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Rock On: Your guide to climbing in NC |
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Written by Zach Jacobson
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Wednesday, 14 June 2006 |
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Page 1 of 7
 I’ve never been more scared in my life.
Twenty-five feet off the ground, hanging on for dear life by the tips of my toes and fingers, with safety — a tiny bolt — just out of reach. If I fell, it would be 7 feet before the rope caught me.
But I loved every second of it.
 My climbing partner kept yelling at me to do one more move to reach the bolt. I reached out with my foot, leaned toward the bolt and clipped in. I have never felt more accomplishment than when I heard the click of rope into the carabineer — and I was hooked.
 I was climbing a 35-foot rock face near Golden, overlooking the Coors Brewery.
It was one of the first times I tried sport climbing. The thrill of that experience has kept me climbing for the last five years. Like so many other northern Colorado residents living in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains, I’ve been able to take advantage of the many opportunities for rock climbing in this area.
That experience near Golden also showed me firsthand the importance of following all the essential safety techniques.
Josh Novak, 21, of Fort Collins knows all too well how important good safety is when it comes to climbing. Novak, an avid climber for six years, lost a close buddy in a fatal climbing accident about two years ago.
The boys attended Sunday school together since kindergarten and were friends through high school. They climbed together every once in a while before Novak began attending Colorado State University.
The news of Mark Heinmetz’s accident came crashing like an avalanche onto Novak.
Heinmetz was climbing near Colorado Springs after it rained and his gear came loose.
“It was definitely hard,” Novak said. “I didn’t climb for awhile. It was kind of eerie to think about climbing after that. But, I finally came to my senses and realized he would want me to be climbing if he were here.”
Novak now climbs on a daily basis at places throughout northern Colorado, including the Piano Boulders near Horsetooth Reservoir.
GETTING STARTED
The owner of Inner Strength rock gym in Fort Collins, Mike Hickey, has been climbing for more than 30 years.
“I had a friend that needed a partner and he recruited me, and I’ve been doing it ever since,” Hickey said. “The first time I did it, I loved it.”
Hickey started his climbing career outdoors, with instruction from his friend, but he said there are safer ways to learn. He recommends starting at a gym to learn your knots and belay before going outside.
There are guides who will lead climbing trips with groups. A friend who is qualified enough can also show you the ropes.
According to Hickey, there are three things any climber must know before they go into the great outdoors to attack the rock.
“You need to learn how to put your harness on correctly, how to tie into your harness correctly, and how to belay correctly if you’re going to be on ropes,” Hickey said.
Before most climbers tackle climbing with ropes, it’s usually best to start out bouldering. This teaches more proper climbing technique without amplifying the danger by throwing a rope into the mix. Some climbers, like Novak, choose to stick with bouldering because it is more affordable. But there is always the option to take the next step to sport climbing.
LEARNING THE ROPES, WITHOUT THE ROPES
Novak fell in love the first time he climbed outdoors. The holds are limitless and there are a number of different ways to approach the rock, he said.
There are always dangers when a beginner decides to go outdoors, especially climbing without a rope.
“With a real beginner — somebody I wouldn’t maybe even call a climber, but a glorified hiker — it’s that they find it’s much harder to down-climb than it is to climb up,” Hickey said. “They get someplace and they can’t get back down safely.”
Novak advises beginner climbers to learn how to fall, he also recommends using a crash pad, which is just what it sounds like — a pad that’s laid out below the rocks that will cushion the fall of a climber who is bouldering.
THE ADDICTIVE RUSH
The rewards for a beginner who sticks with it are endless, Hickey said.
“Here with kids, when they make it to the top, it’s instant. You don’t have to wait to win a game. Instant gratification,” Hickey said. “It’s really a complete package of satisfaction when you get it done right.”
The rush of rocking climbing, and the accomplishment that comes with it, is addictive. But for climbers like Hickey and Novak, it’s much more. Without getting too philosophical, there’s a state of Zen that comes with being on the rock, surrounded by natural beauty.
“I think there’s probably something primal in there, too, that we don’t even know. It really does go to the inner being,” Hickey said. “Not everybody likes it, but if you like it, it can take over.”
Novak agrees.
“Climbers just have a different outlook on life,” he said. “I think a lot of climbers learn to live in the moment. Another day that I’m able to climb is another day I am going to climb, until I am too old or broken to do it anymore.”
NEXTnc reporter Erin Frustaci contributed to this story.
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|  | "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth." | |
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|  | Felix Wong is an outdoor enthusiast living in Fort Collins. A mechanical engineer by day, he is especially passionate about bicycling, running, and backpacking. | |
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I am a recent college graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. After recieving my B.A. in English and Mass Communications this past August I moved down to Colorado.
I enjoy long walks on the beach, candlelight dinners, and heavy metal. My hobbies include reading and writing, music, movies, and getting drunk. Some of my favorite contemporary authors include Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniuk, and Kurt Vonnegut. My top movies are anything directed by Kubrick. I enjoy listening to anything that rocks.
Right now I am just trying to get to know Colorado and FoCo better. Mostly in order to find the best drink specials on each day that ends in Y. So if you know where I can get a cheap drunk on, let me know!
--Drew | |
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| | My name is Michelle Turley and I'm 28 years old. I live in Severance with my hubbie, Brandon. We have 2 dogs and a cat. We enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and just being in the mountains. I like to cook, clean (go figure), flea market, and play poker. I have so much to say about poker... | |
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