April 28, 2004
Climbers reach out for CRA
70 participants scale 32,040 vertical feet at Climb-a-Thon
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Seventy local climbers scaled Mount Everest and then some Sunday afternoon - completing their task in 30-foot increments.
During the third annual Climbing for Conservation Climb-a-Thon, climbers scaled GT Rock's indoor climbing wall enough times to log 32,040 vertical feet. The eight-hour event raised $700 for area conservation projects coordinated by the Conservation Resource Alliance.
"This event has gotten bigger each year and there's kind of a small amount of climbers who come in and climb it on a regular basis," said Tim Barrons, a veteran climber and member of the Conservation Resource Alliance board of directors.
The climb-a-thon, which was sponsored by GT Rock, the Conservation Resource Alliance and Eastern Mountain Sports, featured prizes for all donated by Eastern Mountain Sports and Back Country Outfitters.
"Almost everyone walked away with something fun," said Matt Thomas, development coordinator for the Conservation Resource Alliance.
In addition to small prize, the event provided an opportunity for many area youth to try the sport.
"It was fun, I've never done it before but it was fun," said Max Collins, a fourth-grade student from Courtade Elementary School. "You have to make sure you are on a rock [with your feet] and also make sure your hands don't slip."
Collins and 12 others from Boy Scout Troop 115, which is based at Courtade Elementary School, attended the event. Two other Boy Scout troops also stopped by for an hour of climbing, the three groups competing for a first place prize of a tent for the most feet climbed. The winner was Troop 131 from Suttons Bay, whose six climbers racked up 1,850 vertical feet in an hour.
"This year we really did a lot of outreach to scouts," Thomas noted. "It's a great opportunity for them to try climbing."
Lauren Grunow, 7, of Traverse City was a confident climber who had previously climbed a 60-foot wall at a facility near Detroit. After one of her ascents to the top of GT Rock's wall, Grunow noted that the sport was both fun and easy.
"Hands are important," she said of her technique. "When you use them it is easier to climb up."
This year's climb-a-thon featured more climbers who were younger and new to the sport. This is a contrast to the last two years that drew more older, often high school age climbers.
The youth and inexperience of this year's climbers accounted for the drop in the total number of feet climbed from last year's high of 58,000 feet. Often times, the younger kids took longer to climb the 30 feet or scaled only half or three quarters of the wall, though these fractions were duly counted.
"We had more little kids so they didn't log quite as many vertical feet," Thomas said, who was pleased nevertheless to have newcomers try the wall. "The 58,000 that we had last year was monstrous."
The money raised will benefit area rivers through the Conservation Resource Alliance's River Care program. The goal of this program is to engage young people in the care and stewardship of area rivers, harnessing their energy and enthusiasm to make positive environmental changes.
"The River Care program supports River Care Kids, which in turn supports river restoration and habitat improvement projects throughout northern Michigan," Thomas said.
For more information on the Conservation Resource Alliance and its River Care and River Care Kids programs, visit their website at www.rivercare.org