Saturday, July 29, 2023
" I’ve never seen an Event like this before :) " - Nikkchick
" Wow... You've set the bar quite high with this one! " - Kirkgirls
" Thank you for an event that can't be outdone. " - Crystlcryptr
Can't be outdone you say?
Holstein my beer!
Our first-ever event, Cool Cow's Creation Celebration Climbing Clinic was host to almost 50 attendees. Last year's Cool Cow's Community Celebration Climbing Clinic doubled that number. This year, we wanted to keep up the doubling trend but knew that to do so would require finding a larger venue. So that's just what we've done.
This year, we're going
50% higher
and
200% wider
for
300% more Terrain 5 fun!
Terrain 5:
"Requires specialized equipment such as scuba gear, a boat, rock climbing gear, or similar."
While a difficult-to-find container or a tough-to-solve puzzle is fun, we've always found that the most rewarding geocache finds are those that require more physical effort. These are the caches at the end of a long hike, on the top of a mountain peak, or in those out-of-the-way places which can't be reached without getting a little bit wet. Many geocachers have found a cache with a Terrain 5 rating. However, not all caches with a Terrain 5 rating are created equal. Some of them actually do require specialized knowledge and equipment and today we are going to give you an introduction to what finding one of those caches is like!
Join us at the Seattle Mountaineers Program Center between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM where you will climb to new heights in search of the smiley for this event. Yes, you read that right. You will climb since the event log will be at the top of the climbing wall! Everyone is welcome to attend. If you've never climbed anything steeper than a staircase, this is your chance to get a taste of what the adrenaline junkies do for fun and if you are one of those adrenaline junkies, this will be the easiest T5 you'll ever find. For those who are curious but perhaps less adventurous, please feel free to attend as you are not required to actually climb. There will also be an event log at ground level.
There is no need to bring anything with you except your sense of adventure. We'll provide everything needed to get you safely to the top and back down again including all of the gear, basic climbing instruction, and even a little cattle prodding if you need it. Actually, as past events have shown, the spectators do more than their fair share of prodding. 😉 We'll also provide refreshments at base camp to either help you build up your courage or to celebrate your climb once you're safely back on the ground. This venue has plenty of room to spread out and relax so feel free to bring a chair or blanket to kick back, relax and enjoy the afternoon!
Event FAQ:
- What can I expect? - The type of climbing we will be doing is known as top rope climbing or top roping. Top roping is one of the safest forms of rock climbing. The climber is securely attached to a rope that runs through a fixed anchor at the top of the wall, and back down to the belayer at the base of the climb. The belayer uses their belay device to control the slack in the rope as the climber climbs. Should the climber fall, they will just hang from the rope at the point of the fall. When the climber reaches the top of their climb, the belayer will slowly lower them back down to the ground.
- Who will be belaying me? - We will have a handpicked crew of volunteers whose abilities I know and trust.
- Can young kids (age x) climb? - Anyone old enough to walk is welcome to climb. We will have kids' full-body harnesses that can accommodate most 2 to 8-year-olds.
- What if I'm afraid of heights? - You're in good hands. There are plenty of us who are, yet still enjoy climbing. This is a great way to try something new in a controlled environment.