Earlham College Women on the Ascent

“I was inspired to start a women’s climbing group because the open climbs are run by men, and there’s a lot of 'boy energy' circulating,” says junior Sarah Johnson. “That can be really intimidating and scary for a woman who is new to climbing or one who would like to try climbing for the first time.”

While rock climbing is largely a male dominated sport, Johnson says it is an activity that benefits women as well. Many women feel that they lack the upper body strength to climb rocks, but Johnson explains that climbing is not all about arm strength.

“There’s strength in flexibility, footwork and balance,” she says. “It’s a huge mental challenge as well. Rock climbing is a great way to build upper body strength and until that strength is developed there are techniques to overcome this.”

Rosa Freidrichs (l) and Sarah Johnson co-founded the women's rock climbing team.Johnson approached sophomore Rosa Friedrichs about starting the team, and the result is a group of 21 women who began meeting in January to build confidence and skills in a fun, safe and supportive atmosphere.

The group meets three times each week for two hours at Earlham’s Solomon Climbing Wall in the Athletics and Wellness Center. The women work to improve the technical skills associated with different kinds of climbing, and they do body strengthening and training exercises. The Team hopes to travel to and compete at area climbing walls later this semester. Competitions are based on completions of pre-designed routes.

During one Saturday session, lively music projected from the climbing room while onlookers and overflow watched the women scale routes known as Lucifer’s Inner Thigh and Mount Crumpit. On one end of the wall, two women were learning to belay, a safety technique where a person on the ground uses a harness and a locking device where the rope passes through to prevent the climber from falling very far on the wall.

“We have all abilities, but we have set some goals that we are intentionally working to reach together,” Johnson says. “Rock climbing is challenging for everyone whether you are muscular and fit or not. Through rock climbing, you can get to know the possibilities and limitations of your body really well, and you are often surprised by how far you can push yourself.”

Friedrichs says climbing has improved her fitness and confidence.

“Rock climbing is good for me because you have to have a lot of self determination, and it helps me practice perseverance,” she says. “It is very exciting. Rock climbing can be scary because the holds are slippery and small. Climbing is so personal. When it comes down to it, you have to make yourself believe you can do it.”

Johnson says a semester pass to the wall costs $25, and includes all the necessary equipment.

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