September 29, 2011
Anyone who has ventured into the inner bowels of the Blood Alumni Gym is bound to notice the mysterious navy carabiner silhouettes that decorate the grey-white linoleum floor. Follow the trail of carabiners through the hall, around a corner, down some stairs and ta-da! There stands the Hamilton Climbing Wall, a three-story artificial rock face dotted with colorful hand holds and tape markings.
The 3,000 square foot wall and bouldering area opened in 2006, and the popularity of the climbing wall has only increased since. Hamilton students, community members and even some employees visit “the wall” during weekly open hours to hone their climbing, lead climbing and bouldering skills.
Harnesses for every shape, shoes for every size and belay devices are available for public use. Two wall staff members sporting tee shirts that read, “Safety is Sexy (and so am I)” are on duty at all times to supervise safe climbing, to belay and to provide instruction.
Approximately fifteen students work at the wall each semester, and Assistant Director of Outdoor Leadership Sarah Weiss Jillings serves as “da boss,” in the words of her wall employees.
“I remember loving the Glen House [Outdoor Leadership Center] and the Climbing Wall,” said Rachel Green ’14, a member of the wall staff. The climbing wall was an influential factor in her decision to attend Hamilton.
“I was really drawn to that community,” Green said.
There’s certainly an atmosphere of community and kinship among “rock jocks,” or frequent climbers. Onlookers provide encouragement and instruction on leg and arm movements to those tackling routes on the wall. Green and coworker Alex Thompson ’13 admit that many of the people who climb regularly also work at the wall. While Green became more interested in climbing after hiking the Grand Tetons in Wyoming during high school, Thompson only began climbing his sophomore year at Hamilton. With the guidance of older and experienced Hamilton student climbers, the two see their climbing levels improve as they take on harder routes both indoors and outdoors.
“Dude, you were so close!” said Green as Thomspon sprung upwards but narrowly missed grabbing a hold just out of reach. Thomspon dangled in the air by a taught rope, and Green, feet planted firmly on the ground, pulled down on her belay device. After a quick breather and application of chalk to his hands to prevent slippage, Thompson succeeded in grabbing the hold on his next attempt and finished the route.
Marked by colorful tape and known by creative and somewhat kooky names, the climbing wall routes vary in difficulty. Most of Hamilton’s routes range from easier 5.4s to extremely difficult 5.12s. Staff members create a new route every two weeks on average, though Thompson notes that this semester new routes are being put up more frequently.
Staff Member Jason McGavin ’11 put up “Thompy-Wompy” and Thompson’s own “Lock-off Ness Monster” route, rated as 5.9+, recently debuted.
“It’s sort of an experiential thing,” said Thompson of generating a rating for each new route. “You usually set it for your own body type, and you rely on other climbers to tell you if the rating is sufficient or should be adjusted accordingly.”
On the far side of the wall, two lacrosse players get their Monday night climbing fix. Kate Otley ’11 belays Emily Brodsky ’14 as she scampers up the easy bottom of a route but then must think through her movements near the more difficult top.
“Nice job, Brods!” said Otley to her teammate. The Adirondack Adventure pre-orientation rock climbing trip got Brodsky hooked on climbing, while Otley began getting involved with the wall at school just this fall.
Expert and beginner rock climbers alike should save the date of Friday Oct.22, the night of the “Rave Cave” climbing wall Late Nite event. From 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., sober students are invited to hang out at the wall, where there will be “new holds, glow sticks, head lamps and mega amounts of gorp, gu packets, cliff bars, etc...” said Weiss Jillings.
Climb on!