2008 Woodie Awards
Pocatello's massive hidden treasure
Alisha Clark ; Mass Communications Student
Issue date: 2/21/07 Section: Sports
As I approached, the 35-foot wall loomed above me. "It didn't look this big when I walked in," I thought. A trained employee gave me simple instructions: just free climb up to the orange dots. "Free climb" means no ropes, no support. At first glance, 10 feet doesn't look very high, but those orange dots began to seem a long way up. I grabbed the first hold and pulled myself up onto the wall. I looked for my next move and placed my foot onto a squirrels head. A squirrel's head? That grabbed my attention, and then I started to notice that the other holds also had funny shapes; there was a bird, a frog, and alphabet letters. I grabbed the frog to the side and suddenly questioned my upper body strength; could I keep pulling up my own weight?
ISU, alone among the area's college campuses, has an indoor 5,500 square foot climbing wall that is free to ISU students. Boise State University's climbing wall, for example, is not free to tuition-paying students. In fact, students have to pay five dollars for first time instruction and also pay for the equipment every time they climb. For those who climb ISU's wall, instruction and equipment are always free.
OK, here is my next move: the letter "H." I was feeling pretty good about my ability… then I looked across the wall. A three year old was climbing carefree and was twice as high as I was! He was wearing a safety harness and had a partner, but that still didn't do a lot for my confidence.
Some are concerned that students aren't using this huge but "hidden" treasure. "I don't feel students take advantage of it; ISU's enrollment is about 12,000 and possibly 50 to 100 different students use it" says Matt Noorda, instructor and supervisor at the climbing wall.
David Coneff, ISU freshman, says "people who know about it use it, people who don't know usually say surprised, 'we have a climbing wall?!'" Ty Caldwell, another climbing wall staff member, is amazed that more students don't use the climbing wall. "It's free! There's not many places you can climb for free, except outside, but then you have to pay for equipment, so it's not really free."
All climbers are welcome to tackle the climbing wall: skilled, inexperienced, or first timers. Wall experts are trained and available to offer help. Caldwell says, "we teach [anyone] how to climb, belay; we teach the basics." Once you get the basics down, you can choose from many different climbing options: climbing to the top, climbing horizontally on the roof overhang (for more advanced climbers), and rappelling.
The young boy who had arrived in a stroller was still outclimbing me! I watched and started to copy his determination; if he started to slip, he would just strategically place his foot on the upper edge of a new hold, and try again. I reached my goal of climbing to the 10 foot mark. To some this doesn't sound like much of an accomplishment, but next time I'll make it to the top…or at least half way.
ISU, alone among the area's college campuses, has an indoor 5,500 square foot climbing wall that is free to ISU students. Boise State University's climbing wall, for example, is not free to tuition-paying students. In fact, students have to pay five dollars for first time instruction and also pay for the equipment every time they climb. For those who climb ISU's wall, instruction and equipment are always free.
OK, here is my next move: the letter "H." I was feeling pretty good about my ability… then I looked across the wall. A three year old was climbing carefree and was twice as high as I was! He was wearing a safety harness and had a partner, but that still didn't do a lot for my confidence.
Some are concerned that students aren't using this huge but "hidden" treasure. "I don't feel students take advantage of it; ISU's enrollment is about 12,000 and possibly 50 to 100 different students use it" says Matt Noorda, instructor and supervisor at the climbing wall.
David Coneff, ISU freshman, says "people who know about it use it, people who don't know usually say surprised, 'we have a climbing wall?!'" Ty Caldwell, another climbing wall staff member, is amazed that more students don't use the climbing wall. "It's free! There's not many places you can climb for free, except outside, but then you have to pay for equipment, so it's not really free."
All climbers are welcome to tackle the climbing wall: skilled, inexperienced, or first timers. Wall experts are trained and available to offer help. Caldwell says, "we teach [anyone] how to climb, belay; we teach the basics." Once you get the basics down, you can choose from many different climbing options: climbing to the top, climbing horizontally on the roof overhang (for more advanced climbers), and rappelling.
The young boy who had arrived in a stroller was still outclimbing me! I watched and started to copy his determination; if he started to slip, he would just strategically place his foot on the upper edge of a new hold, and try again. I reached my goal of climbing to the 10 foot mark. To some this doesn't sound like much of an accomplishment, but next time I'll make it to the top…or at least half way.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Matt
posted 2/22/07 @ 10:36 AM MST
This is a good article. I agree that the so called "hidden treasures" of ISU are not being used to the extent that they should.
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