If I suggested your next family vacation be a rock climbing adventure, what would you think? Too dangerous. Far too much risk. Right?
Now imagine this:
You are driving home from work in a rush hour that brings new meaning to the saying 'bumper to bumper.' As the clock reaches its usual one-hour mark, you make your way across four lanes just barely reaching your exit. The car in front of you slams hard on its breaks ... a near miss. As your heart pounds faster than the radio's catchy commercial, you shake your head - just another trip home from the office.
According to the Health & Safety Executive's risk education statistics, the annual risk of death in a road accident is 1 in 16,800 - for rock climbing the annual risk is 1 in 320,000 climbs.
Our lives are filled with uncertainty, but your rock climbing vacation doesn't have to be. Here are some easy ways for beginner climbers to plan their first rock climbing trip, all the while keeping themselves and their family safe.
Getting To "The Rock"
Maybe you talked to a friend who described climbing's intimate connection with nature. Or you stopped by the local gym and gave its bouldering wall a try. However you became interested in rock climbing, you've decided to take it to the next level and plan a vacation surrounding this exciting sport. Good for you. But now what?
Unless you are an expert climber with all the necessary equipment, you can't just head out to the nearest mountain and start climbing. And that is one of the reasons rock climbing is so special, according to Zeke Federman, president of Sierra Rock Climbing School in Bishop, California. "It is an opportunity to do a unique activity that most people can't really do on their own without an instructor or guide," Federman says. "People really don't have the time to learn all of the safety aspects of (rock climbing), so this is a unique chance to do something that is exciting, interesting, and fun, but that you may not be able to just do on your own, like, say, golf." Every expert I talked to recommended seeking out a climbing school or guide service. But, Federman says, don't just employ any guide service. You must be sure the company has insurance, is permitted to operate on the land they work on, and that its guides are trained and/or certified.
Betsy Novak, the program director for the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), has a few suggestions for beginner climbers. The West has several places with gratifying routes for novice climbers, such as Smith Rock in Oregon, the Red Rocks in Nevada, and Estes Park in Colorado, as well as North Conway on the East Coast, she says. Federman suggests Joshua Tree National Park in California because of the abundance of routes and unique formations. "That is what makes it so renowned, because there is just a lot of climbing on these interesting formations, and there is a lot of moderate climbing as well," he says.
Researching where to go - whether by asking friends who rock climb, surfing the net for information, or talking to a climbing school or guide service for suggestions - is an important step in pinpointing what location will complement your needs and climbing ability. "There are definitely pockets throughout the United States that are more conducive to the rock climbing environment," Novak says, "and usually anywhere you go there's always an area that is suitable for beginners."
The AMGA, a non-profit organization, provides training courses and certification in rock, alpine, and ski mountaineering for guides. Since 1979, AMGA has been raising the technical and professional standards of mountain guiding. Hiring an AMGA-accredited guide is essential, according to Novak. "Definitely, if people want to go on a climbing vacation and they are looking at a guide service to go through, it is always good to look and see if the guide service has been accredited through AMGA," she says. "They'll have the highest level of standards." Phil Powers, the executive director of American Alpine Club, a leading national U.S. organization devoted to mountaineering, climbing, and the multitude of issues facing climbers, advises people to visit AMGA's Web site at www.amga.com to look for certified guides and accredited schools.
Working With Your Guide Service
The guide service you choose is like a one-stop information center for organizing all the details of your journey. Most guide services provide the necessary climbing gear, but Novak says you should always discuss what gear is provided and what gear is needed, as well as weather forecasts and any other activities you're planning on.
Accommodating all the members of your vacation is also an important part of working with your guide service. If you are bringing children, it is especially pertinent that you communicate with your guide to make sure everyone will be taken care of. "Many schools and guide services offer family-friendly programs," Powers says.
If none of the guide service's established programs will work for you, many have options for you to develop your own itinerary. "Those options are available, and that is really the benefit about going through a guide service," Novak says. "Often they are really willing to work with you in customizing a trip that meets your needs based on your skill level and who is involved in the trip." At the Sierra Rock Climbing School, trips with children range from half-day to four- or five-day trips. "When there are really little kids involved - six to 10 years old - we stick with a series of half days, back to back, just because kids tend to have an easier time that way," Federman says.
Some guide services also have alternative programs where children can learn about natural history or environmental education while their parents are climbing something more rigorous, Novak says.
The rock climbing vacation does come with some inherent danger...but then again, so does driving your car. Consider this: does your usual rush hour drive come with incredible scenery, a good physical workout, and a feeling of accomplishment? "You are out in these beautiful places that you may not have the opportunity to experience on a regular trip," says Federman. "You are actually getting outside and interacting with the environment and having a truly adventurous vacation." A vacation that is well worth the risk.