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‘Climb On’ Everything, Adventure Areas Part 4

The Summit has big plans for big rocks.

We’re talking about the Adventure Area for climbing at the 2013 National Scout Jamboree, aka the Climbing Cove.

Here, you can boulder, climb, rappel, and pretty much bounce off the walls (not literally) when you visit for the 2013 National Scout Jamboree.

Designed by Eldorado Climbing Walls, who are kind of like the Michelangelos of the climbing wall world – capable of mimicking any rock found in nature – the climbing walls at the Summit will replicate the rock climbing found locally in the New River Gorge.

What the Stuff You Will Climb On Actually Is

It’s called SHOTRock, and it is created from reinforced concrete that will be hand sculpted (!) to mimic the surrounding sandstone of the New River Gorge.

“If you’re going to build a wall, you don’t do it without consulting these guys,” said Tom Wagner, the action sports development director for Trinity Works, referring to Eldorado Climbing Walls.

“They know how to take a climbing wall and manufacture it so it has the look, touch, and feel of the real deal.”

Really?

“Yes, really. But in a way, it’s better, because they can make route after route after route, all in the same spot.”

[pullquote]“They know how to take a climbing wall and manufacture it so it has the look, touch, and feel of the real deal.” – Tom Wagner[/pullquote]

The Big Question

So, are manufactured climbing surfaces better than natural climbing surfaces?

Nope.

But are they better for what we’re doing at the 2013 Jamboree and beyond out at the Summit, where the goal is lots of time and variety on rope and otherwise?

Absolutely, positively, 100 percent, unequivocally yep.

What Does It All Mean?

It all means tons more climbing.

Think about this: How many natural-rock crags can offer the variety, skill levels, and number of routes needed by … oh, say … 40,000+ Scouts and Venturers in 10 days?

Precisely none.

And there’s so much that you don’t have to wait, really.

The point is, the Summit will provide an exceptional climbing experience for the highest possible number of Scouts and Venturers.

Meaning, there are walls like climbing gyms with handholds bolted on, and there are walls that are like natural rock where the handholds are part of the wall, and there’s bouldering, and there’s rappelling, and there’s …

We’ll, that’s it, actually.

But that’s a lot!

Will There Be All Levels of Instruction?

Yes!

Cool!

Isn’t it?

So, what do *you* think about what we’re doing at the Climbing Cove? Let us know in the comments.

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