Old Bill's 2020: A Summer of New Achievements
This summer, 50 middle school kids learned to rock climb at Coombs Summer Camp thanks to the team at The Mountain Guides. Groups hiked into a crag in Curtis Canyon to learn basic rope skills and get comfortable on top rope. Many of the kids were nervous, so Valentina (11) - who had been to the climbing gym in Driggs - stepped up to be the first to try and show the other kids that they could do it. After topping out, she took on a leadership role while encouraging some of the more apprehensive kids to try.
“I was really nervous at first because I’d never tried it and thought I wasn’t going to be able to do it," said Daniel (11). "But as soon as I was climbing my nerves and fear went away and I felt so confident. Afterwards I couldn’t believe what I had done!”
“I was really nervous at first because I’d never tried it and thought I wasn’t going to be able to do it. But as soon as I was climbing my nerves and fear went away and I felt so confident. Afterwards I couldn’t believe what I had done!”
The guides set up three top ropes and kids practiced climbing the routes a few more times to see how high they could get. Valentina jumped at the chance to learn more and was the first kid to belay another climber, as well as learning to coil the rope on her own.
Climbing this summer was a great way for kids to push themselves in a comfortable setting and learn that they can accomplish far more than they realize!
An Old Bill's gift to Coombs Outdoors gives local kids the opportunity to participate in year-round outdoor activities that help them realize what they are truly capable of.
