I love climbing

Vang Vieng Travel Blog

Rock Climbing was on the top of my list for things to do in South East Asia.  I new there were really good places around but the only one I new by name before getting over here was the Thai mecca, Krabi.  It just so happens that the three people I was traveling with when going through Vang Vieng were also interested in climbing.  This place ended up being an excellent place to take a lead climbing course, mostly because of the very reasonable prices compared to Thailand.  Dom, Lee, Gen, and I took a three day course from Adam, the owner of the Laos Rock Climbing Shop.  Adam was a bit of a character and liked talking about the blond tourists but he was fun and really new his stuff.


The first day involved interesting tractor tuk-tuk ride across the river followed by a short journey down a bumpy dirt road to the base of the first rock face that I ever climbed outdoors.  I was surprisingly nervous on my first few attempts up the easier routes to Adam lead for us.  I think not climbing at all in seven months coupled with getting used to the much different techniques involved with finding the best hold on natural limestone compared to indoor holds caused my apprehensions.  The fact that a fall in the wrong place could shed your limbs to hamburger was secondary but ever present in my mind.  The views were fantastic, climbs were thought provoking and challenged our strength, and the weather was perfect.


The second day we went the sleeping wall which is the most developed wall in the area and probably the country.  There are quite a few easy routes set up so it is an ideal place to learn how to lead climb.  For those non climbers out there lead climbing is when you there is not a rope above you and you clip yourself into quick draws on your way up the wall.  There is usually a couple of meters between each anchor.  This means that if you fall at the wrong time you could fall about four meters or more before the rope catches you.  I was the first of the group to attempt a lead climb after Adam's detailed description of how to set the quickdraws and properly clip in the rope.  The route was pretty easy but it was still only my second day ever outside.
  I made it to the top without much difficulty but the last move to clip into the anchor was a bit of a stretch.  I order to clip in you need to pull up a lot of slack with in order to be able to get the rope into the anchor.  This is the point that you are at the most risk.  This is when I fell.  I happened very fast.  I was half way back down the wall and my thumb had been bent backwards by the rope that was still in my hand when the tension hit.  I almost never bruise but the better half of the back of my right hand was instantly purple.  The swelling came quickly and grew over the next two days but there was very little pain and I still had my grip strength.  So after a quick smoke break I was back on the wall leading my second route.
  The rest of the day was much smoother and I got more comfortable with the limestone holds.

After two days climbing we took a day off to partake in the most popular activity in the area that draws backpackers from all over the continent.  Tubing, or as we say in Calgary, floating.  They do it a little different here than we do on the Elbow.  The fist quarter of the three hour tour is packed with overhanging bamboo crafted bars covered in uncovered tourist with whiskey bucket lined hard stomachs looking for a friend when the sun goes down.  Every bar has a rope swing which are constantly lined up with ordinarily timid people filled with liquid courage.  The swings are very high and so are those who enjoy the readily available happy meals.
  Like most, we got stuck for a while at the biggest of the bars which had everything from ping pong to volleyball.  We decided to go against the grain and avoid the tuk-tuk ride home and actually finish the float.  That meant we spent about an hour and a half in the dark.  But all was not lost I met plenty of friendly people along the cold dark ride.

The third day climbing we went about 20 km north of town to a granite wall.  The rock here was not sharp and jagged like the limestone from the past two days.  We continued to work on our lead climbing and learned a few more technical knots for getting into ring anchors.  This place had the most spectacular views of all.  More comfortable on the rock we pushed ourselves to some harder routes.
  I finished a overhanging 6c which took every ounce of strength I could muster.  It took me about ten takes to finally make it but it was very satisfying at the end.

We met up with Finish Martin who we met in the north and went on a one day hike to some caves.  We did this through a tour agency because Martin had his heart set on it.  The hike was very seep up and down with very sharp limestone rocks.  We spent the better part of the day waiting for the less experienced American couple from Houston.  The BBQ skewers and fried rice for lunch was the best meal I have trough  a tour company in SE Asia.   The caves were pretty lame.  You are better off doing renting a bike and doing the caves on your own at your own pace.


After Martin left to attempt to get into Thailand with no visa to reunite with his Thai girlfriend we decided to go on our own to the Blue Lagoon cave that was recommend to us from some other backpackers.  The half hour bike ride north of town brought us to the cool-aid blue pools at the base of the mountain.  A short ten minute hike up steep rooks brought us to the small cave entrance.  We were all in awe once we stepped inside.  The main room in the cave was enormous.  It must have been 200 yards across and 100 yards high with huge stalagmites and stalactites jutting  up and down.  I thought my head lamp was pretty powerful but the massive distances inside the depth of blackness put it to the test.
  It really felt like we were exploring new ground as the last cracks of sunlight disappeared in our wake.  This was the most amazing cave I have ever seen anywhere and is a highly recommended day trip on your own.

We rented climbing gear and went back to the sleeping wall for a fourth day of climbing.  We lead the easy routes again but they were too easy now that we were accustomed to the the rock.  We had Adam lead some seriously overhanging 6b's which really tested our abilities.  I got up them both but the second one was a little out of my league so I had to cheat several times.

Tired of waiting for the clouds to clear to create another worthwhile day on the river, and tired of the strange phenomenon of local bars showing endless reruns of "Friends".  I am ready to depart my favorite stop thus far in SE Asia and move on to the south.

SR Climbing School Blog

Packing for a rock climbing road trip.

Daryl Stisser - Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Packing for a big trip…no matter if you are going to the Black Hills or Patagonia…takes way to much effort.  You want to bring just what you need.  Not to much, but have what you need.  And there is the problem.  Need.  It covers such a big area.  I know I will need some climbing gear, like my harness and climbing helmet, but will I need a 70 meter rope?  Will I need that extra number 6 Camalot.  Well I know I will not need it, but Cheryl might.
In short, I often am surprised I ever get left on any trip.  We are always at least.....

Read More on our new Wordpress Blog.

Dirty Rock Climbing Ropes

Thanks to Gear Express, I'm getting a subscription to Climbing Magazine.  Honestly, I've not read magazines for years, and find myself really enjoying each copy.  In one of the latest issues...they had an interesting little article on what happens when climbing ropes gets dirty, and how much the grime and muck can weaken them.    I bet if you check it out you might be wanting to run down to Granite Sports and get a new string this spring.  The line from the article that really got my attention was "Black Diamond’s director of quality, Kolin Powick, tested some “well-worn” 9.4mm climbing ropes and found that sections trimmed from the ends, which get the most abuse, were failing at 1,100 to 1,300 pounds of force!"  Now it sounds like those strings had seen a lot of abuse and leader falls which our gear hardly ever sees, but 1100 pounds is a far cry from the 4000 pounds I'd like to see.  Colin Powick, does a lot of great work testing gear so I expect you'll enjoy what he shares online at the Black Diamond Site.  After all the seriously used an abused ropes I've seen especially while traveling...there are very few stories I've heard of climbing ropes actually failing without a good reason for it.  It's like hearing about seat belts in cars failing...if you use them correctly, you just don't hear about climbing rope failure.  So even though these numbers seem scary...take comfort and take care of your climbing gear so it takes care of you.   And, just be glad that climbing ropes have evolved as much as they have.  I'll take most any modern dynamic nylon climbing rope over the hemp or manila ropes of yesteryears. 

We buy bunches of dynamic rock climbing ropes every year so I'm always interested in this sort of thing as my life and my job depend on those ropes every day.  As guides and regular climbers, we use our gear pretty darn hard, and it's always a great piece of education when someone puts numbers and testing behind what we consider 'best practices.'   After reading this little article, I'll be talking it over with the climbing guides to see what they think about using rope bags.   Always something new to tweek and improve the experience for our guest here at Sylvan Rocks.

If you are on a tear and want to keep reading about rope wear... here is another article.

June Climbing Closure at Devils Tower National Monument.

Daryl Stisser - Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Wow, its June again, and I just wanted to pass along another news release I received from Devils Tower about the June Closure.  The Falcons are nesting on the west side and so there are routes closed there as well.  The Devils Tower Falcon Closure is not voluntary like the June closure, so defiantly stay off those routes.  The more popular routes that are closed are Mr. Clean and El Matador.  There is another blog post with the specifics if you are interested.

There is a lot going on over at Devils Tower, and I hope everyone respects the June Voluntary Climbing Closure, as it is supported by the Access Fund and most climbers as a way of preserving climbing access there, and respecting the Tribal beliefs of people who hold the area sacred.

picture of devsil tower from the air

Photo of Devils Tower, taken by Sylvan Rocks Climbing from a small airplane.   If you ever wanted to know what it looks like on top of Devils Tower....here is a picture of it.  Honestly, it's better viewed while standing there after climbing to the top.

JUNE VOLUNTARY CLIMBING CLOSURE IN EFFECT FOR DEVILS TOWER
Devils Tower National Monument superintendent Dorothy FireCloud announces a voluntary climbing closure for the month of June. The 1995 Devils Tower National Monument Climbing Management Plan established a voluntary closure for all climbing routes on the Tower out of respect for traditional cultural activities of American Indians. The voluntary closure has been implemented each June since 1996, and has proven successful: the average number of climbers in June has seen an 85% reduction.
The National Park Service appreciates the efforts of those climbers who choose to observe the closure. In addition, the Access Fund, a nonprofit organization working to maintain access to climbing areas and protect the climbing environment, fully supports the June Voluntary Closure. Most permitted climbing guides do not bring clients to the Tower during the month of June. Rangers at the monument can provide information on alternative rock climbing sites in the area.
American Indians have long regarded the Tower as a sacred site, and many feel that recreational climbing desecrates the Tower. Traditional cultural activities occur at the park throughout the year; however, June is an especially significant time when many ceremonies take place.
The Tower boasts a rich and colorful climbing history that dates back to the late 1800s when it was first scaled by two local ranchers using a wooden ladder. Climbers from all over the world consider Devils Tower to be a unique and premier climbing area. Currently, about 4,500 visiting climbers come to Devils Tower each year. Although it is sometimes assumed that climbing damages the rock, contemporary climbing technology has little impact on the Tower.
The 1995 Climbing Management Plan provides direction for managing climbing activity in order to protect natural and cultural resources on and around the Tower. That plan was updated in 2006, in order to address issues of resource protection, climber education, and climber safety. Both plans, as well as updated closure information, can be found at www.nps.gov/deto.
In addition, a number of the Tower’s west face climbing routes remain closed for protection of nesting prairie falcons. All west face climbing routes will reopen later this summer.  National Park Service professionals will continue to survey the Tower to determine the presence or absence of nesting prairie falcons, and climbing and rappel route closures may change in the future based on the location and behavior of nesting falcons.

For further information please contact the monument’s Chief of Resource Management, Mark Biel, at (307) 467-5283 ext 212.

Falling Rock Adopt a Crag - great success - thanks to all the Black Hills Climbers who helped out.

The Black Hills climbers pitched in and picked up a ton of trash around Falling Rock climbing area just outside of Rapid city, South Dakota.  Plenty of folks showed up and had at it.  Michael reported that he was so busy working he forgot to take photos, but we have a few.

Wild Country, Petzl, Sylvan Rocks Climbing, Scheels, Black Hills National Forest, Take-a hike, and others pitched in some great climbing gear and items as door prizes, and it seems that everyone had a fine time.

Photo of Falling Rock Climbing Area
Looking over Falling Rock Climbing Area near Rapid City, SD in the Black Hills National Forest.

Volunteer climber hauling trash
Many volunteers showed up to support the Access Fund Adopt a crag at Falling Rock Climbing area.

Access fund adopt a crag group of volunteers
Just a few of the crew of volunteers who showed up to pitch in and help out.

Please support the Access Fund and all the Adopt a Crag events.  The Access fund is out there working to protect your access to the rock climbing areas you love...please become a member and support them!!!

We'll be having another Adopt a Crag over at Devils Tower this fall, so if you missed the one at Falling Rock climbing area, please stay posted to the SR blog and Facebook Fan page and plan to head over to Devils Tower.  I past years sponsors have supported the event well, but local climbers have made a very poor showing.  I'm concerned that we may face access problems there in the future, so I strongly encourage climbers to attend events like Access fund Adopt a Crag Trail Days, and show the park managers how much we love and respect Devils Tower.  I don't know about you, but I find the rock climbing there to be unlike anywhere else I've been.  Great cracks that suck up super solid nuts, and seem to go on forever.  Gotta love the rock climbing there.

Thanks again to every one for showing up at Falling Rock.  I'm sure the folks at the Black Hills National Forest noticed your great energy and appreciated your help!  Extra Thanks to the Michael and Alex for putting together this event and all those who sponsored it.

Devils Tower Guides day with Sylvan Rocks

The Sylvan Rocks climbing guides got up pretty darn early to start their day at Devils Tower.  We drove over from Custer, SD as the moon was coming round the Tower.

Devils Tower by moonlight photo

Because we know that over a long winter with lots of freeze thaw cycles, things out there on the rocks change.  So every season we get together for several days of guide training.  We check out some routes, tell outlandish stories and train on how to get ourselves out of a jam if bad things happen to good people.  Practice makes perfect you know.  On our last day, Sunday, we all road tripped to Devils Tower to show the new crew members around and have some fun giving each other a hard time and tons of bad route info.

The weather at Devils Tower was great.  The Black Hills still had some snow visible in the distant trees.  We all had tee shirts on, but were not sweating.  That is a rare and beautiful day at Devils Tower when that happens.  Several of us did get to rappel in the rain and come around the wicked slick and scary ledges from the SE side near Soler and El Cracko, but thats part of the fun. By the way....for any of you thinking of headed over.  The Devils Tower Climbing Rangers said they have not gotten around to replacing the Rainy Day Raps from over there after they were removed by a huge falling rock...so DO NOT TRY and use them.  And as always...wear your helmet when Climbing Devils Tower

During the course of the day we all summited a few times and learned that there are a few more loose rocks over there then last year.  All the rain seems to be washing a little bit of the Pigeon poop out of the cracks and loosening things up.  Be very aware of loose rock on the Meadows Finish, and a huge piece of rock that looks nice and bedded in the grass at the meadows rap station is pretty darn loose, and with a wrong push, it will plummet down the Bowling Alley....definitely a strike!   As always...don't hang out around the base of the Bowling Alley...its named that for a reason.

At the end of it all there was big pieces of red meat for everyone at the Crook County Saloon and Dining Emporium (located near the Devils Tower Y), and a few cold barley pops.  YUM YUM.

 Chris short roping on the shoulder approach
Chris Short roping up the shoulder approach on Devils Tower.

Headed up Weissners in his favorite red pants.
Our new guide Cheyenne, in his favorite red pants.

Cheryl rock climbing'
Cheryl looking good as ever...cranking that 5.7 climbing at Devils Tower.

Climbing the Durrance
The guides playing climbers, making sure they remember the way up the Durrance, Devils Tower most popular and slick route.

Smile s at the top of the Meadows Rappels on Devils Tower
Living large near the meadows rap station at Devils Tower.

High above Prairie Dog Town at Devils Tower
Standing 1000 feet or so above the Devils Tower prairie dog town.

Archer Climbing Devils Tower Wyoming
Cowboy up Archer....you aren't in South Dakota anymore...welcome to Wyoming.

climbing crew on top of devils Tower wyoming
Gotta love looking at that deep blue sky on top of Devils Tower, WY.


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Getting off the beaten path....but not too far off...in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

I celebrated my first day climbing in a tee shirt here in the Black Hills last week.  Glad old man winter is finally letting some green grass show through.   I also climbed with a cool family that waited 2 days as the snow melted so they could climb with us.  They were headed to Yellowstone, but ended up staying a few extra days here in the Black Hills as the weather improved so they could climb.  Luckily there is a lot more to enjoy here in the Black Hills then people give time for.    Take Ice Climbing in Spearfish Canyon....Check out these geeks on South Dakota Public Television.  I told you it was coming, but just in case you missed the live on air version or live outside the viewing area, check out the  Web Video (the TV version was brighter and clearer, but this is pretty cool.)  That TV shoot was fun, but I'm glad Ice climbing season is over and that it's warming up.

As I hike, mountain bike, rock climb, kayak and cave around here.....I find time and time again, that the greatest thing about this place is the ease of access to the adventures.  For instance, the Ice Climbing shown in the videos...it's only a few minutes from the road.  Unlike some big mountain such as the Grand Teton where you have to trek 16 miles to enjoy a few hundred feet of cool climbing.....here, you do a little trekking and a lot of climbing.  That is why Jan and Herb Conn settled here nearly 60 years ago, and the longer I live here, the more I know they are right.

I mean we are all so darn busy, when we get time to go on a trip, we want a cool adventure that we can be part of that won't take us a month to do.  Well...you can sit on a horse on some trail ride, or sit in some boat on a whitewater trip, or you can climb to the top of a Spire in Custer State Park and sit on top of it.  That is the cool thing about rock climbing.  You are at the heart of the adventure.  You aren't just watching it happen around, you are doing it.  You learn a little and in return, do a lot.  That is the perk of being with a guide.  They know the cool places, and they know how to get you there....even if you never intend to be a climber...with a guide, you can be one for the day or the week, and have all the  fun and get all the cool photos.   How much better can it get?

Remember the words of Abe Lincoln -   "Live a good life, and in the end, it's not the years in the life, its the life in the years."  So get out there...follow your dreams...and do it.


     

Climbing Videos: 1 shown in Rapid City, and another shot about local climber.

Luke Kretchmar shows off his awesome climbing ability on some of the newest and steepest limestone climbing routes in the Black Hills.  The VC is right near Rapid City, a few miles from his house, so Luke spends a lot of time there putting up and enjoying the routes that are there.

black hills climbing video

He is an Ambassador Athlete for Cloudveil clothing.  I thought they did a great job of capturing Luke's humble approach, and his pride as a South Dakota native who enjoys the great variety in climbing we have right here in our back yard.  From steep limestone at the VC and Spearfish Canyon, to the long cracks of Devils Tower, to the granite face climbing of the Mount Rushmore Area and the Needles of Custer State Park.  Its all right there within a 2 hour drive here in the Black Hills. 

Yeah, throw in some great Mountain Biking, caving, a little snowboarding and skiing, and one quickly understands why I live here in the Black Hills.  I could move anywhere, and we have had the opportunity to travel fairly far and wide, but we are always, happy to return to our Black Hills home.  Even though old man winter seems to be having trouble letting spring happen around here this month, it's still a beautiful place to get out and enjoy.

Enjoy the video. and don't worry, when you climb with Sylvan Rocks, we do routes that are well withing the climbing ability of folks  just like you (and me).  Luke is a pretty intense training machine, and loves getting after it, so its easy to understand how he does all the rad things he does.  He did not start climbing on routes like the ones shown. He paid his dues, practiced, trained...in short he earned it, just like we all have to do in order to pull down like that.

If you enjoy the video, don't forget that the climbing movie CORE is being shown in Rapid City on May 3 at 7pm.  More info  It also is supposed to feature awesome athletes who go to great lengths to feed thier passion.  Watch the promo trailer.

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Climbing access in the Black Hills and beyond.


  - Keep old signs like this on the wall with the other old climbing gear.

I recently received a news update from the Access Fund that sent a chill up my spine.  It reads

Last month, Idaho climbers saw 400 acres of land closed to climbing in the Castle Rocks Recreation Area.  But the Access Fund has not given up on regaining access to these cliffs. And neither should youThe ban was enacted because of the local BLM office’s desire to conserve important cultural resources on the property. However, many reasonable and proven alternatives exist that could preserve climbing access and still protect the cultural resources in the area. The measures taken by this local BLM office set a precedent for other climbing areas across the country by unnecessarily banning climbing.
Could your favorite crag be next?
Yes, my favorite crag could be next.  Lets face it.  Few land managers are in love with the idea of climbers coming in and doing their thing.  Those land managers are mostly overworked and underpaid.  If given the choice between doing the 'right' thing in the eyes of a bunch of climbers, and doing the 'easy' thing to get the issue off their desk and look good in the eyes of more powerful and politically connected conservation organizations....many land managers do the same thing you or I would do given the same choice.  True or not, our image as a group can be summed up in many peoples minds as a bunch of young people without jobs or places to bathe, traveling around, living in the dirt, on some self serving mission to one up each other (yes, I've been there).  True or not, any negative image needs to be put into context with a positive image.

So next time you are out climbing on public land.  Do your best to keep yourself and your camp clean, and don't be afraid to speak up to your buds who might not be as enlightened.  Talk to the rangers. Show up for adopt a crag events.  Better yet, organize an adopt a crag event.  Stay up to date on what your land managers are thinking and planning.

Kudos to Black Hills Climber Mike Cronin for spear heading the effort to keep a road open that the Forest Service had planned to close in the Black Hills Travel Management Plan that lead to a local crag.  This is the kind of involvement that the climbing community needs.  If you are involved, be a well oiled and educated part of the answer rather then a rebel rouser full of angst and opinion.  Educate yourself like Mike did on how to work through the normal channels and chain of command.  Just sitting around whinning to your bro's about how it should be just does not count, and rarely results in getting what our community needs.

If you can't or won't be involved, remember the Golden Rule - "He who has the gold, makes the rules."     Yes, it's a harsh truth, but welcome to the real world.  If you are not already an Access Fund Member, sign up today.   If you are an access fund member, feel free to send them a little extra.  Give till it hurts.  You don't need that extra Mocha anyway...it's no good for your training program.

Devils Tower Falcon Closure 2010

DEVILS TOWER NATIONAL MONUMENT
News Release


Devils Tower National Monument Begins Monitoring for Nesting Prairie Falcons

Devils Tower National Monument staff has begun monitoring for the presence of nesting prairie falcons on and around the Tower. While individual falcons have been observed, no nesting activity has been documented. Currently, there are no climbing closures in effect on the Tower. After specific nesting sites are identified, climbing closures may be implemented based on the location of the nests. These closures are an annual event established under the monument’s 1995 Climbing Management Plan, with authority from the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The closures are enacted to protect prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) nesting sites. Climbing and rappel route closures may change during the season based on the location and behavior of the nesting falcons. Areas with falcon nests will remain closed until young falcons fledge, generally between July 15 and August 1.

Prairie falcons are extremely defensive of their nests and are easily driven from an area by human disturbance. The presence of climbers near or above falcon nests is distressing to parent birds. Too much disturbance from climbing activities may force falcons to abandon eggs or chicks. The closure area is implemented not only for the protection of the birds, but also for the protection of climbers, as prairie falcons are known to defensively dive in order to protect their nests.

Prior observations suggest that prairie falcons use the Tower with an affinity for the west and northeast faces, where pairs nested from 2005 to 2007. In 2008, falcons were observed nesting on the south face of the Tower. In recent years, young falcons were observed to have fledged from the Tower in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2006, and 2007. In 2009, the falcons nested and fledged away from the Tower.

Climbers can find a list of currently closed routes at www.nps.gov/deto/planyourvisit/currentclimbingclosures.htm, the park climbing kiosk, the climber registration office, or at the visitor center or administration building.

Separate from the falcon closure, Devils Tower National Monument has a voluntary climbing closure in effect for the month of June, out of respect for American Indian cultural traditions. For further information on the climbing closures, please contact Mark Biel, Chief of Resource Management, at (307) 467-5283 ext 212.

New Skateboard Park to be built in Sundance, WY

Daryl Stisser - Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Put your hands together in applause for Mr. Anderson.  Some people sit around and wish for change and some people become the change they wish to see in the world...to paraphrase from Gandhi

For many years Paul has been fund raising with the goal of creating a Skateboard Park in Sundance Wyoming, a small town located between Devils Tower, WY and Spearfish, SD.  With a large donation from the city of Sundance, plus what they have already raised, there is now over $36,000 to spend on a municipal skate board park.  He hopes to receive another $9000 grant for a total of $45,000.  Pretty darn cool!    A tennis court from the city has been donated, so its full speed ahead this summer.  Ramps will be going up.

If you'd like to donate, or help out, drop me an email and I'll put you in touch with Paul.  Having tried to get community building projects under way, I can attest to the trials, tribulations and patience it takes to see a project like this through.  SALUTE!!!  Thanks for doing something to improve the Black Hills (yes I include Sundance in them) and double kudos for doing something that benefits the youth in the Black Hills.

I'll let you know when I hear its done so you can grab your helmets and pads and skate on out there!

Nothing personal against lovers of tennis, but I much rather see this.....



Rather then this....



And as I look at the Skate Park in Custer SD, I know it gets used a lot more then the tennis courts!!

Rock Climbing & Bouldering in Panama at El Gunko in Boquete

Natural Rock Climbing Site in Boquete

"El Gunko de Boquete" is a basaltic wall of volcanic origin
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Climbing in Boquete, Panama

Ready to Climb some Fantastic Routes?

Rock Climbing Routes in Panama at "El Gunko" in Boquete

César Meléndez climbing a section of the Gunko Wall at Los Ladrillos in Boquete, Panama Today more than 35 different routes have been setup for bouldering and rock climbing at "El Gunko", "Maná" and "Paradiso" in Boquete. Under the motto of "redefining what's impossible", Rock Climbing started out in the district of Boquete, Panama with 5.3. and 5.5 routes that could easily be climbed by amateurs. After building up their skills and gaining more experience they have continued to push the level and now routes from 5.9 all the way up to 5.13a have been established (difficulty measured according to the Yosemite Decimal System). The highest wall is 13.10 meters tall and there is a very challenging route with a 4 meter roof. The highest wall for advanced climbers contains 70 meter multipitches.
View of the entire natural wall at one of Boquete's most popular rock climbing sites The "Gunko de Boquete" is located in the Bajo Mono area known as "Los Ladrillos". It is only 10 minutes by car from downtown Boquete. To get to "El Gunko" take a left at the Y intersection at the end of Central Avenue (main street in Boquete), continue until you reach "El cruce de los Naranjos" which is another Y intersection or fork, take a left again, pass Los Naranjos Gym, reach the next Y intersection and take a right towards Bajo Mono. Los Ladrillos will be ahead to your left and pretty obvious (a huge natural climbing wall).
Several natural climbing walls are open to the public but as all the routes have been setup by a group of climbers with the permission of Boquete's authorities, rock climbing is organized through them.


Rock Climbing and Rapelling Tours in Boquete, Panama

Rock Climbing Tours by Vertical Adventures in Boquete, Panama Each rock climbing tour includes a short warm-up and detailed safety briefing. Rock climbers with previous experience will be given 3 hours to climb any amount of routes of their own choice. Those new to rock climbing will be suggested different routes taking into account physical characteristics and age.
First timers will be explained everything they need to know, but if you are looking for a more extensive knowledge of this extreme sport, rock climbing courses are offered and you will be shown rock climbing techniques and rappelling in rock and in bridges, and you will receive a complete explanation of the equipment and gear used in rock climbing and rappelling.