#teamrockspot

[rockspotclimbing]

Take a look at Team Rock Spot's trip to Horse Pens 40! This short video highlights the journey to Alabama and some of the amazing climbs we were able to try in Horse Pens.

To learn more about the journey to Horse Pens 40, click here: http://rockspotclimbing.tumblr.com/post/144454083184/horse-pens-40-trip-recap-part-1-the-journey

To learn more about the climbs at Horse Pens 40, click here: http://rockspotclimbing.tumblr.com/post/144557797479/horse-pens-40-trip-recap-part-2-the-climbing

Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible! Don’t forget we’re offering technique blocks this summer for kids of all ages. Join us for 3 weeks of youth technique classes and workshops! Classes are available by age or by skill set, ages 4+ all abilities welcome. Weekly classes split by age will allow you to make friends while climbing the walls. Weekly drop-in classes will allow you to choose from a variety of class types and climbing techniques - join one or join them all! Discounts are available for members, but memberships are not required.

We hope to see you climbing this spring!

______________________________________________________________

Learn more about your local gym’s youth programs here:

Lincoln, RI: http://lincoln.rockspotclimbing.com/youth-programs/lincoln-ri-registration/  

Peace Dale, RI: http://peacedale.rockspotclimbing.com/youth-programs/peace-dale-registration/

Boston-Dedham, MA: http://boston.rockspotclimbing.com/youth-programs-booking-bd/

South Boston, MA: http://southboston.rockspotclimbing.com/youth-programs/south-boston-registration/

[rockspotclimbing]

Horse Pens 40 Trip Recap, Part 2: The Climbing

Article by Keith Nadeau

The bouldering at Horse Pens 40 is graded on the V scale which runs from V0 to V16. The climbs at Horse Pens max out at the V11 grade, which is not to say that the climbing is easy by any means. Even climbs that are given the lowest grades still challenge the best of climbers. The rocks are very unique in shape, consisting of large blobs and turtle shell features. These features force climbers to use thoughtful sequences, balance, and upper body strength.

It’s hard to compare the grades at HP40 to grades in the climbing gym. The style is so wildly different that people who primarily climb indoors will usually believe the grades are insanely incorrect. This could be because typically a gym climber’s skill set does not apply well to the rocks at the park. People who spend time climbing outdoors and learning how to adapt to new environments will agree more with the grades at HP40.

To really understand what the park has to offer, climbers need to understand it is an opportunity to learn and become a better climber through its challenges. The grades can easily get into a climber's head and interfere with productive thoughts. Positive thinking and staying humble will provide the climbers the best chance to succeed. Sometimes the movement of a climb can be so subtle and precise that it can take hours or days of effort to create a sequence, however once everything comes together, it can make the climb feel substantially easier than it did at first.

Many of our climbers got to go through this process during the trip; they felt the difficulty, confusion, and frustration first hand and persevered! It was amazing to see them sit down, study, and even fight with a boulder, but to not give up. They found successes in the many of climbs they completed, but also in the lessons that they took from the rock itself. Down to the last day climbers were completing climbs that they had tried all week with little to no success. They persevered through failure and were able to stand on top full of those boulders filled with accomplishment.

______________________________________________________________

Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible! Don’t forget we’re offering technique blocks this summer for kids of all ages. Join us for 3 weeks of youth technique classes and workshops! Classes are available by age or by skill set, ages 4+ all abilities welcome. Weekly classes split by age will allow you to make friends while climbing the walls. Weekly drop-in classes will allow you to choose from a variety of class types and climbing techniques - join one or join them all! Discounts are available for members, but memberships are not required.

We hope to see you climbing this spring!

______________________________________________________________

Learn more about your local gym’s youth programs here:

http://lincoln.rockspotclimbing.com/youth-programs/lincoln-ri-registration/  

http://peacedale.rockspotclimbing.com/youth-programs/peace-dale-registration/

http://boston.rockspotclimbing.com/youth-programs-booking-bd/

http://southboston.rockspotclimbing.com/youth-programs/south-boston-registration/

To Learn more about the journey to Horse Pens 40, click here: http://rockspotclimbing.tumblr.com/post/144454083184/horse-pens-40-trip-recap-part-1-the-journey

To watch a video recap of the trip, click here: http://rockspotclimbing.tumblr.com/post/144755923854/take-a-look-at-team-rock-spots-trip-to-horse-pens

[rockspotclimbing]

Horse Pens 40 Trip Recap, Part 1: The Journey

Article by Kelsey Moore

April break had begun! Members of Team Rock Spot came storming into our South Boston location Friday evening, their excitement spilling out more than their overnight packs, plane snacks, and climbing gear. Our team trip to Horse Pens 40 in Steele, AL had finally arrived. Now we just had to get there...

Early Saturday morning, 16 youth ages 10 to 18 piled into an army of taxis that waited outside of our South Boston location. The air was cold and the sky still dark, but the long awaited journey had begun. Months of planning and fundraising were over; all the stood between the team and HP40 was a taxi shuttle, a quick flight, and a van ride.

A few hours later, a few degrees warmer, and with minds much more alert we pulled into the rustic, quirky, and charming landscape that would be our home for the following week. A week filled with perfect weather, new experiences, laughter, extreme challenges, and euphoric victories. The layout of the property was ideal: a short approach from the campsite and climbs for every ability and style preference. Each morning team members would sleepily stumble out of their tents and head to the kitchen (a rickety tarp-covered pavilion) for a hearty breakfast and to plan out their days. Climbers and coaches would divide up by the climbs or areas they were excited to tackle that day and head off, shoes in their hands and pads on their backs, into the boulder field. Others joined to watch or lingered back at camp to heal their hands and get some rest, often playing cards, slacklining, or napping in a hammock.

Lunch breaks and afternoon rests would pull the group back together at camp to talk about that morning's challenges or victories and to regroup for the afternoon. Large family style dinners would recharge our bodies and minds to tackle some boulders later at night. Night sessions quickly became a favorite way to approach the rock. The cooler temperatures added friction to the rock and relief to the skin. Headlamps and lanterns would line the boulder, illuminating them in a soft and welcoming glow. The nights were still and quiet, but the energy was high and shouts of victory or of struggle could be heard across the boulder field. While you were working and observing one problem, echoes of cheers from across the park would alert you to a victory that you would hear recounted later that night or the next day. Somebody had done it, they had sent their problem!

After 6 days of climbing, adventure, and fun, our week ended much the way it began, a long journey with many layers. Friday afternoon, we piled into the Rock Spot vans, left Alabama, and began our road trip home. The ride was long, but the stories and excitement of the previous week sustained us. We arrived home Saturday night with smiles still on our faces, holes in our shoes, and callouses on our hands. What a success! Thank you to everyone who helped make this trip a reality for all of our youth, it was truly an experience they will never forget.

Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible! Don’t forget we’re offering technique blocks this summer for kids of all ages. Join us for 3 weeks of youth technique classes and workshops! Classes are available by age or by skill set, ages 4+ all abilities welcome. Weekly classes split by age will allow you to make friends while climbing the walls. Weekly drop-in classes will allow you to choose from a variety of class types and climbing techniques - join one or join them all! Discounts are available for members, but memberships are not required. 

We hope to see you climbing this spring! 

______________________________________________________________

Learn more about your local gym's youth programs here: 

http://lincoln.rockspotclimbing.com/youth-programs/lincoln-ri-registration/  

http://peacedale.rockspotclimbing.com/youth-programs/peace-dale-registration/ 

http://boston.rockspotclimbing.com/youth-programs-booking-bd/

http://southboston.rockspotclimbing.com/youth-programs/south-boston-registration/

To Learn more about the climbs at Horse Pens 40, click here: http://rockspotclimbing.tumblr.com/post/144557797479/horse-pens-40-trip-recap-part-2-the-climbing

To watch a video recap of the trip, click here: http://rockspotclimbing.tumblr.com/post/144755923854/take-a-look-at-team-rock-spots-trip-to-horse-pens