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Reaching new heights

All smiles for members of the Rock Canyon girls and boys rock climbing team.

 

Climbing clubs at Colorado high schools are reaching new heights, especially the one at Rock Canyon High School (RCHS).

In place for five years, the RCHS rock climbing team has 26 climbers, having grown from two scalers the first year to a team that is winning in competitions.

Last December, both the boys and girls division placed first (for the first time) at a competition at Movement Centennial. Sponsor and coach Tianna Pytte said, “I tell my friends that it is my happy place. I can’t think of another sport where you help everyone be the best they can be. This happens in competitions too. You will see climbers sharing data about a climb whether or not they are on the same team.”

Tianna said that climbing is not only about being strong enough, but it challenges the thought process whether it is a boulder climb (called “problems”) or a rope climb (called “routes”). “All climbs pose a series of moves that the climber needs to figure out. So, climbers need to be thinking about how to use their body to get to the top, and skill is often more important than strength,” shared Tianna.

Ahn Goins is a junior on the team who fell in love with climbing his freshman year and is now joint president of the RCHS team. He said, “The best part of climbing is the community. We encourage each other and have a lot of fun, and the joy of it is figuring out how to get to the top. When you do, and you make it, it’s exhilarating!”

The RCHS team has four girls and 11 boys who qualified for the state competition, which will be held at the end of this month at Gripstone Climbing & Fitness in Colorado Springs.

High school teams in Colorado compete in the American Scholastic Climbing League Southeast Division, a nonprofit created in 2018.

For more information on RCHS rock climbing, email tianna.pytte@dcsdk12.org.

Rock Canyon High School junior, Ahn Goins showing off his skills at a recent competition.

 

By Karen Leigh; photos courtesy of Julie Messina

CPC

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