From Gym to Crag: Salt Pump Kids’ Outdoor Climbing Day
Young climbers in our after-school programs have been spending time at Salt Pump learning the skills they need to get outside, including how to belay, manage ropes, read routes, and rappel. This spring, they got the chance to try their stuff on some of New Hampshire’s finest rock when the visited the “Lost Horizons” crag at Sundown Cliffs, located just off the pristine Kancamagus Highway.
After taking their skills to the crag, they had a lot to say about the experience:
What did you learn about climbing outside?
MAJA: “I learned that the rocks are more rough than the rocks in the gym… and they really hurt my fingers.”
ABE: ” Yeah. I learned that none of the holds were easy to find, almost none, some were pretty obvious.”
What was difficult about your day outside?
ABE: “Well, it was a littler hard when we had a limited amount of food and water and it was nearly impossible to go get more.” (Instructor’s note: no children were at risk of starvation or dehydration during their day climbing. They all came out unscathed with the exception of being tired and having sore fingers.)
MAJA: “It was hard because we couldn’t really be loud. We had to be more peaceful about our climbing. We had to be careful because there were a lot of rocks on the ground and we didn’t want to trip.”
Would you do it again?
MAJA: ” YES! I would do rope climbing again, or bouldering, whatever it is. I like all types of climbing!”
ABE: “YEAH! Next time you have an outdoor top-roping trip, I’ll be there. There was a very cool view on top of the rock. I want to see that again.”
I felt like a heroic hero, climbing into the Mines of Moria!
We had the best instructors!
Does your young climber want to join us for a climbing adventure this fall?
Our Youth Team, After-School Programs, and Indoor Camps are all great ways to experience climbing indoors!
Youth Outdoor Climbing Days help bring the skills we have learned inside the gym to the real rock of New England! Join us at some classic crags in Maine and New Hampshire with our awesome Salt Pump guides.