When I returned home from Spain in the fall of 2008, my mom suggested that I take up rock climbing as a way to both meet new people and do something active. So off I trekked to the local climbing gym, became belayed certified, took a lesson and met a couple climbing partners. Over the ensuing months, I would climb a couple times a week, always on easy stuff, never bouldering (without ropes, only to heights of 12-15 feet), always in awe of the other climbers who tackled much more difficult routes than I.
One of my climbing partners, Kathy, would always talk to me about her adventures climbing outside at this place called Rumney in New Hampshire. Personally, I thought she, and everyone else who climbed outside, was nuts. I swore you would never catch me climbing outside, only in the comfort of a gym where I could see the holds and more or less figure out where to go, irregardless of if I could do it or not.
Then I met James. A short while after meeting him, I was bouldering. Outside. My first route was over 20 feet high and he and Dan Chen were conveniently above me, offering advice and encouragement to get up the rock. Next thing I know, I am hanging off an 80 foot climb outside at Acadia National Park, climbing at Otter Cliffs. Then I went to the Boston Rock Gym and met a good number of James’ friends, most of whom lead climb.
The climbing I was doing is called top-roping, similar to a pulley system. The climber is attached to the rope, which is already threaded thru bolts and anchors at the top of the climb. As the climber goes up, the belayer below pulls down the excess rope. Lead climbing is when the climber, and both ends of the rope, start on the ground. As the climber goes up, they are responsible for clipping the rope into the bolts. The belayer on the ground feeds the rope to the climber, allowing them to continue in an upward fashion. Similar to my previous thoughts on climbing outside, I swore I would never do that….for a majority of reasons, but all roads always led to “No way!”
So it should truly come as no surprise to anyone except for me, that I did my first lead climb outside today. Actually, my first lead climb ever!! Prior to departing on this trip, the fabulous and talented Cheryl MacDonald gave me some sweet lessons on lead climbing and belaying, mostly because James insisted. Climbing takes two people so if nothing else, I could always belay him. I soaked up what I could from Cheryl, but never actually completed a lead climb while at the BRG.
3 months later, I am grunting my way up at 5.7. On lead. In New Zealand. Outside. I ended up doing 3 different routes, ranging from about 15-45 or so feet up. I think some of the fear in lead climbing, similar to any climbing, is what MIGHT happen. In this case, once I climb past a bolt and am heading for the next one, if I were to fall, I would fall the length of the rope to the bolt and then that same length below it when the rope swings down, before I was caught. Lucky for me, I have a great, trusty belayer on the other end, but it’s still scary. So it’s up to me to haul myself up and clip in to calm my mind, before I gather the strength (and nerve) to keep going.
James, thank you for having enough faith in me to tie me to the end of your rope while you lead climb (and more importantly for tying me to a tree so I don’t go flying when you come back down!) But a greater thanks for believing and pushing me out of my comfort zone. Regardless of what you said, I never thought I would lead climb. Thanks for proving me wrong….for once.
