The idea of climbing is daunting. Playing Spiderman as a mortal layman whose reality is not a green screen production playing Spiderman comes with both falls and exhaustion. Both indoors and outdoors climbing are not without risks. That being said, the accessibility and reward of this sport are often unfairly overshadowed by the physical and mental hurdles imposed unto it. The goal of this article is to allow you to realize, if you have not already, that you can climb—and that it is easier, and perhaps more exciting, than you think.
I spent much of my childhood on a sandy strip that doubled as one of Hong Kong’s many beaches. My parents and I lived in the deep-sea area, where surfers would hover above shimmering blues every morning. My school was down the strip, in the shallow-sea area, where swimmers sliced through the water as families lay under umbrellas nearby. Though cliffs of limestone lined almost every road in sight, I never thought any of it could be scoured or explored. I viewed them as little more than a wall between home and the forested terrain in which snakes and other wildlife resided. I thought highly of the water and the sand, but never did I see the rocks as a means of recreation.
When I returned to Canada in grade two, I suffered a long scratch down the front of my ribcage. I was climbing a pine tree after school when a classmate’s shoe fell from a branch above and landed on my shoulder. My father was horrified, declaring I ought to play safer sports—like tag and basketball. Many years later, however, it was he who would shuttle me to and from a rock-climbing gym near my high school.
I was never good at bouldering, a type of indoor climbing that requires no harness. Without the upper body strength to attach my limbs to the plastic pebbles locked into steep overhangs, I floundered at the sport despite my best effort. When my dad watched, I always made sure to boulder easier routes on vertical planes, hoping to put up an impressive show of grace and dexterity. The best climbers make each route look easy, making controlled and intentional movements by means of strategy and sheer strength.
But if you prefer to exercise balance and to rely more heavily on your legs instead of explosive power and an emphasis on the arms, then top-rope climbing is likely a better fit for you—as it has been for me. A harness is required, as the walls are higher. Climbing partners are not necessary at gyms with auto-belay devices; once you are tethered to the rope of the device, any fall you make will be steadied by a slow descent. That being said, not all climbing routes have these devices, so having a belaying partner is helpful for gaining access to a more diverse set of routes (with varying difficulties), as well as for the sake of socializing.
Climbing is just as great of a way to meet new people (climbers often chat about routes on the mats) as it is a way to learn more about yourself. The completion of each route demands literal leaps of faith from hold to hold. Risks and triumph are rewarded with progress, and climbing is a sport in which you are likely to see steady returns on your investment in practice. There is something intrinsically rewarding about a sport that is this meritocratic and removed from external factors.
There are numerous climbing gyms in Toronto that you can visit, each with a variety of routes for beginners. My favorite is the Rock Oasis on Dundas and Carlaw: a twenty minute TTC ride from campus. The gym has eight auto-belay devices and an extremely hospitable environment. Due to COVID-related concerns, shoe and harness rentals are not available at the moment. That being said, shoes can start at around $95 at Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), and harnesses typically range between $45 and $75. Day passes for students hover around $18 at most gyms.
Another gym that I used to frequent is Boulderz in the Annex. Though this location offers only bouldering options, the space is excellent for beginners to decide which climbing style they prefer. Boulder Parc, Toronto’s newest climbing gym, is also another excellent option for boulder climbing in Scarborough.
A math professor once told me frankly that it is always a bad idea to depend on other people. Climbing is a sport that can be solitary, requiring no arrangements in advance for meeting up—and therefore, no dread of so-and-so inevitably flaking. It is also a sport that allows you to take risks without infringing on the success of anyone else. You are free to take breaks and to try new techniques without impeding any teammate’s performance or experience. The agency ascribed to climbing, when paired with its accessibility, makes it an ideal sport for urbanites with varying degrees of athleticism.
I have always been fond of climbing, though I never thought myself very good. I keep climbing not in aspiration of any goal, but just to enjoy the experience of moving from one hold to another. When I climb, I think about each move and, on occasion, the fond memories I have made climbing with friends, under the watchful eye of my dad, growing up.
In truth, I rediscovered climbing after meeting someone new. He loved climbing so much; I thought I could discover the magnificent wonder he felt if I, too, started doing what he did. When I revisited the gym, I realized that I once felt the same way as I think he does now. I must have forgotten this joy amidst the hum of ordinary life. I hope you will discover this bliss that I speak of, though climbing or any other endeavor you choose.
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