The past weekend did several small hikes in Canmore and came across several rock climbers on our journey. My littlest looked on with envy. He is always dreaming of the day that he will be climbing the side of a mountain.
I have had moments when I have hollered on the trail “Stop trying to climb that cliff face! What happens if you fall?”
It is at those moments he will scowl, “I won’t fall! I’m a mountain goat!”
I roll my eyes with a sigh “I know.”
He then looks to me, “When will you take me to the rock climbing wall? I really want to learn to climb!”
It is with that I smile and say “Maybe next week.”
We drove home after a beautiful weekend admiring the views only to turn on the news to discover two climbers had plummeted 100 meters to their death. My littlest looked on with sadness in his eyes.
“But they were doing what they loved…”
It was at that moment he realized accidents do happen and no one is invincible on the mountain.
Rock climbing is an admirable sport but it also has it dangers. So as my son dreams of one day climbing to the top of the mountain. I secretly hope that this dream will be fleeting.
Have you ever rock climbed? Is it worth the risk?
I’ve never been rock climbing. It looks impossible to me so I’ve always been in awe of those people who can do it. For me, rock climbing would never be worth the risk. But if you’re good at it & it calls to you, I doubt that the riskiness of rock climbing will stop you from doing it. People aren’t alway rational, ‘ya know?
I am always in awe when I see them scaling a rock face! But it can be so dangerous one mistake could cost you your life…
I think there must be a great rush from it and testing your limits. But I prefer to take the longer way up the mountain one step at a time
I am not a big fan of heights, so do my best to stay on solid ground. Your little one is an adventurer:)
He really is! He is already plotting what he can do on the trampoline in gymnastics this year. Lord help me!
I love indoor rockclimbing. But I’ve never done outdoor. It seems too dangerous for me. Kiefer and I did a Via Ferrata in West Virginia, and I loved it, but it had cables everywhere, so you were always able to easily hook yourself.
I think it would be amazing but I am afraid of heights. I believe from the news reports they were scaling something similar it looks like something unhooked on the way down. I can’t even imagine…
I haven’t ever rock climbed, though like you, I’ve watched people do it with a mixture of awe and terror. I don’t know how anyone does it. Just looking at my Patagonia catalog and some of the rock climbing shots from up high gives me vertigo……..
They really do! I have no idea how they do it! It takes lots of skill and determination. The biggest fear for me is not having control if something goes wrong. The margin for error seems so small…
Wow…what a lesson. To me the extreme sports craze is a little concerning…why don’t we challenge our adrenaline junkies to face real life fears that can actually change the world…like passing up a corporate job to teach poor kids or something extreme like that. If you get something out of putting yourself in danger why not do it for the betterment of humanity. The world needs more crazy, fun-loving, risk-takers to pour their energies into making a real difference.
I have never looked at that way until now…Why are we willing to climb a rock face? But so fearful of stepping outside of our own world to help others? That is a really good question and one I wish I had the answer too
Maybe we need to market careers as if they were extreme sports
LOL! I think that is an excellent idea!
I’ve done indoor rock climbing once or twice, but I don’t expect I’ll ever try it outside the rock gym. If my son decides to pursue it (or something like it), I will encourage him outwardly . . . but pray inwardly that he finds something a little less risky in which to invest his time!
I feel the same way! It’s really hard to let them make those decisions on their own as the grow older
I did a lot of climbing when I was a young whippersnapper, I climbed anything but rock walls. Nowadays I have respect for my life and mobility. Yesterday I was trying to climb up our rock retaining wall ans slipped..no fall but man, if I had… No, I’m not a climber. Anymore.
I can see you climbing mountains as a young whippersnapper! It must have been an amazing experience. I know when I was kid I thought I wanted to do it. But now that I am older the thought just makes my tummy a little queasy.
Pingback: Rock Climbing: Anders Climbs Like a Mtn Goat « Acrobatic Thoughts
I don’t see rock climbing as an extreme sport at all, any more than open ocean sailing or even many of the sports being showcased at the Olympics. The chance of paralysis or worse for a gymnast is probably the same as for rock climbing – which is to say, not very high.
And I don’t think it’s a matter of being an “adrenalin junkie”, either. People who take such sports seriously – as I did sailing – aren’t there for a mindless high. That just gets in the way of the preparation and concentration that’s needed.
Some people teach poor children, some people work in corporations and some people travel the world to climb mountains. One isn’t morally superior to the other. Each of those options is an expression of the rich diversity of human personality and experience.
I love your last line “Each of those options is an expression of the rich diversity of human personality and experience.” I think it is beautiful!
I think for me I have developed a strange fear of heights and I couldn’t imagine climbing up the side of the mountain. I have friends that do it and I admire them with all of my heart. Wishing I had the courage to do the same.
I never thought of sailing as dangerous because I have always been comfortable in and on water. I dream of one day owning that sail boat and retiring on the ocean.
I think there is beauty in everything and everyone. But some sports still have a way of making my stomach just a little more queasy.
Thank you for stopping by and leaving another beautiful comment.
Pingback: Sharing Tips for Successful Mountaineering | Kalongkong Hiker
Never have and never want to rock climb…sounds like very hard work…couch climbing is about the right speed for me. Ahhh, now, someone hand me a tall cool one…p-l-e-a-s-e!!!!
Couch climbing with a cool beer! Now that’s my style! Just lay back and be cool
Now that is exactly what I had in mind!!
Cheers to the couch life! *clink*
No, I have not been rock climbing! I have done the indoor ones that are much safer, but probably not as thrilling! I can’t say rock climbing is something I really want to try either. I’ve done skydiving and other outdoorsy things, but rock climbing doesn’t appeal to me for some reason. Probably the combination of “rocks” and “climbing”, ha ha!
hahaha! I think it is the same for me. But you never know I might become brave one of these days.