Rock Climbing

Training
Rock climbing involves climbing up flat rock faces, large boulders, or ice. Alpine climbing involves a combination of rock and glacier, while ascending a mountain. "Mountaineering" involves all types of climbing. All can be learned in rock climbing programs or at a climbing gym.

Safety
Climbers often use professional guiding services such as the Colorado Mountain School (CMS), to keep trips as safe as possible. Professional climbers at CMS teach student climbers all they know as they join them in rock, ice, or alpine climbing. CMS offers special programs that run from one to several days, or students can map out their own trip. Climbers can also elect to take special CMS guided trips through mountain ranges in different parts of the world.

The Climbing Community
Athletes with disabilities represent a strong presence in the rock climbing community. The scenic hills and mountains of the world are open to all. In Australia, one climber became a bilateral amputee after a boulder accident, but his peers still describe him as a great climber. He now uses prosthetic limbs. Another paraplegic Aussie uses ascenders by doing pull-ups. He has actually climbed Half Dome in Yosemite National Park—one of the great walls. When an approach becomes too difficult in a wheelchair, he rides on his partner's back. Now that’s "roughing it!”

National Sports Center for the Disabled's Paul Di Bello, a bilateral amputee, teaches adapted rock climbing to persons with blindness and visual impairments. Di Bello says that rock climbing is a great vehicle for self-esteem because of the buddy system involved, known as "belaying." Belaying is an anchoring system performed by two people with anchoring ropes. Each partner is essential to the other, communicating through verbal cues. The sport builds confidence and develops personal growth. As with Tim Ashwood, blind athletes develop "fear control" as they conquer climbing.

Another, inspiring undertaking is the Annual Denver Post Ride the Rockies, sponsored by the Adaptive Sports Center and Adaptive Adventures. Each year numerous hand-cyclists join up with approximately 2000 other cyclists to tour 432 miles through the Colorado's Rocky Mountains! Support vehicles ride along to keep the six-day trip safe while uplifting, along beautiful scenery.

Mark Wellman, a world-renown Paralympian, has been a mountaineer since the age of 12. Wellman has ascended over 50 Sierra Nevada peaks and the French Alps. Along with his climbing partner, Mike Corbett, Wellman conquered Half Dome and El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. A freak accident on his descent of the Seven Gables in the John Muir Wilderness left him paralyzed from the waist down in 1982, but it doesn't stop him from making his ascent with only the strength of his arms and upper torso. Wellman is also known for his extreme downhill skiing and white water kayaking adventures. On dry land, Wellman conducts motivational speaking throughout the U.S.

Equipment
Rock climbers use ropes, rope ladders, repelling devices, anchors, and chalk for hands. Ascenders—mechanical devices allow ropes to move in a single direction. For ice climbing, mountaineers use plastic boots with warm inner linings, ice axes, and crampons—metal spikes that attach to boots for gripping. Climbers must make many decisions about equipment as they make their way; they must match the appropriate equipment with terrain. It's a good idea in the beginning for newcomers to rent gear, before investing in their own. That way, they can learn what's involved and decide whether to make climbing a regular sport.

Resources
National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD)
http://www.nscd.org/
1(970) 726-1540

Total Climbing
http://www.totalclimbing.com

Adaptive Sports Center and Adaptive Adventures—Ride the Rockies
http://www.ridetherockies.com

Climb Mountainzone.com
http://climb.mountainzone.com

Rock Climbing.com
http://www.rockclimbing.com
The ultimate Climbing Portal for Climbers all over the world!! Rockclimbing.com contains information on 2988 climbing areas in 91 countries and all 50 states easily making it the largest climbing database on the net! 14194 registered climbers have contributed 2218 photographs, 1199 links to other climbing websites, 57988 posts in 36 forums, and account for about 32,500 page views per day!!

Mark Wellman's homepage
http://www.nolimitstahoe.com
World-renown paralympian and motivational speaker

Rock & Ice
http://www.rockandice.com
Shop for equipment, trade stories, go on trips, view photos, and more

Adaptive Sports Center of Crested Butte
http://www.adaptivesports.org
In summer and winter, skiing, snowboarding, white water rafting, fly-fishing and horseback riding at the Adaptive Sports Center of Crested Butte provides people of all abilities with terrific opportunities for fun and friendship!


Splore Accessible Outdoor Adventures
http://www.splore.org
Based in Utah—rafting, skiing, rock climbing, canoeing, and wilderness exploration. Awesome!


Note: Be sure to see Infinitec's Complete list of Adaptive Sports Organizations: http://www.infinitec.org/play/sports/sportsorganizations.htm