Climb to new heights at the wall

Author: H. Kay Merriman

"Suspended reefers in Chacos" is how Brittany Burnett '09 describes the types of people who frequent the climbing wall.
"Definitely crunchy granola types with rolled pant legs, but undeniably sexy," says Dave Birr '09.
Alex Fisher '10 agrees that the climbing wall is a magnet for eye candy. "Climbers are attractive, muscular guys with no shirts who listen to eclectic music," she says.
Certain stereotypes surround the students who spend hours at the climbing wall, located at the south end of the Nelson Recreation Center. Although they may not wish to dispel the conception that they are good-looking, they would like to correct the granola-eating stereotype, patch their rocky relationship with the tennis team and encourage timid newcomers to visit the wall.
"People think it's a hippie sport, but it's not. It's for people who enjoy the outdoors," says avid climber and climbing wall monitor Claire Ojima '07. She admits that the wall can be intimidating to people who have never tried it before.
"I never would have come alone the first time," admits Hillary Coleman '10, who now uses the wall as a "stress reliever." More than a stress-relieving activity, the wall offers a supportive, community environment.
"The thing about climbing is it's so friendly," says Ojima. The climbers at the wall pride themselves on being accepting and welcoming.
"We don't necessarily always hang out outside of here, but we all see each other here and have fun together," says climber and wall monitor Justin Ouyang '09. Ouyang uses the wall as a way to train for outdoor climbs and also as a way to meet other climbers and plan outdoor climbing trips.
As if Middlebury students do not test their limits in enough ways, less-experienced climbers use the wall as a means of overcoming fear and pushing themselves to try new things.
Coleman took the climbing wall class as her physical education credit over J-Term and said that a surprising number of people in her class were admittedly afraid of heights. She describes the moment of pause climbing gives her: "I think, wow, I'm up really high, but I just keep climbing," she says.
As for the "reefer" reputation, the climbers seem to be more addicted to the sport itself.
"You get addicted to figuring out a route. It's like a puzzle. You just focus on the fact that you're climbing and the hours go by really fast," says Coleman. However, both Coleman and Ojima described the sport as "chill," so that facet of the climbing wall stereotype is still open for interpretation.
Another "chill" aspect of the climbing wall is the music the monitors play while climbing.
"All the other sports teams seem to like our music," says Ojima, except for the tennis team, who, according to Ojima, demands that the climbers not play music while the team is practicing below.
So, what is the climbing wall culture really like? The only way to really find out, according to the monitors and climbers, is to go and experience it for one's self.
"Half of climbing is hanging out and chatting because you can't climb the whole time," says Ojima.
The next time the gym is crowded, take a walk over to the climbing wall. They will be happy to show you the ropes.