When you think about rock climbing and bouldering, it may seem like an out-of-reach type of sport. Rock climbing and bouldering have grown much more over the years with institutions and businesses. With many places in the world offering rock climbing or bouldering, people have had their fair share of this niche hobby. All across Orlando, new and interesting rock climbing places have been opening up. Many of these places are close to Lake Highland too. Along with speaking about local climbing spots around Orlando, an interview with the Climbing and Fitness Club was also conducted.
Blue Swan Bouldering: Blue Swan, off of Pittman Street, has a unique and insane variety of bouldering opportunities along with a workout gym. Blue Swan also offers interesting classes like bouldering, technique, and training 101 classes. They also offer forms of yoga and other mindfulness classes. Blue Swan is also very helpful, with a very kind community open to people who are brand new to bouldering. They offer help and can give methods on how to better climb and boulder. While Blue Swan offers mainly bouldering, they also change the course every couple of weeks, and the courses that come out are always new and refreshing. Alexander Maya, LHP Grade 10, Co-president of Climbing and Fitness Club, frequents Blue Swan. When asked about the levels he climbs at he stated, “The highest v-grade climb I have climbed is v10, and I have gotten multiple v9s.” For those who may not know the lowest level a person can climb is a v0, and the highest goes to a v17. With the levels of climbing they are almost all universal whether it’s bouldering or rope climbing. When asked about what type of climbing he does he stated, “I usually do bouldering, because most of the climbing gyms in Florida are bouldering only. I sometimes do lead climbing to train for lead [climbing] competitions.” Lead climbing involves athletes attempting to climb as high as they can on a wall measuring more than 15m in height within six minutes.
Aiguille Rock Climbing Center: Aiguille has been around since 1997 and has become a staple. Recently, Aiguille has undergone some renovations to look even better than before. The facility boasts new ropes courses, free climbing areas, and bouldering, along with a new weightlifting gym. Aiguille is off of South. Ronald Reagan Boulevard; On the outside, it may look like a giant warehouse, but on the inside, it becomes this huge open room with many walls to climb. The best part is the open, free climbing area which has multiple different paths and routes all with different levels to climb. The open-free climbing area is a large space that allows climbers to climb upside down or hang from the ceiling in some parts.
This year is also the start of the new Rock Climbing and Fitness Club formed by Alexander Maya and Jackson Bates, grades 10. When asked why Alexander started the club at LHP he stated, “I formed the Climbing Club when Jackson Bates, the other club president, recommended making a club together. We created the Climbing and Fitness Club to promote climbing because most people don’t know what it is.” When asked, Alexander also stated how the club would be meeting at the end of the month after school as he stated, “We plan to have a meeting outside of school on the last Friday of most months.”
Throughout Orlando, there are copious quantities of gyms all around Orlando. When asked about meeting at different places in and around Orlando, specifically Blue Swan, Alexander mentioned, “The club will most likely not, but I do go to Central Rock Gym Orlando once or twice a month to get a variety of what I am climbing. I also plan to do the same with the High Point Orlando opening soon.”
Climbing, as said before, is a very niche and fun hobby and sport to participate in. Alexander was asked if he were surprised about the amount of people who had joined. He stated, “I was very surprised by the amount of people that joined because most people don’t know anything about climbing.” Alexander Maya is also no newbie to rock climbing as he stated, “I climb about five to six days a week, and each session I have at the gym is four to five hours long. I have practice on the Blue Swan climbing team 4 days a week.” Rock climbing teams are all around the world and specifically in the Olympics. This year Brooke Raboutou claimed Silver for the U.S. and became the first woman to win an Olympic medal in, Sport Climbing. In the near future, the club also plans on meeting more outside of school with the club. “If people are wanting to get more involved with the club, Alexander says, “You can get more involved with the club by showing up to our meeting, and going to our volunteer events at Blue Swan.” Overall there are many fun things to do with upcoming events with the club and various other gyms. Alexander Maya added, “People should know that we are always open to new members and ideas, and you do not need to climb to be in the club, nor do you need to know what climbing is.”
