Take advantage of the crisp fall weather and the beautiful mountains around you, and go for a climb!  Rock climbing is a wonderful way to experience the beauty of nature, with its breathtaking views and gorgeous valleys and canyons.  Also, besides the cost of gear, it is completely free!  This fall, go out there and discover your backyard through a whole new perspective!

It is never too late to start climbing.  Just last month, I was introduced to the sport of rock climbing and I have already fallen in love with it.  My arms are sore and my hands ache, yet all I want to do is climb.  It is a great way to stay active and get an intense workout, as well as just have fun with friends!  I love the technical aspect of it too.  If you love strategy then you will love rock climbing, because it’s always a puzzle to find out the best route to the top.

Right now, I am going to school in Provo, Utah, so I am lucky that some of the best rock climbing opportunities in the country, such as in American Fork Canyon, Moab, and Zions, are right in my backyard.  However, there is rock climbing available almost anywhere!  I know that when I go back home to California I am checking out routes in Yosemite.

Even when winter hits, you can stay involved in the rock climbing community and go to your local rock gym to work on technique and get better for the next outdoor climbing season.  However, if you insist on being outdoors even in the cold, then ice climbing is a whole different sport altogether…  I have personally never tried it, but I bet it is just as amazing.