Picture yourself clinging precariously to an over-hanging wall. Nothing for your groping fingers to grasp but a whisper of a ledge. Nothing protecting you from the menacing suction of gravity but a string of nylon rope, only an inch in diameter. Sure it sounds like something reserved for the extreme of heart or Sylvester Stalone characters, but guess what, you can do it too. It’s called rock climbing, and it’s available to all at Pyramids Climbing Gym, little more than 3 miles from campus.

Pyramids has a 32-foot ceiling and a myriad of climbing routes, which are changed regularly. They also have a bouldering cave and a sport wall for the more experienced climbers.

Rock climbing is considered to be an extreme sport. However, climbing gyms offer a safe and controlled environment for people of all athletic abilities to give it a go. And the climbing routes range from beginner to expert in skill level.

Climbing gym manager Josh Cates said, “We have kids as young as five come here to climb, as well as seasoned expert climbers. The climbing gym setup allows people with little experience to rock climb safely, while still giving them the exhilarating experience that the sport offers.”

Some students at Guilford are already taking advantage of the climbing gym. Junior Lizzy Gillespie said, “I discovered the climbing gym my freshman year and have been hooked ever since. I was a climber before I came to Guilford, but the accessibility of the gym made it really convenient. Climbing is like trying to solve a puzzle with your whole body.”

If you are a student who is interested in learning more about rock climbing, you can enroll in Guilford’s rock climbing class. This class is taught every semester out of Pyramids Climbing Gym. In the class you learn fundamental climbing techniques, climbing knots, belay skills, and more.

So why not give it a try? It’s probably something that you’ve always wanted to do anyway. It’s safe, it’s fun, it’s a great way to get into shape, and it’s half-off the first time you climb at Pyramids Climbing Gym (665-0662). So get out there and crank some rad.