Climbing Gilbert’s Rock
Have you ever wondered what climbing Gilbert’s Rock is like? Well, now is your chance to live vicariously through your son.
We climbed Gilbert’s Rock with some of our campers and it was awesome! We have multiple day trips to Gilbert’s Rock during camp sessions led by our experienced team of climbers. We drove 20 minutes to Hendersonville, hiked about 15 minutes all the way up the side of the mountain to finally reach this beautiful slate of rock.
We would like to include you on the adventure!
But, Safety First
Of course, the most important thing on any adventure is to prioritize safety. That is why we made sure to have a ground lesson that explained everything that was important to note before even touching the rock.
The counselors explained what each piece is, what is its function, and why they are important. For example, we have the ATC, which stands for air traffic controller and is used for rappelling yourself down from the rock. We also had a friction hitch which works as a safety precaution while you’re descending from the rock. This is done using a piece of rope and a carabiner, you wrap the small rope around the rappel line and clip it with the carabiner in order to work as another safety feature while rappelling down. It uses friction and will catch you if you slip slightly or fall. Now, we use a PAS, meaning personal anchor system to stay attached to the rock until you are ready to move.
It’s okay if you are struggling to keep up with all this rock climbing jargon, just ask your boy to explain it to you when you pick him up.
Top Rope Rocking
The boys started off climbing on a top rope, while being belayed by one of our experienced counselors. The campers each took turns climbing the rock and gaining confidence. They each had the opportunity to sit at the top for a bit and enjoy the beautiful view.
Learning to Rappel
Once they had the opportunity to top rope a climb, they were given the chance to rappel themselves down the rock using the equipment we mentioned above. This shows that they are competent in climbing techniques and are comfortable with the equipment and how it is used. Lowering yourself down a big cliff face can be a little scary at first, but all our boys were brave and did a fantastic job!
Hear From The Boys Themselves
Jody F. who is 10 years old, in cabin 15 is quite an experienced little climber already! His goal is to become a Ranger in Rock Climbing. He was really excited to be getting onto Gilbert’s Rock, even though this wasn’t his first time. Jody really enjoys rock climbing and we are delighted to have him join us.
Miles J. is 12 years old and from cabin 31, he was experiencing Gilbert’s Rock for the very first time and was super excited. This was his first time climbing top rope on a real rock! Although he has had loads of climbing wall experience. He said his rock wall climbing experience has prepared him perfectly for climbing Gilbert’s Rock as it has helped him shape his mentality.
Peter W. who is 10 years old, from cabin 11, is experiencing Gilbert’s Rock for the 2nd time. He is most excited to see the great views and have fun doing this adventure. Peter said he was nervous last year, but felt extremely accomplished once he finished the climb. He had loads of fun climbing again this session.
“This might be the coolest thing I’ve ever done!” - Peter W. 13 June 2024
Lunch at Tuxedo Park
Of course, a great adventure would not be complete without a good meal. We went to Tuxedo Park with the boys to enjoy turkey sandwiches with lettuce and cheese. We also enjoyed snacks throughout the trip such as Cheezits, Chips Ahoy, and Go-Go Squeezes.
All in all, it was a wonderful adventure, and the boys and crew were extremely happy.
