Climbers take height for granite

By Patrick Flajole

Anticipation, chalk powder suspended midair, pluming out and then being engulfed in a cloud of isolation, hanging. Hands clasped intently, smothered in chalk to ensure at least some relief for the already raw and blistered areas. Eyes and mind analyzing the path of the problem.

Santa Clara is right in the middle of one of the best areas in the world for outdoor climbing. In nearly every direction, there are world-class bouldering hot spots. Within a half-hour drive, you can find yourself surrounded by scattered rock formations, submerged in the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

A few hours' drive can get you to Yosemite or Joshua Tree National Parks or the town of Bishop, which all attract climbers from around the world. Each location also offers a unique type of rock and texture.

A few weeks ago, the Santa Clara Climbing Club went on a weekend trip to Yosemite National Park. The trip was the first of this year and certainly not the last.

Junior Mike Abell was actively involved in helping plan the trip and has been part of the club since starting at Santa Clara. "I'm hoping to keep up the momentum because last year we didn't do anything and the year before that we only went once," he said. "People really proved themselves, and I think I'm more willing to take some people out with me now and show them some places."

Even with the close proximity of outdoor climbing, many Santa Clara students have found indoor gyms to be an easier way to climb without the time commitment. There is one climbing gym within five miles of campus: Planet Granite in Sunnyvale.

The Santa Clara climbing community has converged at Planet Granite. A number of students, including Abell and senior Colin Delehanty, are there regularly setting problems and working behind the counter.

Most athletes can attest to a certain cognitive sensation that accompanies the total concentration necessary for many sports. We all have our own ways of focusing to move beyond what is comfortable and surpass the limits of our bodies. For some, a competitive public atmosphere assists in the realization of this goal.

But for others, the competitive vibe at Planet Granite can be detrimental to concentration, throwing them off their goal.

Sophomore John Logan is a member of Planet Granite. Logan explained how the fundamental difference in climber mentality changes in the gym atmosphere.

"There are people who are there for the recreational pleasure of climbing, and then there are others who are there for a workout, something they do as a primary exercise," said Logan. "You walk into Planet Granite and get the feeling of a Globo Gym or a muscley place."

Delahanty, however, encouraged the use of gyms, but only as a way to prepare for time spent outside. He sees indoor and outdoor climbing as two completely different sports with different purposes.

"Outdoor climbing is a lot different than indoors. You're doing the route according to your body type, your strength and ability and your creativity to create your own beta that may be different than anyone else," he said. "It's more of an art than a contest of who is the strongest. There's no competition."

The combination of the social and physical aspects of climbing are very important to the overall experience. Though Abell, Delehanty and Logan preferred different gym experiences, all three stressed the importance of building relationships and community with fellow climbers.

Contact Patrick Flajole at (408) 551-1918 or pflajole@scu.edu.