Life From Above
Rock climbing is considered to be one of the most 1dangerous sports in the world. There are few other activities where your life is on the line as you rely on your tools and human instincts, but for 18-year-old Peter McBride, this doesn’t seem to be an issue. McBride has been rock climbing for two years, and has grown to love the sport by pushing it’s limits. McBride has climbed at nearly every spot in San Luis Obispo and is trying to increase his skills to climb around the country.
“I really enjoy how physically and mentally demanding the sport is.” McBride said. “You have to be strong, but you also have to be creative in the way you move up the wall. You can't just use your brute force to get up hard climbs. You have to think and strategize on ways you move your body up the climb.”
The strategy behind rock climbing can be more than just a brainteaser when you’re thousands of feet up. McBride points out that your next move on a wall is the difference between making it to the top, or a one-way ticket down. Above McBride climbs the side of the famous Bishops Peak in San Luis Obispo with his sister as the "belayer" looking on for saftey.
“In outdoor climbing you are trusting your life to your equipment and your knowledge.” McBride said. “If you fall, you are trusting your gear to catch you and save your life.”
McBride says that he has never had any serious injuries in his time as a climber other than cuts and bruises on his hands and knees, and says that he has his belayers to thank for that. Luckily for him, Rockclimbing has a 40 percent injury rate for climbers in their first year according to Climbing.com.
Most Climbers will not only rely on their gear, but a belayer (another climber) who is the counter weight if the top climber ends up falling. Most new climbers will have a belayer along with them for help. Above McBride climbs on has his sister acts as the belayor below with the green rope strapped around his waist.
“The belayer is your lifeline. If the belayer isn't paying attention or they drop the rope, the climber can fall and get seriously injured or die.” McBride said. “So every time you climb you trust your belayer to catch you and possibly save your life.”
Regardless of the dangers of the sport, there are a number of reasons that these adrenaline junkies continue to go back to the mountain for more. One of which is the variety of ways that climbing can be done.
“Most sports have a set way of doing things, but rock climbing is limitless. You can do things completely different than the way everyone else does. McBride said. “You could climb the same route 100 different ways if you wanted to, and everyone has his or her own unique style.”
Even though McBride has only been climbing for a couple of years, he says that he plans to continue to find new ways to build his strengths so he can one day climb El Captain at Yosemite National Park.