This rock is located in Jurassic Park, a popular climbing area near Estes Park, Colorado. If you look closely, you can see a top rope rigged. On the day I took this picture, there were about a dozen climbers on the various rocks.

The Edge of Time

It is nice to have a helping hand when planning an activity in a new area, or when you are teaching a novice. This weekend we planned to do some rappelling in the Pisgah Forest of North Carolina. Though I have been rappelling for years, this was totally new to my husband. I didn’t feel comfortable teaching him without a helping hand, nor did I know any good locations to teach a first rappel. In some ways I had to swallow my pride and admit I would have a better time if I had some help; even though I used to do this for a living.

For an easy solution, I contacted Fox Mountain Guides and Climbing School. We were able to hire a guide who not only taught my husband the basics of rappelling but also introduced us both to rock climbing. Even better; all we had to bring were our helmets and a bar rack that I love. If it weren’t for my personal preference, we wouldn’t have needed to bring a thing. Our guide, Billy, took us to a great beginner rock to climb and rappel. Here we spent time reviewing knot tying, belaying and rappelling. Next we were off to a great rappelling rock. It provided a nice free hanging drop and easy access for multiple rappels. It was a great next step and Billy’s professionalism showed in his helpfulness and rigging skill.

By mid-day rain started moving in and we headed for the car. Billy made sure we knew that we could call if we ever needed suggestions or tips on good locations to continue our sport. I felt good having learned some new techniques and refreshing the old and I really appreciated Billy’s team minded attitude. My husband now had a good start on the sport so that he and I can have fun together on our own.

Rock climbing and rappelling can be a great family sport and it is not as intimidating as most people think. Try something new on your next vacation! As a former rope rescue instructor, I can safely say that we had a very competent guide and I would highly recommend Fox Mountain Guides to anyone visiting the Pisgah Forest/ Brevard NC area.

You can contact Fox Mountain Guides at:

Email: info@foxmountainguides.com Toll Free: 1-888-28-GUIDE (48433)

Lovin' Life on the Ropes!