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THE BATTALION
Friday, March 22, 2002
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indent rock climbers take adventure to new heights
By Mike Whitlow
THE BATTALION
David Cordon, a senior environmental design
ijor, almost gave up rock climbing after his
end nearly fell thousands of feet off a cliff.
"The scariest thing that ever happened to me
tot Gramm vials in Mexico,” Conlon said. “It was my first
ie ever climbing outside, and my best friend
Cuamm s ofc diwere on the cliffs thousands of feet up. We
re repelling down on the same rope, with
out 300 feet left to go. We miscommunicated
person were
returned.
Conoley, Dean- , . , , •
of Education 0111 who was ‘ lookecl in where, and he almost
he search comil all the way down. After that, I took a year
from climbing.”
Conlon has returned to climbing and said he
not stop any time soon.
An entire subculture has grown around the
in the Student Recreation
ter, but rock climbers’ interest
not stop there. Many take
if favorite activity outside to
t^p^SI»“ in p laces ' , ,,
lies from ten ,ason Kurten, TAMU
lid it “would MI ‘idoors coordinator and Class
ee we’ve nameil 1998, said many students
we’ve told Ism with a rock climbing
nirsday aftero
re still others
one is a fii
ird of Regents
i so, Conole)
the campus
presidential
rch committee
she declined
Vll keep (rock-
climbing) as long as
my body lets me.
That’s my mantra.
the people
trd to look at r:
ey said.
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s will run evei
le hour, from
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trse at the Rec Center.
“Indoor climbing is how most
ipleget introduced,” Kurten said,
hey’ll get oriented and climb the
out of curiosity and then fall
love with it. I learned to climb
itway six years ago taking a class here at the Rec
Enter], Then I went on an outdoor trip with
MU Outdoors, and I was hooked.”
Kurten has since participated in or led TAMU
itdoor trips to Enchanted Rock State Park and
onterey, Mexico, where the cliffs reach up to
300feet. He has also ice climbed in Colorado.
Harry Miller, a senior recreation, parks and
irism science major, began rock climbing as
result of a crush.
I had a crush on a girl who worked at the
«[Center],” Miller said. “So I dragged some
Mds up here to take the class with me. That
sever a year ago and now all I do is climb.
Most of the time I do bouldering. It focuses
more on moves that are more powerful and a lot
harder. Climbing is about endurance, but boul
dering is more strength.”
Kurten said bouldering is climbing without a
rope to distances no greater than 30 feet. For
protection, climbers place a row of crash pads at
the base and have spotters who try to direct their
fall onto the crash pads. However, accidents
still happen.
“There was one guy we were spotting,
and he was up about 15 feet and slipped and
fell,” Miller said. “We weren’t paying
attention when he fell, and we missed
catching him. He went right through all
our arms and then happened to fall
between a space between two of the
crash pads. He landed flat on his
back. He was all
right, but there was
this big dent in the
ground.”
Despite acci
dents, climbers
frequently
return to climb
ing and the
thrills it offers.
“I’ve had a
lot of good
times (includ-
ing) trouble
with cops, climbing the out
sides of buildings on campus or
leaving ‘artifacts’ on roofs. I’ll
keep (rockclimbing) as long as my body
lets me. That’s my mantra.”
“My girlfriend now is into it as well,”
Conlon said. “She had always been interest
ed. Her dad used to climb, and when she
found out I was into it she gave it a shot.
When I’m older I’m sure climbing will also
be a family activity.”
The Rec Center will host an internation
al competition April 13 and weeknight
classes are offered for beginners.
— David Conlon
senior environmental
design major
ALISSA HOLLIMON • THE BATTALION
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