Learning Positive Mental Attitude Thru Rock Climbing

We departed Hunter House at 8am for our outdoor climbing trip with Prescott college. As we left Flagstaff, country music started to play over the speakers and the PMA’s (positive mental attitude) started to rise. The ride to the climbing location took about an hour and a half. As we arrived to the climbing location, we were met by 12 Prescott college students who were equipped and ready to teach us the necessary climbing etiquette so we could survive the day.

The Prescott students began their lessons and they instructed us on how to properly wear our climbing harness, safety measures and other specific instructions. Once the instruction aspect of the class was over, we began a 5-minute walk to the top of the climbing area. At the top, looking down into the canyon some of the Client’s positive mental attitudes began to crumble. The Prescott students set up the gear to repel into the canyon and most of the B2B guys lost their ‘PMA completely and thought they were going to make it out… kind of like when you arrive at rehab wired.

After we all repelled down into the canyon, the fun began. All of the guys went to different climbing spots. As we began to climb we heard cries throughout the canyon of how cold the basalt rock was on their hands, and how the climbing shoes hurt their cold feet. But as the day continued and the sun started to shine in the canyon the positive mental attitudes started to rise again. The Prescott college students began to spray us down with Betta (climbing information). After about 2 hours of climbing we all stopped as a group and ate lunch together on top of a boulder that had enough room for 12 people. The air was filled with tuna and PB&J sandwiches. Jokes and laughter kept the spirits high until we got back to climbing.

As we started to climb, grip strength and started to deteriorate and cramping in the legs and forearms started to be a more frequent thing. Due to the mentally and physically draining aspect of climbing, many of the guys climbed out of the canyon while other chose to do a bonus hike out and practice their LNT (Leave No Trace) principles. Picking up all of the trash on the way out. It was a great day had by all. The day all of the things they learned with memories that will last a life time.

Client Journal – Anonymous