At the start of 2022 I had no idea that this year would hold a whole new passion that I could share with my son.
It all started when my sister decided to spoil my 16 year old son to a day of indoor climbing at a venue called CityRock here in Cape Town for his birthday in December. Well that was it! He was hooked and wanted to go back. We had booked a road trip and multiday coastal hike from Chriatmas until early January 2022 so there was no chance of climbing again until we got back.
My son climbing at CityRock
The same week that we arrived back in Cape Town we were all enlisted to be my sons drivers to get to CityRock. Luckily they were having a start of year special with no joining fee and we were again convinced to sign him up. The fee wasn’t too expensive considering that he would be allowed in the climbing gym anytime he liked. BUT we live an hour away! This because a whole new commitment and adventure for the two of us as my husband works full time and I’m the mom-taxi.
Since mid-January my son has excelled at climbing and is doing extremely well for such a new climber.
For the first couple months I would sit and blog or crochet and keep busy while he climbed and my dad tagged along to belay Seth (my son). But I started to get bored and decided that I could belay him too. So I did the belay certification. Not too hard. Then two months later Seth said that he wanted a chance to belay which meant that I had to climb! Well I did my top rope certification and then Seth could belay me on the climbing walls.
It’s been an interesting journey of building a lot more strength into my upper body. I’m generally fit, hiking regularly and doing bootcamp midweek, but this is a whole new level of finger, wrist, forearm and shoulder strength.
Initially I could only climb the easy grade 15 walls that most kids can climb. Then I progressed to 16’s. And then 17’s each gaining in difficulty.
Now I’m trying grade 18’s and finding the 17’s doable.
To top it off, last week we did our first out door mountain climb on the slopes of Table Mountain Nature reserve on an area called Lower Silvermine. What an adventure!!!!
Me on a grade 16 wall
Seth on a grade 22 wall
We had a wonderful group of experienced climbers to literally show us the ropes and guide us up the climbs. And I love that it now combines my love of hiking the mountains with my new passion of climbing. I don’t think it gets better than this.
I’m so excited to see how we progress this year. We are an awesome climbing team and I love that I get to spend so much time with my son.
All photos my own!
Did you know we have a rock community on hive.
This looks so cool. I might wanna try that ramp we have in town , or should I say wall.
Well I enjoyed this blog very much I never read one on hive before
Cool! I've always wanted to rock climb!
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You are a truly adventurous woman, congratulations and I would like to join you one day in your adventures.
It’s so much fun as long as you’re not scared of heights 😜
When my kids were younger I signed my kids up for a bit of indoor climbing at a local facility. It was an adrenaline pumping experience but my kids never continued this , there are always other activities, and I'm getting past my prime.
Thanks for sharing and watch that step @zo3d ❤️
Kids seem to excel at climbing. They’re nimble and their strength to weight ratio is usually in their favour. My so. Has that perfect skinny long climbing physique. I, on the other hand, have to work a whole lot harder, but it’s so worth it!
wow climbing is an incredible activity, it demands a great effort but that looks so much fun, I hope one day I can try it
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Thanks! There are climbing gyms all over the world. And it makes a wonderful day outing and adventure. It’s so good to try something new because you never know if you might just love it!
Es agradable que por medio de tu hijo, has descubierto una nueva pasión, la cual te acerca cada vez más a tu hijo, ya que comparten un gusto común y además te ayuda a tonificar y mantenerte en excelente condiciones, yo amo el senderismo, aunque por motivos laborales, me ha alejado del contacto con las montañas, pero debe ser una experiencia sensacional escalar en una. Te deseo suerte en el concurso. Bendiciones🙏🏼⛰🧗🏽♀️💐🌺💖
Hi! Yes it’s been wonderful! I have a few multiday hikes lined up for the rest of this year and I’ll be climbing twice a week with my son. So hopefully it will keep me fit enough for my other adventures in the mountains. It is so good to get out into nature, even if it’s just for a morning hike. You should get out again soon!
Espero volver hacerlo, que te vaya muy bien en tus aventuras, se sienten muy emocionantes. Bendiciones 🙏🏼💖🚵🏻♀️🌺💐
Looks like fun!
Oh it is! Yesterday I tried three grade 18 climbs and I managed to finish 1 of them 😜. But the exhilaration when I made it to the top of that one
Climb was AWESOME!
Wow.
This is such an adventure, must be fun.
I've been wanting to do something like this for the longest time, I hope I get to do it one day.
This is one of the activities that I can't even imagine doing, you have to have a lot of strength in your legs and arms, and have your head very focused to make each movement, I admire you friend! I would like to see some video of you climbing!
!lady