Opened In 1982 And Has Since Taken Thousands Of Climbers To New Heights At The Rock State Park In Oregon
The thought of standing on top of a large rock and looking out over the landscape is one that many think is not possible. But at Rock State Park it can not only happen, it is happening thanks to the Rock Climbing School.
Since opening in 1982, the guides at the climbing school and at Timberline Mountain Guides Inc. have taken thousands of climbers to new heights at the park outside of Terrebonne, Oregon. Age and physical condition doesn’t matter, according to office manager Garrett Handke.
The courses offered by Rock Climbing School are good for all ages.
“Children are welcome to join us with their parents and we are proud to offer family-based programs to suit the needs of groups of all sizes,” Handke said. “Regardless of age we offer our guiding in a private setting—meaning we will hire a guide to cater to the needs of the specific person or group. We are able to increase our attention to detail in those private settings making them work well for older demographics.”
Just in the past year, climbers from ages six years old to those who are considered senior took to the mountains.
“Climbing is an activity that has something for everyone no matter the age,” Handke said.
A common misconception is that you have to be in great shape to be a climber.
“Climbing gets more difficult as we increase the angle of the climb and decrease the size of the holds we attach ourselves to,” Handke explains. “The opposite is also true that climbing becomes more approachable as the angle of climbing decreases and we increase the size of the holds. If you can climb a ladder, then you can rock climb. We have routes available to us at Rock that will work well for all climbers.”
The majority of the climbing trips take place at Rock State Park, known as the birthplace of American sport climbing. The park has several thousand climbs, with 500 added in the 90s and 2000s.
The formation of the rocks began millions of years ago when a volcanic-like crater formed. The rock and ash debris became rock creating the 3,200 foot ridge of Rock which overlooks the Crooked River.
The average climber doesn’t have to take a week or even an entire day to climb.
“The half day courses are ideal for beginners or folks on a shortened time schedule,” Handke said. “During a half day course we are often able to climb a handful of routes, making it ideal for a first-time climber to experience the sport without taxing their bodies beyond reason.”
Full-day courses are good for larger groups and those who want to experience the more remote areas of the venue, Handke said.
“During a full-day course we tailor the experience to the desire of each individual climbing party,” Handke explained. “Some groups may want to experience the most amount of route possible. Others may want to wander to (areas) higher off the ground and get views several hundred feet in the air. Regardless of your experience, the full day program has something for everyone.”
No matter how high or how long the route, an experienced guide is always nearby.
“All of our guides either have completed their AMGA (American Mountain Guiding Association) certifications or are pursuing the completion of their certifications,” Handke said. “We take great pride in this as a company because we believe that we want to represent the outdoors and the guiding industry to the best of our capability.”
Climbs at Red Rocks, located outside of Las Vegas, are also offered by the business.
“Red Rocks offers some world class rock climbing options for those able to join us in the desert,” said Garrett Handke, office manager for Rock Climbing School. “Many of our trainings occur down in the Las Vegas area so we have guides who are willing to spend a few days off from training showing climbers new ways to explore the rocky desert landscape.”
Kim Jarrett
A graduate of Shorter University in Rome, Georgia with a BFA in Communications, Kim has spent 26 years writing for print and broadcast media including the Dalton Daily Citizen. She enjoys crafting and traveling.
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