The Sunnyvale Sun

Cover Story

Photograph by Mark Tantrum

Martin White, left, checks the climbing harness of his son, Adrian, 12, while Chris Wey and his daughter, Priscilla, 9, also get ready to climb. Christine Wey, right, helps check out her daughterÕs harness.

On the Rocks

Climbing enthusiasts get a heightened workout page

By Erin Hussey

Jon Madsen was introduced to rock climbing as a college student in Illinois.

"One of the guys who lived across from me in the dorms was into climbing and suggested I go try it," says Madsen. "After that point I was addicted."

Eleven years later, Madsen, a Sunnyvale resident, still climbs both indoors and outdoors. His longest climb was more than 800 feet in Colorado.

His story is similar to the hundreds of other Bay Area members of Planet Granite Sunnyvale. They just can't seem to get enough of a fun, full-body workout.

"We've got kids in here from 8 years old to college age to working professionals," says Renee DeAngelis, general manager at PG Sunnyvale and PG Belmont.

The sport of indoor climbing emerged in the late 1980s when outdoor rock climbers began focusing more on harder, individual moves on shorter routes versus team climbs of mountains.

"It tones and strengthens your whole body--from your core and your legs to your arms. It's not just about upper body strength," says DeAngelis. "It's a great form of exercise where you really don't feel like you're exercising because it's fun and it's challenging."

PG Sunnyvale, which is located on Stewart Drive, opened a little more than a year ago. The 25,000-square-foot facility offers 119 top rope routes reaching up to 60 feet high, more than 20 realistic hand-carved cracks as well as indoor and outdoor bouldering areas.

The highest point on a bouldering climb is 15 feet, high enough to be challenging, but low enough for climbers to jump down safely.

"Bouldering is climbing without a rope because you are only going so high," DeAngelis explains. "Bouldering is also more of a social thing because there is a lot of sitting and waiting and cheering people on."

Comparable to the different bouldering levels, the tall climbing structures are geared to almost every skill level, from the beginner to someone like Madsen.

"I would say it's probably one of the top two gyms I have climbed in," says Madsen, who used to be a climbing instructor in Illinois and has climbed in close to 20 gyms throughout the United States.

In order to climb the tall structures, every climber must tie into a rope and have a partner on the ground managing it.

A well-functioning belay is essential to safe climbs. Manipulated by the person on the floor, the winch-like device tenses the rope as climbers make their way up a route and puts slack in it as the climber descends. Learning how to belay is a beginning climber's first task.

"We offer what we call BRC, or beginner rock climbing courses for the person who knows nothing about climbing," says DeAngelis. The four-week course includes a membership and costs $129.

"You do some rope climbing; you learn the terminology and lingo and meet other people who are at the same level as you," she says.

Rock climbing grades of difficulty are based on the Yosemite Decimal System. The numerical system divides all hikes and climbs into five classes, with No. 5 being technical climbing.

"A beginning climber will come in and climb a 5.7 the first night," says DeAngelis. To keep things challenging the climbing routes on the walls are changed every eight weeks.

"Then they start to progress to 5.8 fairly easily, then they are psyched about getting their first 5.9. Getting up into the 5.10s is when you need more technique."

Judy Shu has been a member at PG Sunnyvale for four months and remembers the time she conquered her first 5.9.

"The second night when I was up on the highest wall, I got really scared," she says. "I was afraid of heights and didn't want to look down, but I forced myself to conquer that fear and I did it."

Today Shu and her co-workers Asami Kasuya, climb twice a week during lunch.

Shu's fear of heights is a common one. DeAngelis says that many climbers start to climb because of their fear of heights.

In addition to overcoming her initial fears, Shu says climbing has helped shape her both physically and mentally.

"My legs and arms are more toned, but I've also noticed that I find balance through climbing," she says. "And that helps makes my busy life more peaceful."

Madsen also notes how climbing or exercising at lunch helps him focus.

"I try to climb or exercise at lunch because I find that in the afternoon after I have exercised, I can focus on my work better and I am more productive.''

PG Sunnyvale also features a fully equipped 5,000-square-foot fitness area complete with cardio machines and weights, a large yoga studio and an indoor cycling room.

"We've opened it up so people who just want to join a gym and like the atmosphere can, even if they do not climb," says DeAngelis.

PG is also a CrossFit affiliate and offers the high intensity, trainer-led workouts two to three days per week.

PG Sunnyvale and Belmont are two of the only climbing locations that also offer the gym, yoga and indoor cycling amenities.

"Whether it be bouldering or CrossFit or a group of women climbers, we as a company try to promote a sense of community here," says DeAngelis.

For more information on Planet Granite, visit www.planetgranite.com or call 408.991.9090.