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The sport of rock climbing is becoming more and more popular these days, and with Elko’s population growing, that trend is not likely to slow. Proponents of the sport say it’s a great way to explore the local landscape, to get in shape, and to make friends—after all, there’s nothing like putting your life in another person’s hands (and holding theirs in your hands) to forge bonds.
Rock climbing gives people a chance to be physically present in the environment like few other sports do. The view from the top of a mountain after successfully scaling one is said to be beautiful and deeply personally satisfying. Lamoille is an especially popular climbing destination in Elko County, credited with having the tallest climbable ice west of Colorado by rockclimbing.com. And for the less adventurous, Lamoille’s large boulders and cliff heights just off the side of the road make excellent climbing or bouldering destinations.
Rock climbing trains you to overcome fears and to adapt physically and mentally to setbacks and hardships. It trains the body’s senses of balance and of proprioception—that being the sense of knowing where your body parts are in relation to each other and to the world around them. It’s the sense that enables you to walk without constantly looking at your feet, to modulate the volume of your voice, and to grip objects hard enough to hold them steady but not so hard you hurt your hand.
There are many different types of rock climbing and some are definitely only for experts. Beginners may take to indoor climbing (on a rock wall in a gym) or bouldering. Bouldering can be done almost anywhere. These climbs generally last about five minutes each. Climbers ascend to a height of about eighteen feet off the ground, then climb or just jump down to the ground to begin a new climb. It’s a much more accessible way to learn the skills of climbing.
Beyond those types of climbs are free rock climbing (little to no equipment), alpine climbing (which requires some knowledge of weather patterns and avalanche survival), ice climbing, aid climbing, and solo climbing. Aid and solo climbs are for experts only: aid climbs can last several days and may include camping directly on cliff faces and solo climbs are, of course, done solo.
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Rock climbing can look like an intimidating sport to try to get into. Even relatively safe climbs may require harnesses, special shoes, helmets, chalk and chalk bags, belays, and certified experts. But for the newcomer, Elko’s Great Basin College has climbing facilities and experienced teachers who are willing to help climbers at any stage and skill level.
When things flatten out, you’ll be able to clip in to the rap bolts and belay there or traverse to the
pine tree – one pitch or two.