Anyone who has ever spent any time at the cliffs knows climbing is a lifestyle more than a sport. Climbers prepare long in advance for any free days to be spent at their favorite climbing location searching out the perfect line.
So the question I am asked pretty frequently is how to evolve from the climbing duo to the entire family?
Well the answer isn’t always so straight forward as there are a lot of variables involved but let’s cover a few of the basics to get the thought process going for your next family outing.
““Approaches should be somewhat short” ”
Picking the correct climbing area to visit is critical. One thing for sure… if the kids hate their first outdoor experience to the crag, chances are there won’t be a second.
Approaches should be somewhat short and try not to have it consist of a long uphill slog! Huge approaches with switchbacks on steep terrain is a buzz kill for anyone let alone a little kid who may or may not be thrilled with the idea of spending the entire day without the comforts of home.
My beta for anyone trying to get the chitlin’s involved is to play it smart. Take a day and head on out to the crag without any climbing gear. Just lunch, water and a game plan for fun. No climbing involved unless it is suuuuuper easy scrambling. Kids are naturally inquisitive and given the opportunity they will most likely find lots to do to entertain themselves. The name of the game here is to show them the approach at their leisure, let them get an idea for the layout of the area, and see if they even consider other people climbing around them. *As an added note. Having a ringer at the crag before you get there is a great way to get the day started. By ringer I mean someone the kids know and like. You know…. your lifelong climbing buddy who the kids think is super cool. If you can add the bonus “super cool” crag dog your buddy has as well you have yourself a homerun. Anything you can do to turn the day into something that could be possibly seen as boring to a day with your nutty buddy and “Fur-ball” his saliva slopping stink hound. All kids love stinky dogs. Why? Who knows…?
Showing up at the cliffs without your gear will compel you to make sure all that can go well with the kids will go well.
Next on the list is picking the correct crag. There are great places to bring the kids, and terrible places as well.
““Thinking about the logistics of your adventure is 99% of the strategy””
Let’s take a few examples…..
Climbing at the Gunks. Don’t bring your kids to the main areas on the weekends. Talk about a total zoo! You have crowds, foreign dogs to the family, and a litany of stuff that can fall from the top of the cliffs.
No lie, a number of years back a friend was standing under “the Dangler” at the base of the Mac Wall. A guy way up high who had no business being on the route was 3/4 through the heel-hook traverse and dropped a gold camalot. Gravity took over and it came down and struck my buddy directly on the top of his head. Knocked him completely unconscious and gave him quite the scalp laceration. The guy climbing/hanging his way through the route didn’t even know he dropped it…. Pick your locations wisely. Yeah my buddy took his helmet off at the wrong time and it cost him a ride to the hospital and a few stiches but what gets lofted from the cliffs there on a regular basis may easily out weigh what a helmet can safeguard. No matter what you might think The Gunks [meaning the base of the cliff] is not a safe area for kids to hang out on the weekends. Even far out areas get rock fall from people looking for rappel stations at the top of the cliff when they are hopelessly lost.
Thinking about the logistics of your adventure is 99% of the strategy. Peters Kill is a much better option as the crag is all single pitch, more top-rope vs. lead climbing and being a state park the administration is much more serious about not having overcrowding. Just get there early on the weekends because once the parking lot fills up, that’s it.
Now for example a great place to bring the kids is the Red River Gorge. I’m mainly talking about the areas around the Pendergrass-Murray Preserve. Easy short hikes in, single pitch climbing that never tops out and level safe terrain so even the smallest child would be hard pressed to find something to fall off of. The only place that I can think of better than that area in Kentucky would be Stone Fort bouldering aka Little Rock City located in the Montlake Golf Club in Soddy-Daisey, Tennessee. Now it’s bouldering and not “climbing” but the place is a world class location that was literally built for kids. The approach is nil, the bouldering excellent, and the location is crawling (literally) with kids. *as an added note. No boulder pad?? No problem!!! There are so many cool folks that bring their pads you don’t have to have one in tow. Just walk in, get the kids acquainted with other kids and HAVE AT IT!!! In the few hours you may commit to this fine outdoor venue you will find it is a great place to boulder and the locals are super kind considerate people as well.
I have to admit, where my guide service is located we are quite fortunate to have a very child friendly crag as well. La Concepción is a 30 meter tall rhyolite cliff with a river flowing next to it. Easy five minute approach to the best crack climbing in all of Mexico.
We have 75 degree weather all year, a beautiful river valley that parallels the cliff and miles of rocks to jump across and look under. Exploring at its finest.
““Remember! A day at the cliffs with the kids is a win whether they touch rock or not.””
The next consideration when taking the little people out to the crag is are they interested in climbing? As a guide I meet lots of parents in the morning before guiding that tell me their kids are climbing prodigies and set a fairly inconsistent tone for the day.
For the first few visits to the cliffs let the kids do whatever they want. You may get the harness buckled in, shoes on, tied in and find out yeah… playing in the dirt is much more appealing. Remember! A day at the cliffs with the kids is a win whether they touch rock or not. Time is on your side. The mental growth of all the mechanics of climbing sets in differently for all kids. I’ve taken out families year after year and watched the growth of the entire family as a unit. My philosophy is don’t have any expectations and you won’t be disappointed.
I’ve had little kids grow up and tell me they remember the first day we met. I say really??!! They talk about my willingness to let them pretty much do whatever they want (within reason as kid’s days are for sure my hardest days). I’m sure it seemed that way coming from a family structure to a guide who is trying to juggle all the pieces of differing ages at the base of a cliff. If someone wants to climb up four feet and bounce around on the rope… have at it!! I figure they are learning to trust the system and when to decide to climb is ultimately up to them.
““Looking for fun moderates is like finding gold in a pile of hay””
This leads me to another super important topic of discussion. Picking routes the kids will enjoy. Do not plan your day around your own project and put the kids on some dirty trough that you wouldn’t climb yourself just to get the day in. Don’t be that parent. I myself have been on dirty, chossy toughs that need not be explored. Why put your kids through it just for the convenience of your send….
Looking for fun moderates is like finding gold in a pile of hay. No one knows what a child may find to be fun. A barely walkable slab or a blocky section of cliff. Anything may be intriguing depending on the day. What is really important is that the kids enjoy themselves. This will pay huge dividends as they get older. Trust me.
Climbing is all about the experience. It is the same for knee high’s as it is for 70 something’s. If you start your day with a beautiful hike and find a gorgeous spot to set up camp how could anything spoil the scene? It’s all about being outside and smelling the fresh air and letting your brain relax. Working the moderates is a stress free way of getting the kids on the end of the rope and a great way to create a family bond that will last much longer than the sun that cruises through the sky. Plant the seeds now. Talk about all the important aspects of keeping one another safe while enjoying the freedom only found at the base of a cliff. I’ve taught kids how to tie-in when everyone in attendance though them too young to grasp the concept. I’ve had kids who were terrified one foot off the ground in the morning to rolling though clean laps on a TR by afternoon. It is all about the approach to the day. No pressure is always my motto.
If you ever find yourself in México with the family and are considering a day at the cliffs look me up. Myself or one of our guides would be happy to take everyone out and show you how we create ‘experiences that last a lifetime’. Life is all about the journey not the destination. Take the time and enjoy the day.
Cheers.