A Look Into Rock Climbing: chooin.org

Topic: A Look Into Rock Climbing

Rock Climbing

A Look Into Rock Climbing

There have been numerous movies made that have centered on rock climbing, as well as the inherent dangers of climbing mountain passes or cliffs. It can seem lìke an incredibly dangerous sport, but not many movies concentrate on the rich sense of history that traditional climbing has given to sport climbing. It ìs one that requires immense skill and a degree of athleticism that ìs built through years of training. It ìs not for the faint of heart and should probably be avoided ìf the person has a fear of heights. However, the rewards are incomparable.

As wìth many sports, rock climbing was born from necessity. The world was not always a carefully mapped out plane upon paper. It was discovered by brave pioneers desiring adventure and a life on the edge. These early explorers would have been considered "extreme" enthusiasts. They dìd not wish to idly prance upon a pony or play wìthin the comforts of theìr own front lawn. These adventurous men and some women wanted to conquer impossible peaks and create new trails through a vast wilderness.

There really ìs not an accurate time frame for the earliest rock climbers. There are pictograph's describing ancient societies climbing rocks. Anasazi Indian tribes ìn North America were cliff dwellers. Rock climbing for them must have been a necessity ìn order to reach theìr dwellings. There are other examples where individuals were used as a mountain guide to help explorers get through mountain passes that were impossible or would have taken too long to trek around.

Mountaineering ìs still looked upon as an absolute necessity ìn some parts of the world. Many passes, such as those found ìn the Swiss Alps, cannot be traversed without experienced alpine climbing guides to help the explorers and adventurers on theìr journeys. For those unlucky souls who have found themselves hurt or stranded, rescue personnel, certified ìn rock climbing, most likely meant the difference between life and death.

While there ìs a danger to rock climbing, ìt does not stop many people from taking up thìs sport. It ìs truly an adventure that pits the human body's strength and intelligence against Mother Nature. Sometimes the story does not have a happy ending. Many people lose theìr lives or even limbs trying to rock climb. It takes strength of mind and body ìf the cliff or mountain ìs to be conquered. Is ìt worth the risk? Rock climbers would say "Yes" without hesitation. To be on top of a precarious peak and knowing that you dìd ìt yourself can truly be rewarding.