Photograph by George Sakkestad
REI climbing instructor Robert Chang makes his way up the rock wall at the Homestead Road store.
By Lester Chang
Hanging high above the valley floor, gripping a fissure in sheer rock wall as you curl your toes around a paltry clump of stone, it's hard to stay focused on much more than just holding on.
Unless, of course, you've done this before.
Those who have the urge to climb but can't get away to the great outdoors, can practice their sport at REI Sporting Goods, where has a cliffhanger for you: two 16-foot rock walls that provide a good workout in a much more a convenient location.
"It helps me focus. Believe me, when you are out there and you have to figure out what to grab to keep going, you learn what focus really is," said Lance Colvin, an outdoor climber who views the workout at the Homestead Road store as a stress reliever. "Knowing that focus also helps me work-wise."
Once inside, climbers can make friends, talk about climbing to their heart's delight, use the latest equipment and learn about indoor and outdoor climbing from professional climbers--all while building up stamina for the real thing.
Indoor rock climbing emerged as a sport in its own right in the late 1980s. Since then, its popularity has spiraled, and there are more than half a million indoor and outdoor rock climbers in the United States, said Robert Chang, an REI rock climbing instructor and a professional outdoor rock climber for nearly 10 years.
American cities boast 35 large rock-climbing gyms built by companies throughout the world, Chang said. Rock walls range from 10 feet to 150 feet in height.
Four of the most popular local rock gyms are Planet Granite in Santa Clara, Pacific Edge in Santa Cruz, Mission Cliffs in San Francisco and City Rock in Emeryville.
One of the largest rock wall-building companies in the world, the France-based Entre Prises, installed the walls at the REI store almost a decade ago.
Hand and foot holds, fastened to the rock wall at REI by bolts, can be moved around to different spots on the wall to allow people to ascend.
Before climbers even leave the ground, though, they slide into seat harnesses, which are connected to nylon ropes that run through climbing clips called carabiners. The ropes then go through eyelet rings connected to the ceiling.
Next, the ropes pass through a belay, a sort of winch, which is held by a person on the ground.
The nylon ropes are flexible and are designed to break falls better than hemp ropes, which were commonly used in outdoor climbing for decades, Chang said.
Equally essential to safe climbs is a well-functioning belay. Manipulated by a person on the floor, the device tenses the rope as climbers make their way up indoor walls or outdoor slopes. The device also puts slack in the rope as climbers descend.
With help from Chang and Paul Wong, a Sunnyvale resident and Chang's part-time assistant, climbers learn to move up and down the wall safely and efficiently.
The REI employees make the climb more challenging by moving the hand holds and foot holds on the wall. The climb is easier when the are put closer together, more rigorous when spread farther apart.
Climbers rub powdered chalk on their hands to give them a better grip as they climb.
And if they choose, they can wear tight-fitting shoes, parts of which are made with a synthetic rubber for better footing on an indoor rock wall or the real slopes in the hills or mountains.
The likelihood of a climber falling from the rock wall at the store is slim because of the coaching and training they get before the climb and because of well-maintained equipment, Chang said.
"They do the climb in a safe environment," he said. "The climbing system here is rated up to 4,000 pounds. Things aren't likely to break. People come because they know it is all engineered and high-tech."
People should be in average condition before they venture into the sport, Chang said.
The climbers, who range from 4 to 80 years old, climb on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. The store attracts about 20 climbers a week.
Most feel comfortable doing the sport, but some newcomers have had misgivings, mainly because they fear falling, Chang said.
But time spent on the wall will help them get over their fears and build their self confidence, skills and strength, he said.
Colvin, 36, comes to the store at least once a month to help him cross train to stay in shape.
"I do skydiving, bungee jumping and bicycle riding. This is a plus," he said.
His time on the wall will help him prepare for outdoor climbs that can be dangerous if he isn't in the best possible condition, he said.
"There is this place called Goat Rock [at Castle Rock State Park in Saratoga], and you are standing on the edge of this cave," he said. "It is probably a 60-foot drop, and the cave roof is above you, and you have to climb out over the lip. It can get hairy."
Chang, who has climbed to elevations of 18,000 feet during a mountain expedition in Mexico and survived an avalanche on Mt. Shasta, said indoor climbing should be appreciated for what it is."
"It isn't going to be same as being in the outdoors," he said, "but you can enjoy both."
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, August 14, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.