See Guide to Belaying   Selecting a Harness    See Knots

A few other pages of similar interests  
  Camping     Survival trips   Canyoneering   Caving    Kayaking   

 Schedule this activity in our "Itinerary Planner"

  Rock climbing          

Rockclimbing is closely related to boulder hopping, canyoneering and mountain climbing. yet is tackled in a different way. Some people use gear (see our checklist) and others go barebones. We have all seen picture of people hanging by only finger tips from an inverted face with only air around them. Makes your spine tingle doesn't it . Just imagine how much more so if you were not experiencing it vicariously but in reality. Consider it. You can go up to a bare faced rock, pick a path, find your first finger and toe holds and make like a gecko and climb. 

    
This could be you.

This sport has been tackled by people in varying degrees of handicaps. It is astounding that amputees, blinded and paraplegics can perform what many believe is beyond their capabilities. With the proper training and conditioning you should be able to pursue this remarkable sport. Naturally we all have limitations and many of them are psychological. This type of limitation may be more difficult to overcome than some physical conditions (see physical fitness).  If this is a sport that interest you but yet the concept of actually doing it defies every fiber of your being, then you will have to get into it gradually. The are many places that have climbing walls that you can navigate with a safety harness and spotter. Many of these have faces that feature various degrees of difficulty, and will give you a feel for the concept of wild rock climbing. From there you can hook up some like minded people, hopefully some with instructional skills, and go find a mild rock.    Cut your teeth on some rock formations similar to these   Many good choices in NW corner of  Arizona Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park in Utah/Arizona has some awesome rock formation but will require permission to climb any of them. You have probably seen these in old western movies Nothing says that you have to go un-tethered, in fact we recommend that you have  a couple of experienced instructors go with you or take you out the first few times. This way you will have one above you setting pins and one that stays with you, giving pointer and encouragement during the climb. Even after a couple of these instructed climbs you will not be completely proficient, it take time and experience to become skilled. In fact don't attempt to go climbing a difficult face until you are well experienced.   When you do, get back to us we would like to hear from you about this or any other exploits! Some pictures, articles  and/or GPS numbers would be great.  It needs to be said that Rock Climbing can be not only exhilarating but also deadly dangerous.

Some locations where rocks can be found. Be sure to obtain any necessary permission

Yosemite National Park - California has several great places. The El Capitan – Near the entry to Yosemite Valley on the northern side of Yosemite, is a favorite of experienced rock climbers. The granite walls of El Capitan rise for nearly 3000 feet (1000 meters) in sheer vertical splendor. There are as many as 60 route to climb and may take as long as 5 days. 

 The Half dome face presents a real challenge and is best ascended by experts    

Colorado National Monument (Colorado) Has beautiful cliff faces and monolith, but being a national monument you would have to check with the NPS before making plans to scale any rock in there.

Big Bend National Park   bibe (Texas)has many unchallenged rock formations. Dehydration is a serious factor as this is desert area. A few  like the Dutch Girl and Ice Cream Cone have been climbed but little is known about the actual climbs. I fyo ugo send photos and details here and we will forward them to the Ranger to be added to their site.

Oak Mountain State Park  (Alabama) offers over 9,000 acres for visitors to explore. Places like these are treasures for rock climbers who wish to experience the thrill of climbing while in a beautiful, scenic setting.

*********There are several organizations dedicated to this and related sports. We have compiled a large list of clubs, information, commercial and  online communities sites to help you get the most out of this remarkable sport.  *********

Be sure to know your knots See Knots for a selection of Climber's knots.

Some Helpful Links: 

   http://www.rockclimbing.com/

   http://www.abc-of-rockclimbing.com/

   http://www.sydneyrockies.org.au/

   http://rockclimbing.org/

   http://www.malta-rockclimbing.com/

  http://www.adebenham.com/ccrc/

  http://www.asmguides.com/rockclimbing.html

Be cautious when in the wilds as Ticks and Chiggers can pose a serious problem.

The more you get to do a sport the more you will enjoy it. We have found that being prepared to leave at a moment notice will increase the number of time that you will actually get out and do it. Ultimately the best way to be prepared is to have all the necessary gear already stored in a "gear trailer". This is a trailer dedicated to this purpose. READ ON.

See all the Activities we currently feature and see what is yet to come.

Being physically fit will make your experiences safer and more enjoyable. We are developing a page devoted to encouraging people to do just this. See the Physical fitness page.

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