The human desire to climb starts early: first on living room furniture and later on the jungle gym at the playground. It is no surprise, then, that rock climbing and bouldering are fast-growing pastimes in the Northeast. Scaling high mountains and rocky cliffs is merely an extensions of the childhood instinct to climb high
For climbing and bouldering neophytes, rock climbing generally refers to high places requiring roped protection. Bouldering refers to cli
mbing on large rocks or at the bottoms of cliffs -- low enough so that the only equipment needed is a pair of shoes and a soft pad on which to land.
"I like climbing," says guide Steve Charest of Petra Cliffs Climbing Center in Burlington Vermont, "because I enjoy being outdoors and for the adrenaline of it all." There is more, of course, than just the excitement. Pressing your body close to a limestone or granite crag, you see, feel -- even hug -- every crack, bulge, and contour along the way. Rock climbing is an opportunity to intimately experience the landscape inch-by-inch and handhold-by-handhold.
In addition, the safety aspects of climbing and bouldering require thought, attention, and know-how. "It really makes you think," says Charest. This is why most newcomers learn first from professionals -- often starting indoors before tackling the real thing. Rock climbing gyms are perfect for learning and training because of their accessibility and variety -- and because anchors and ropes are already set up. Most gyms offer instruction for all abilities and ages.
While New Hamspire and Maine feature world-reknowned climbing destinations like Acadia and North Conway, Charest describes Vermont climbing spots as more "under the radar." The more famous areas are well-documented in climbing guidebooks, while off the beaten path means less crowded and less developed. And there are still routes and pitches yet to be discovered.
When you climb, remember to err on the side of safety, to learn from an experienced professional, and to have a "rockin'" good time!
- Mark Aiken for Vermont Living Magazine
Click on the photos above for a larger view, to find Vermont Rock Climbing locations click here.
© 2012 
