University's climbing wall simulates outdoor adventure

Grappling against the wall, I hang there with one arm clutching to a hold, trying to force myself upwards. My foot finds a resting spot and lands on it, only to slip off moments later, flinging my body into fight with gravity as I struggle to quickly find a new hold to put my foot on and reestablish my bodily balance. Finding that spot, I am able to breathe again as my body lays stretched across this wall in positions in which it has never been. After words of encouragement from my belayer, I drive on, scaling upwards. Stretching my right leg around a corner in the wall, my left arm reaches for the next possible hold. Another foot of the wall had been conquered; another 15 to go. Now, with images of "Cliffhanger" in my head, I began to wonder what should happen if I fall. Sure there are padded mats on the floor, but can they break my fall? Determined not to let go of the wall, no matter what, my right hand searches, scratching the wall for the next possible hold. Upwards I climb until I finally throw one arm over the top of the wall. Congratulating myself, I realize that now I have to get down this thing. My belayer calls up: "Let go of the wall, and lean back." Let go?!?! Trusting my belayer (I mean, he did spend the summer studying and climbing in Tibet), I follow instructions and rappel towards the ground.

Should you trek down Washington Road, past the football stadium and just before the basketball stadium, you will find a low-key, low-ceilinged building that is home to the Princeton Outdoor Action Climbing Wall. Here, located inside the Armory building far away from the Stephen Fitness Center, is the 35-foot wall used by rock climbers and beginners alike for rock climbing experiences as well as a full body workout. Steve Andrews '05, a worker at the climbing wall, said, "Climbing is an activity a lot of people can do that really makes you aware of your body and its movements. It is also a workout, which seems to me to be better than spending 30 minutes on a treadmill."

And I will vouch for the workout part of it. Walking back to my dorm, exhausted after a Thursday afternoon (and my first ever) climb, my sore arms ached, begging to be stretched and loosened.

One of the beauties of the climbing wall is that it is open to everyone — students, faculty and staff. But it seems too many newcomers use the following excuses: "I'm not athletic enough," "I've never been rock climbing," or "It is unsafe." Kris Kang '06, another worker at the wall, said "No base fit level is needed. Just show up. We can teach you everything. Just come on down." The invitation is open Monday and Wednesday nights from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. Each night there are at least two instructors capable of teaching beginners the double figure-eight knot (the knot to end all knots for climbers) and how to scale the wall, and they are willing to belay anybody.

As for those with safety concerns, Andrews jokingly said "You are more likely to kill yourself on a treadmill than climbing on the wall." That seems to quell all possible excuses for newcomers and beginners not to come. And though it costs a meager $3 (plus another $2 if you need to rent shoes and a harness), it guarantees to be a fun time when you are there with friends.