by Xochitl Campos
Daily Lobo
Rock climbing is an addictive sport from the get-go, a member of UNM's Mountaineering Club said.
"I joined last semester and then fell in love," student Cody Eilar said.
Eilar and about 15 members of the club met Sunday at the Frontier Restaurant before departing for Tijeras Canyon to learn roping techniques.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Rock climbing can be intimidating, so the club trains novice climbers to make it more comfortable, member Reuben Gershin said.
"We try to create a baseline for beginning climbers," Gershin said. "I think we do a good job. The first trip of the year we go somewhere that is very ego-boosting."
Many of the club members are inexperienced climbers who join to learn more about the sport, he said.
"The only prerequisite for climbing is to love the outdoors and want to do something fun," Gershin said.
The club chooses climbing locations to fit the skill level of its members, he said.
Gershin, who has been in the club for six years, said he trains members in a number of climbing styles and rescue techniques.
A climber must qualify in several areas, such as rope systems and knot-tying, Gershin said.
"When things go wrong, they go spectacularly wrong," he said. "But when that happens, you can always trace it back to someone doing something stupid."
Members must pass a test before participating in more demanding climbs, Gershin said.
"The tests are incredibly reasonable, but they also show who is going to kill themselves," he said.
Climbing can be relaxing, but it's safe only if the climber is cautious, Gershin said.
"Climbing is only safe if you keep it reasonable," he said. "But what is reasonable for me isn't reasonable for someone else."
Jason Mills, a new member, said the club activities are on pace with his skill level.
"I don't know enough to go on a massive trip," he said. "But I know enough to feel comfortable with the club and doing the stuff that we're doing."
It's not uncommon to get a few cuts and bruises when you're in the outdoors, Mills said.
"I wouldn't feel right if I didn't come back a little bashed," he said.
No one in the club has been seriously injured, Gershin said.
"When you are teaching beginners, it isn't good to take them out to anything too crazy," Gershin said. "If something goes wrong, you have to have the skills to know how to get out of that."
The club meets biweekly to plan trips, said Aaron Gonzales, the club's president.
The club allows students to learn the sport for a small price, Gonzales said.
Club members pay $25 per semester, which covers trips, equipment and a discounted membership to a climbing gym.
"That is probably why a lot of people come out," he said. "It is really expensive for college students."
