Such Great Heights

Yesterday, I went natural rock climbing for the first time at Morialta Conservation park. There is a mountain club here that goes on kayaking, mountain biking, bushwalking, and climbing trips throughout the year, and I figured that joining it would be a good way to get out of the city and meet some chill people. Yesterday was my first outing with the group, and it was one of the best adventures I've had in Adelaide yet.

I am a little afraid of heights. I honestly don't know why I climb, considering that whenever I am more than 3 m off the ground I get shaky. Here, the cliff we had to walk down (and climb back up) was ~18 m (54 feet) high. Needless to say, I freaked out for the first part of the trip. By the end, though, I was able to sit on the edge without worrying whether I was going to fall to my death- that's an improvement, right?

The climbs here were really nice. The rock at Morialta looks like it could fall apart at any minute, and so it's definitely a good idea to test your hand and foot holds for the first few climbs. After a few routes, though, you get more comfortable with the rock and can work more on your problems. There is a good range of climbs at Boulder Bridge. I was actually able to get a 17, which in the American scale would be about a 5.9- a pretty decent intermediate climb. Of course, completing it took a few tries, but I'm pretty proud of my accomplishment. An outdoor 5.9 is not at all like an indoor 5.9. There's a certain amount of creativity you need outdoors that can't be re-created with taped holds, and a lot of times you can wear yourself out just looking for a new handhold or foothold.

The thing I loved most about the trip was how chill everyone was. The group was a good mix of international and Aussie students, and I knew a couple of people on the trip. But when you have to trust a complete stranger to belay you and not let you die when you fall, you make friends really really quickly. I've always enjoyed being with climbers- people who put themselves in danger willingly usually have a refreshing outlook on life- and this was no exception. I am definitely looking forward to going on more trips with them. 

Also, I'm realizing that I probably have to go climbing more often. My hands didn't callus like I had hoped they would (the rock was so cold!) and my grip has definitely gone downhill ever since I stopped climbing a month ago. I guess that's just another thing I have to work on now! I can tell I'm going to be really busy this year :)