Camp Ropes Course Climbing

We’ve described Rockbrook’s high ropes courses before, and discussed some of the benefits that follow learning how to climb, but what does it really take to do it? What are the “tricks?” Four things are important: flexibility (to stretch and reach different holds), balance (to steady yourself standing on one foot for example), strength (to pull up, or more frequently, stand up), and lastly, concentration. Bring all these together, and you’ll be a good rock climber.

Here’s a picture of a girl climbing our alpine tower high ropes course. She’s standing up and over her right foot, balancing on it and leaving plenty of space between the climbing poles and her body. This makes it easier to move her left foot up and provides more stability than leaning in and hugging the poles. Step by step, little by little, slow, deliberate, concentrated moves— add them up and you’ll be at the top before you even know it!

Rock Climbing Summer Camp

Why do people go rock climbing when it looks so scary?

Well, there’s something fun about the challenge of it all, the concentration and the determination it takes. You know there’s an amazing view waiting at the top and the repel down is thrilling, but it also feels good to use your muscle strength to balance up. The whole thing is like a puzzle you solve through coordination, physical and mental endurance powering your careful movements on the rock. Making it past difficult spots, maybe even all the way to the top, is a great confidence boosting experience. Sure it’s a little scary, but it’s perfectly safe too. When you’re done, it just makes you want to climb again!

Rock climbing is one of those summer camp adventures that’s just loaded with surprising benefits.

Kids Summer Activities – Climbing!

Following our recent posts on Castle Rock and Dunn’s Rock, the two big granite outcroppings on the Rockbrook kids camp property, we can’t neglect to talk about rock climbing because we have such great opportunities to climb right here at camp. There’s so much rock so accessible from camp, it’s easy to get excited about rock climbing as a summer activity. The girls have loads of opportunities to climb and several routes to challenge their skills. The two favorite routes…? WHIM and WHAM. Fun routes, each about 80 feet high. Stay tuned; we’ve got plans to develop two or three new routes up on Castle Rock. We’ll keep you posted.

Rock Climbing Summer Camp Trip

After breakfast we hike up the hill in camp to reach Castle Rock. Locking carabiners, harnesses, helmets, rock climbing shoes, and ropes… everything in place for a day on the rock. Put on the gear and tie into the rope with a follow-through figure eight knot. Wait for the belayer to get set and begin the commands. “On belay?” “Belay is on,” she says. “Climbing?” “Climb on,” you hear, and you’re ready to go. A left foot up and you’re off. Lean to the right. A foot switch. A little tricky spot, but you get it. This is real rock climbing! Amazing view at the top. A quick rappel and you’re down. Great job!

Girls Summer Adventure Activities

Here’s a middler (who’s finished either the 5th or 6th grade of school) climbing up the route called “Whim” on Castle Rock. It’s just one of the rock climbing routes we have on the camp property. There are definitely some challenging spots, with a cool “foot-switch” move about half way up, so we’ve given it a rating of 5.6. Overall, this climb is about 70 feet high, but it feels much higher because it’s got an amazing view of the French Broad River valley from the top. In fact, this picture of Ashleigh is that view.

Just a glimpse into the great outdoor adventure we have at camp.

High Ropes Course Climbing

It’s hard to tell from this photo, but these girls are more than 35 feet up in the air! That’s because they’re climbing on our 50-ft high ropes course Alpine Tower. It’s the coolest jungle gym you’ve ever seen, and unlike others, the Rockbrook tower has a roof (keeping things much drier), an overhanging climbing wall, and a crazy “bump out” to climb over. We open the tower every day at camp, so you can climb and climb. High ropes course climbing is the first step in our rock climbing program progression. Here you learn the basics about climbing techniques, safety protocols and equipment, and then it’s off to the next step— climbing at Castle Rock, our granite slab outcropping up the hill from the center of camp. After that, there are almost limitless climbing routes available in the Pisgah National Forest nearby. No wonder there are so many great rock climbers at Rockbrook!

Camps for Teens

Here’s a shot from a rock climbing trip up at Castle Rock, the big granite outcropping on the Rockbrook Camp property (literally in our backyard ). It’s just one of the climbing spots we have at camp, and along with all the other outdoor adventure activities offered —backpacking, whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking, mountain biking, ropes course, day hiking, whitewater rafting— it’s one way Rockbrook girls “play outside this summer.”

Rock Climbing at Camp

A day up on Castle Rock