The "crux" of a climb is the most difficult part of the climb, not necessarily the moment at which you reach the summit. And so, the group set out for the indoor climbing wall, The Crux, to practice their skills for Friday's ice climbing adventure.
They learned to belay (to secure the rope) for their partner, they learned to tie themselves into their harness (mastering the "figure eight" knot) and they "climbed on". Everyone had a chance to play both roles - the part of the climber and the role of the belayer. It was great practice for the upcoming ice climb!
Lulu has a reflection on her experience:
There's a lot that goes into doing this kind of activity: the climber, the belayer, the instructor, not to mention the balance, strength, and trust needed. I started out as the climber, with Sara as my belayer, which basically meant she was making sure I didn't fall and severely injure myself. Alex, our instructor, was standing right there to make sure nothing went too wrong, so I was not really worried, but that was before I started climbing. At the beginning, it was easy, because there was a lot of hand and foot holds, but as I got higher, it got harder to find a stable place to put my foot, and I started realizing just how high I was and how awful it would be if I fell and Sara couldn't catch me. But once I reached the top, I looked down and saw what an accomplishment it was to be where I was. That didn't stop me from breathing a small sigh of relief once I hit the ground. I didn't have too long to rest, becuase I then had to reverse situations with Sara and make sure she didn't fall. That was a whole new kind of scary, because the responsibility of her health was in my hands. When she climbed up, and then when she came back down in one piece, I breathed another sigh of relief. This activity, though sometimes stressful, was actually really fun, and I love that I had the opportunity to do it.
Alex introducing wall climbing at The Crux
Lulu ascending to the top of the wall
Alex supervising Sara as she practices the "PLUS" (Pull Lock Under Slide) belaying method.
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