Have you ever watched a movie that featured a group of adventurous rock climbers racing to save someone, reach the pinnacle of the mountain or seen the climber make a death defying leap across frozen glaciers?
The sensationalism of rock climbing has made interesting fodder for several interesting movies and has more than likely caused many individuals to take up the sport. Climbing mountain cliffs just seems to be the right sport for adrenaline junkies.
As with many sports, rock climbing was born from necessity. The world was not always a carefully mapped out plane upon paper. It was discovered by brave pioneers desiring adventure and a life on the edge.
These early explorers would have been considered "extreme" enthusiasts. They did not wish to idly prance upon a pony or play within the comforts of their own front lawn. These adventurous men and some women wanted to conquer impossible peaks and create new trails through a vast wilderness.
There really is not an accurate time frame for the earliest rock climbers. There are pictograph’s describing ancient societies climbing rocks. Anasazi Indian tribes in North America were cliff dwellers. Rock climbing for them must have been a necessity in order to reach their dwellings.
There are other examples where individuals were used as a mountain guide to help explorers get through mountain passes that were impossible or would have taken too long to trek around.
Many lives can be attributed to being saved by a person experienced in rock climbing. Travelers or hikers who found themselves in danger, likely only had rescue personnel to save them from a life or death predicament. If not for the alpine climbing rescue personnel, such as those found in the Swiss Alps, then many explorers probably would not have accomplished their tremendous strides.
Rock climbing is not for the faint of heart. It does involve heights and it is not a sport that those who are not in shape can participate in, due to the amount of physical strength and stamina needed. But the rewards can be many. It is you pushing your muscles, mind and spirit on to new heights. Completing courses and putting yourself in a competition against nature can be the reward of a lifetime.
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