-inch shelf for one foot. So of course I'll take some falls. And now that I know it won't hurt anything except my pride, I'll just keep falling until I get good enough to hang on the whole way up.

The rock wall is open from 4 to 8 pm every day. Eventually I hope to be climbing at least twice a week, maybe three times. I would love to get to a point of technique and strength where I will feel comfortable climbing on real rock. I also want to be strong enough to be confident. Leslie and I went climbing last Friday and it was so fun. We bouldered (low climbing without ropes, in a mostly side-to side direction), we tried to climb routes, and we found one spot on the wall with great handholds that we actually climbed fast. We ended our climbing on that wall, doing a fast climb. I felt like a little kid again, semi-giddy after rushing up the wall. I'll be climbing with other friends of mine, too, starting tomorrow.

So many of my activities are completely academic, or otherwise mentally challenging. I work hard in class, in my writing projects, and always come back from my translating work at Volunteers in Medicine feeling like I've strained my brain. With all of this going on, it is a wonderfully freeing experience to have a physical activity like climbing. The mental activity involved in a rock climbing class is centered on my body, considering the limits of my balance and reach and strength. When I finish my class my arms ache because I haven't gotten the hang of not death-gripping the wall. The individual muscles ache from holding on. But I feel refreshed and happy. It's sort of how I felt when I was in a yoga class in high school: a similar use and stretching of my body, but with a real visual goal that I can get to on the wall. One that doesn't involve editing or calculation, just my body moving upward or planted on the ground while my partner climbs.

On belay?
Belay on.