ARC rocks climbing scene
Lauren Bear
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Culture
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The ARC is equipped with a 43-foot climbing tower, a 13-foot climbing boulder and a 13-foot training wall.
Ian Wells, a Memphis freshman, said he had climbed a couple of times before using the equipment in the ARC.
"In the past two weeks I've been coming almost every day," Wells said. He said the climbing walls on campus are convenient for him because, as a freshman, he came to school without a car and does not have easy access to off-campus climbing gyms.
Wells said although he has only started using the climbing walls recently, he has made full use of the ARC.
Tripp Stanford, a Murfreesboro, Tenn., freshman, said climbing walls on campus have definitely heightened his interest in the sport.
"I used to just climb natural formations, but this has got me a whole lot into climbing," Stanford said.
Stanford said the pattern and formations of the
climbing walls in the ARC are always changing, so it keeps it interesting.
"I've been to Climb Nashville, and this is as cool, maybe even better," Stanford said. He said he likes the challenge of finding new ways to the top.
Brandon Taylor, a Murfreesboro junior, said working at the climbing wall in the ARC has made him more interested in the sport.
Taylor said he has never been to a climbing facility but uses the equipment on campus regularly.
Urban Rocks Gym, another facility with a rock wall, located at 1007 Appling St., has almost reached its one-year mark in Chattanooga.
Jonathan Berry, manager at Urban Rocks, said the gym will team up with Rock Creek Outfitters to let customers test out new climbing gear on Nov. 11 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Berry said customers will be able to climb in the demo shoes before they buy them, as well as try out bags, ropes and crash pads. He said the cost to climb is $16, but the first 50 people to the event will be free.
Berry said the gym has 10,000 square feet of different types of climbing walls and offers different levels of climbing classes, group sessions, summer camps and after school programs.
