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Online Viewing Quiz
- True or False? Prior to starting their rock climbing adventure, the Daulkemper family received no formal instruction.
- Can you name the first piece of safety equipment the family received?
- Why did the climbing specialist instruct the family to place their helmets on the ground like a "happy turtle" or flat side down?
- While rock climbing, why is it important to avoid stepping on the ropes?
- True or False? If you kick a rock while climbing, you should always yell, "Look out below!"
- By doubling back the waist buckle on the safety harness, a rock climber can increase the weight the harness will hold by:
- 5 times
- 10 times
- 20 times
Answers
Show/Hide
- False, the family attended "climbing school" where they received information on safety, climbing moves and equipment.
- A helmet.
- To prevent the helmet from rolling away, it is best to place it on the ground flat side down.
- Rock climbers avoid stepping on the ropes because the dirt can get ground into the rope fibers and will eventually cut the rope.
- False, if you kick a rock or knock a rock loose while climbing, you should yell "rock" to warn the other climbers below you.
- A rock climber can increase the weight the harness will hold by 10 times - b.
History
PA Academic Standards - 8.1.3 C & D
The sport of rock climbing has a unique history. Stories of danger, adventure and some mystery are as much a part of the sport as the mountains being climbed. It is fitting that one of the biggest mysteries happened on the world's biggest mountain. A school teacher named George Mallory visited Mount Everest in 1921 and from that day on he decided that he would climb to its peak. Several attempts were made and due to bad weather, the expeditions always had to turn back. George Mallory was once asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, and he replied simply, "Because it's there." On his final attempt at reaching Mount Everest's peak George Mallory and his climbing partner Andrew Irvine met disaster and were never seen alive again. Using the Internet, do a search for information on George Mallory and Mount Everest. See if you can answer the following questions. Try to determine if the information you are reading is fact or opinion. Are there different points of view on the subject of George Mallory's expedition and his death?
- Has it ever been determined if George Mallory reached the peak of Mount Everest?
- How do historians believe Mallory and Irvin died?
- Were Mallory's and Irvin's bodies ever found?
- Did climbers ever find Mallory's camera?
History Extra!
If you like being a historical detective, here's a fun subject to research. Do you know the difference between facts, folklore and fiction? Have you ever heard of the legendary Yeti of the Himalayas? This half ape-half man is supposed to live on the slopes of Mount Everest. See if you can find any information on the Yeti and you decide if it is fact, folklore or fiction. Good luck!
Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening
PA Academic Standards - 1.1.3 F
Every sport has its own "language". And every time you learn about a new activity, there are usually new words that are unfamiliar to you. By learning the new words used in the activity, you will be able to better understand the activity. The following quiz uses some of the rock climbing terms you may not know. See if you can match the definition to the correct word.
- Ropes used to tie climbers to each other and to safety anchors.
- The return climb down a mountain or rock face.
- Specialized climbing equipment such as bolts, chalk, and ropes.
- A low angled relatively smooth sheet of rock.
- The climb up a mountain or rock face.
- The highest point or top of a mountain.
- A steep flat expanse of rock.
- Used to keep climbers hands dry so they can maintain a strong grip on the ropes.
- A rod that is banged into the rock on a mountain face, so a climber's safety ropes can be attached to it to prevent him or her from falling.
- chalk
- gear
- face
- safety line
- slab
- assent
- bolt
- descent
- peak or summit
Answers
Show/Hide
- chalk = 8
- gear= 3
- face= 7
- safety line =1
- slab = 4
- assent = 5
- bolt = 9
- descent = 2
- peak or summit = 6
Now see if you can write a short story or poem about kids your age going on a rock climbing adventure. Don't forget to use the new vocabulary you just learned in your story or poem.
Geography
PA Academic Standards - 7.1.3 B
The world's highest mountains have always fascinated people. Ancient civilizations believed their snow-capped peaks were the homes of gods. Only in the last century have the highest peaks been explored and climbed. See if you can answer the following questions about the world's tallest mountain and some rock climbing locations closer to home. Use the Internet, a world map and your geography textbook to locate the answers.
- Can you name the world's tallest mountain?
- How many feet above sea level is the world's tallest mountain?
- Can you name the mountain range that contains the world's tallest mountain?
- Can you name the continent this mountain range runs across?
- How long is this mountain range?
- Can you name some rock climbing locations in North America?
Answers
Show/Hide
- Mount Everest
- 29,050 feet above sea level
- Mount Everest is part of the Himalayas.
- The Himalayas run across the continent of Asia.
- The Himalayas mountain range is 1,500 miles long.
- North American rock climbing locations:
Canada:
- Squamish, British Columbia
- Bow Valley, Alberta
- Lake Louise, Alberta
- Niagara Escarpment, Ontario
- Rattlesnake Point, Ontario
- Lion's Head, Ontario
United States:
- Yosemite Valley, CA
- Red Rocks, NV
- Joshua Tree, CA
- Hueco Tanks, TX
- Boulder, CO
- Devil's Tower, WY
- Smith Rock, OR
- The Needles, SD
- Palisades Head, MN
- Barn Bluff, MN
- Devil's Lake, WI
- Shawangunks, NY
- New River Gorge, WV
- Red River Gorge, KY
- Chattanooga, TN
- Sand Rock, AL
Health, Safety & Physical Education
PA Academic Standards - 10.3.3 A, D & E
You may be too young to set off on a rock climbing adventure on your own, but there are still many ways that you can experience the thrill of rock climbing. Indoor climbing walls are very popular and available at over 1,000 locations in the United States. Also, traveling rock walls can be a fun challenge for the youngest climbers. Before you head off to the gym or local fair, here are some climbing moves to keep in mind. The experts stress the fact that rock climbing is more about the movements and less about body strength. Once you have practiced the basic climbing movements, you will be able to develop your personal climbing style and strategy. The Four Movement Principles were taken from Rock Climbing by Phil Watts copyright 1996 Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
The Four Movement Principles
- Maintain three points of contact with the rock whenever possible. This will maximize your balance and stability, like a tripod steadies a camera. On easier climbs this will be a simple matter of moving one foot or hand at a time. However, on difficult routes, some handholds, or footholds may be absent, and you will be forced to get by with less than three-point contact.
- Balance over your feet. Since the legs are normally stronger than the arms, you should position yourself with as much weight as possible over your feet. This will minimize the forces on your arms. Look around constantly for footholds, and concentrate on positioning your body to maximize your weight over your feet.
- Learn to sense your weight transfer from contact point to contact point during movements. Beginner climbers often speak of "fighting gravity" - a limiting misconception. Learn to use gravity. It is the source of friction that keeps you on the rock. As you move, your weight is transferred from hold to hold. As you learn to feel this, you will be able to anticipate how gravity will pull you onto or into your next hold.
- Learn to rest without coming down. Fatigue causes many climbers to fall. Learning to rest on the rock will help you resist fatigue and enable you to climb longer. When holding onto a rock, see how much you can relax your grip without coming off. Try different body positions and combinations of holds to find the best rest every few moves. Keep breathing. Climbing should be as aerobic as you can make it.
Learn Even More About Rock Climbing
Rock climbing web sites:
Archive of Rock Climbing Moves and Tips
International Council for Competition Climbing
Resources Used
Danger on the Mountain, Scaling the World's Highest Peaks by Andrew Donkin copyright 2001, Dorling Kindersley Publishing Company.
Rock Climbing by Phil Watts copyright 1996, Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
Rock Climbing, Tools and Technique by Michael Benge and Duane Raleigh copyright 1995, Elk Mountain Press.
Sport Climbing by John Nichols copyright 2002 Steck-Vaughn Company.
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