Rock wall looks for revamp

A lone climber scales the rock wall in the bottom of Castleton Hall.
Isaac Devoid/Castleton Spartan

Those in charge of the Castleton Rock Wall are looking to attract more students this year by improving many of the climbing routes and purchasing new equipment.
The wall boasts eight different climbing routes and a bouldering section to keep climbers happy.
On a recent day, junior Taylor Swarter was seen extending his body reaching his sweaty hands for the rock that seems out of reach. Straining, Swarter pulled himself to the top and conquered the wall.
Many Castleton students like Swarter enjoy climbing the wall, but are often climbing alone, in part because they feel that there is not enough awareness about it.
Sophomore Mychael McQuiggan has enjoyed climbing in the past, but said he is always hesitant when it comes time to climb.
“It’s hard to get information on the rock wall. You’ve gotten the email updates this year, which is nice, but the information just wasn’t there last year to set up a schedule to go climb,” he said.
President of the Rock wall Jacob Looman aims to raise awareness this year to fix that.
“We’ve been utilizing our Twitter account @CastletonRckWll to keep our followers updated with hours and promotions we are doing,” he said.
Looman feels this tactic has been working, as climbing attendance has increased lately.
Rock wall staffers Tyler Smith and Caleb Fredette have also worked over the last
few weeks to alter many of the routes. Many climbers feel that the routes get old after a while and need to be switched to spark their interest.
They say the wall isn’t only fun, it is also a place to get a serious workout in.
Avid climber Cody Tilton enjoys the unique workout the wall offers.
“It’s a place to go relieve some stress, have some fun and get a good workout in other than the gym,” he said.
Rock wall overseer Steve Moffat said he feels the wall is springing back to life.
“The wall goes through cycles where it is used a lot and then not used much from year to year. I give the staff all the credit in the world for working hard and posting the
hours,” he said.
Looman said he and the rest of his staff have what it takes to revamp the wall and provide a great experience for the student body.
“It’s a great place to build strength, and friendships,” he said.

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