While I love a good sports romance, there’s more to the genre than ballplayers, so I enjoyed putting surfing and scuba diving in Submerged Hopes, and rock climbing in New Heights. Here’s what I learned.
Rock climbing was first depicted in Chinese paintings in 200 B.C. The Anasazi cliff dwellers in the American Southwest were thought to be excellent climbers, and mountain climbers used some of the techniques of necessity, yet it wasn’t until the late nineteenth century that rock climbing developed into a sport. The “aid climbing” of the mountaineers, in which equipment was felt to be required, is different from the free climbing of today, in which dynamic techniques utilize the climber’s strength and agility to accomplish the climb, with the equipment used for safety, not upward movement.
Sport climbing is popular enough now that it was slated to be part of the 2020 Summer Olympics, now postponed until next year, and the dizzying film Free Solo grossed over $28 million.
Indoor gyms are popular, but outdoor climbing is much more varied. Bouldering involves climbing on huge boulders, usually less than twenty feet tall. Instead of ropes and harnesses, crash pads are used, as well as “spotters” who stand below, ready to help slow a falling climber and deflect them onto the pads and away from hazards. Crack climbing involves jamming various body parts in long vertical cracks as a means to ascend, while face climbing uses surface imperfections like ridges and bumps. Slab climbing is similar, but the angles are less than vertical. When holds are minimal, smearing is helpful: using the friction of the rubber-shoed foot to keep from sliding. These all utilize other climbers with equipment, harness, and ropes, to help with safety, on belay.
Free base climbing is different in that the climber wears a parachute to activate in a fall. Free soloing means no safety equipment, though deep water soloing is less risky, since it’s done over water deep enough to help cushion impact.
Climbing injuries are common, sometimes death or serious trauma from falls, though minor injuries are more common, ranging from acute problems, like cuts and abrasions or torn calluses, to overuse damage to ligaments and tendons, some of which may require surgery.
Climbing has its own lexicon, more than even surfing. Beta refers to the advice of other climbers with experience on a given route. An on-sight is a climb to the top without receiving beta. When Sarah Ann declines instruction from the Greek man at the wall and still “sends it” or clears the route, it was a flash climb, since she could learn something having watched Carlos fall. When she goes back to conquer the most difficult route after multiple attempts, it’s called “redpointing.”
Climbing is not without controversy; many challenging and beloved destinations are revered by indigenous people. This includes Uluru or Ayer’s Rock in Australia and Devil’s Tower in the U.S. Nowadays, climbers use removable cams, hexes, and nuts, as opposed to the permanent bolts that damaged the rock face. Additionally, climbing can deface the rocks with chalk, so it comes in colors to try to minimize that impact. Climbers also can disrupt the nesting sites of raptors.
I don’t rock climb, but I finally redpointed New Heights! Want to read it? It’s free on Amazon today and Saturday (9/25 & 26) as my gift to you!
If you decide I “sent it,” please leave me a review!
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