Page 4
The Battalion
Tuesday, March 6,1!
Go
Climb
Rock
Mike Smith grimaces while trying to get a hold on the rock.
Many people think rock climbing is
an insane sport.
If you were suspended 40 feet in
the air by a rope that is not more
than an inch and a half in diameter,
you might agree.
But insanity doesn’t play a part in
this intense activity, Bob and Mich
elle Chase, climbing instructors for
the Texas A&M Oudoors program,
said.
Bob said many people have the
misconception that rock climbing is a
dangerous sport. Most people do not
realize the precautions built into
rock climbing, he said.
Bob said safety is the most impor
tant factor when he climbs.
“1 want to be alive to climb tom-
morrow," he said.
There are three types of rock
climbing. Bouldering is walking, or
hopping up the rocks. Climbing re
quires a rope. In free soloing, all
safety precautions are abandoned.
Most rock climbers, however,
choose to use safety equipment. Bob
said.
Climbers use devices they can
place in a crack in the face of the
rock and bolts and chalk for keeping
their hands dry. However, Bob said
the rope is the most important piece
saf ety equipment a climber can own.
But as some climbers progress,
they discard some of the equipment
to make the sport more of an indi
vidual challenge, Michelle said. Even
so, she said, rock climbing still is a
safe sport.
“Rock climbing can be as safe as
you want, or as dangerous as you
want,” Michelle said.
She said experienced climbers
have several different ways to make
the sport more challenging while still
keeping it safe. The experienced
climber could lead a climb, she said.
Lead climbing is more difficult be
cause there is no rope to rely on,
Michelle said. The lead climber must
find his own way up the cliff using
finger and toe holds, she said.
The lead climber , uses an assort
ment of different safety equipment
on the way up, Bob said. He works
with another rock climber called the
belayer.
As the lead climber places safety
gear and threads the trailing rope
through the equipment, the belayer
keeps the rope taut. The belayer
then uses the taut rope to stop a
climber’s fall.
Bob said most beginning climbers
follow' the lead climber in a maneu
ver called top-roping. Although top-
roping might seem to be easy at first,
it still presents a difficult challenge.
Tom Taber, president of the
A&M Outdoors Recreational club,
said he believes safety equipment is
essential to a fun rock climb.
Taber, who has been rock climb
ing for several years, said climbers
must use dieit upper and lower body
strength in order to l>e successful.
Agility and flexibility are also impor
tant, he said.
A climber’s technique is of upmost
importance, Taber said. Even with a
great amount of body strength, a
person can fail to reach the top of a
climb because of wasted effort.
A climber’s technique can save
muscles strength and give the
climber an extra push when he or
she needs it.
Rock climbing’s ultimate goal,
Taber said, is to conserve as much
Above: Climbing guide Lynann
Moses belays for Janice Carston
as she begins her rappel I. Rap
pelling allows a climber to safely
descend after a climb.
Right: Halfway up the climb,
Lisa Boehnke reaches for a new
handhold.
After the climbing portion of the clinic, student about rappelling is leaning back into the open air
climbers learn to rappell. The hardest thing with nothing but a rope to hold on to.
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