Rock climbing in the High Country

Rising Above

Rock climbing in the High Country

BY LUKE BARBER

Elevate to a new level this summer with a family-friendly guided tour of some of the most astounding rock climbing destinations in the High Country with Rock Dimensions. Based in Boone, Rock Dimensions leads rock climbing excursions that can be enjoyed by the whole family and each trip is specially tailored to the group’s skill level. From the most ardent adventurer to the blossoming beginner, Rock Dimensions will surely take your summer adventure to new heights.

Rock Dimension’s team of outdoor guides is made up of a group of seasoned professionals who have a passion for climbing and are Professional Climbing Instructors Association certified. Instructors such as Rock Dimension’s founder Ryan Beasley have years and, in some cases, decades of rock climbing experience.

“We’ve taken kids as young as 5 to 6 years old rock climbing, and we set up climbs that people can be successful on. We take beginning climbers all the time. A big part of our business is taking first time climbers or even people who are familiar with the area to learn the area,” Beasley said.

Beasley and Rock Dimension’s instructors have a bevy of climbing destinations whose rocky surfaces they know like the back of their hands. Among these sites are trips that are suitable for either half-day or full-day adventures. Beasley said that half-day trips usually take place at climbing sites close to Boone, while full-day

SEE CLIMBING ON PAGE 76 PHOTO COURTESY ROCK DIMENSIONS Ropes and safety equipment are a necessary part of having a fun, safe day rock climbing.

and Climbing Gear Shop

BOONE • BLOWING ROCK, NC

Climbing, Rappelling & Caving

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 75

excursions include a hike into a larger climbing area that allows the adventurers to fully immerse in nature.

Rock Dimensions takes groups into climbing locations such as the Wilson Creek area, Rocky Face Park, Pilot Mountain State Park and Crowders Mountain State Park. Other trips include caving and bouldering in eastern Tennessee, or if true beginners really want to get their senses tingling, Rock Dimensions takes groups to the Discovery Course in Blowing Rock and the company has its own climbing wall at its offices off Depot Street in downtown Boone.

“We’re setting climbs up that people can be successful at,” Beasley said. “We don’t want people to struggle and have a hard time. We want them to have a good time and make it the top and feel accomplished.”

While some say that the most experienced climbing communities have their own secret climbing locations hidden with the deep forests of Appalachia, there is no denying the popularity and the challenges that the Linville Gorge presents to climbers who really want to test their abilities.

Known as the Grand Canyon of North Carolina, the Linville Gorge is renowned among rock climbers across the world. The 11,000-acre wilderness area maintained by the United States Forest Service drops 2,000 feet from its highest rim down to the Linville River. The gorge possesses an abundance of bouldering

POPULAR ROCK CLIMBING DESTINATIONS

• Linville Gorge • Wilson Creek • Rocky Face Park • Pilot Mountain State Park • Crowders Mountain State Park

Additional Climbing Companies:

• Center 45, Boone NC • Edge of the World, Banner Elk NC

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ROCK DIMENSIONS Hanging off the edge of a cliffside can provide unmatched views.

and climbing edifices that are tucked away within the halls of rhododendron.

Before you set off on your climbing journey, Rock Dimensions can ensure that your adventure is a safe one. Helmets, harnesses, ropes, climbing chalk, carabiners, climbing shoes, belay devices and anchoring equipment are all required safety instruments in order to scale the mountainsides without injury and have a memorable experience with your family and friends.

“(Rock climbing) to me is about going out with my friends, hanging out and just having a good day. I enjoy going out and hanging out with people and that’s a big part of it, the characters and people you meet and the friendships you make while rock climbing,” Beasley said.

Trips with Rock Dimensions are private, and the company does not mix individuals or other groups of people together. The staff will be wearing face coverings and have additional cleaning and sanitation procedures for participant gear. Rock Dimensions is asking its participants to wear face coverings, and has face coverings available for purchase.

Rock Dimensions will be guiding families and other small intact groups on adventures through the summer. To learn more about what Rock Dimensions is doing to keep fellow adventurers safe, or to schedule your next adventure, call (828) 265-3544 or click to rockdimensions.com.