Foothold on Rock Climbing

Thanks largely to its image in advertising and other media, rock climbing has gained something of a reputation as a dangerous sport practiced by thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies.

But although top climbers continually push the limits of the sport’s possibilities, the more mundane truth is that rock climbing, when done correctly, is a perfectly safe pursuit. There is the thrill that comes with physical challenge, but there is also a mental challenge that comes with puzzling out a way to ascend a seemingly unclimbable wall of rock.

Pacific Wilderness Institute in Orange is in its 11th year of offering rock-climbing instruction. Its one-day Rockskills I class, offered every other Saturday throughout the year, gives the curious a chance to sample the sport virtually risk-free (the school has never had a student injured during a class).

Owner Dave Horine, one of a dozen instructors at the school, estimates that between 250 and 300 students a year go through Rockskills I. Many take it simply to satisfy their curiosity about climbing; others see the class as a first step toward mastering the sport.

“There are some people who just want to see what the sport is all about,” Horine said. The class is designed to give people the basics in climbing safely: With a belay, a rope management technique taught in the class, even if a climber slips on the rock he is protected against a fall.

“Virtually everything we’re teaching is safety on the rock,” Horine said. And contrary to the common image of climbing, “the goal is not to go up and have the wits scared out of you,” he said. “The way climbing really works for most people is that it’s a sport, just like they might be running or skiing.”

Most often, the eight-hour Rockskills I class is held at Mt. Rubidoux Memorial Park in Riverside, within an hour of Orange County. The class is designed to accommodate people with no experience, and there is no minimum fitness level. Horine has taught people as young as 9, although most students range from the mid-20s to mid-30s.

I took the class last Saturday, on a day when a frigid wind blew off the desert; it was cold, but it resulted in a crystal-clear sky and a view that went on indefinitely in every direction.

There were eight students (five male, three female--a typical ratio) and two instructors, including Horine. I have limited climbing experience, but two friends who came along were completely new to the sport. Only a few hours into the class, both had accomplished climbs they said they would have thought impossible before the class.

*

The day started at 8 a.m. with a steep hike to the top of the hill. Horine explained a few basic climbing moves at the base of a boulder and had everyone test their rock climbing shoes, which must be rented or purchased for the class. Climbing shoes, much more suited to the rocks than even hiking boots, have stiff-edged soles of soft carbon that “stick” to the rock.

After instruction on how to belay, it was sink-or-swim time, as Horine led the class to the first two climbs of the day, vertical faces about 20 feet high. After lunch, the group moved to a second, somewhat tougher climbing area that offered different types of challenges.

The class includes a minimum of on-the-ground instruction and a lot of time on the rocks, as students are encouraged to learn by experience how to pick out footholds and handholds from the seemingly smooth rock face. Because the climbers are safely roped at all times, the adventure is risk-free.

Of the students who take the class, Horine said, about half decide to take the second in the series of classes, Rockskills II, which teaches more specialized skills, including how to anchor the rope for belays. Pacific Wilderness Institute also offers other advanced classes in rock climbing, in addition to courses in alpine skills (such as ice climbing).

The Rockskills I class, according to Horine, offers students enough instruction to go climbing with more experienced friends. Again, it is also a great onetime look at climbing for people who just want to satisfy their curiosity.

Although there are no great areas to climb within Orange County, rock climbing is a popular sport here because of the county’s proximity to other climbing areas, notably Joshua Tree National Monument (about two hours away), one of the most popular climbing areas in the world.

What: Pacific Wilderness Institute Rockskills I course.

When: Every other Saturday throughout the year, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (upcoming classes: Dec. 6 and 20).

Where: Usually held at Mt. Rubidoux Memorial Park in Riverside.

Whereabouts: School will provide meeting instructions and directions to participants.

Wherewithal: $62 (shoe rental is $5; other equipment included).

Where to call: (714) 998-4596.