How long have you been a member at Rock Out and when did you begin climbing?
I moved here in October and got a membership as soon as I stepped in. I’ve been climbing since my junior year of college, which was around 4 years ago.
What is your favorite thing about your climbing community?
It sounds cliché, but living up to the stereotype, everyone at the gym is so friendly. It’s about building up everyone around us and personally developing at the same time. There’s something really special about helping one another achieve our goals, push ourselves, and make friends at the same time.
What is the biggest climbing challenge you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest climbing challenge has been completely switching gears from ropes to bouldering. I had been pretty lucky to have solid ropes gyms where I’ve been, and never really tried bouldering, but Rock Out has provided a whole new take on the climbing experience that has humbled me, challenged me, but in a way that’s also inspiring and driving me to continue working on my weaknesses and celebrating my recent progress.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about joining Rock Out?
I would say embrace the ability to try something unconventional and new. There’s really nothing out there that combines adventure, friendship, physical well being, and community support quite like climbing at Rock Out.