Everyone can be a rock star

Richard Brian

Trey Smith climbs an artificial rock wall at the Red Rock Climbing Center on Oct. 8.

By Becky Bosshart

Friday, Oct. 17, 2008 | midnight

Red Rock Climbing Center

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It was the calm before the climbing frenzy and all of the hard bodies at the Red Rock Climbing Center chatted while sizing up the 8,000 square feet of climbing walls.

Plotting it out is the first step.

Resin hand holds marked with fluorescent tape protrude from the craggy walls. The colored tape plots routes up the 35-foot walls inside the indoor rock climbing center at 8201 W. Charleston Blvd.

The jagged lines of color make it look like a child went crazy with Crayolas, but they all have a purpose and lead in one direction: up.

Situated in the shadow of Red Rock Canyon, Summerlin is just a stone's throw from some of the best rock climbing in the world. And the climbing center is a place for those interested in the sport to learn the ropes — literally.

For those who don't have any interest in getting out and climbing Mother Nature's walls, scaling these man-made cliffs is a fun experience in itself.

"Once you come in, it's not intimidating," said Michelle Onsaga, the center's assistant manager. "People are welcoming. We have everyone in here from elite climbers to absolute beginners."

The climbers push off from a 2-foot-thick padded mat, using an array of those multi-colored climbing blobs bolted to the wall to hoist themselves up.

A climber steadily ascended a 35-foot wall and started a route across the ceiling. Ropes swayed around him. Climbers call this a sport of steady progress and finesse, all while suspended in precarious positions.

"Some routes go across the ceiling and to the other side, up to 100 feet," Onsaga said.

This Spider-Man feat might seem intimidating, but the center offers routes for climbers of all skill levels.

The starting point is marked with a difficulty level and indicated by colored tape. The climbers use the hand- and foot-holds marked with the same colored tape until reaching the top. If comfortable, they can use any of the hand-holds to make up their own route on the walls designed by two world-class climbers, Onsaga said.

On a recent evening, a class from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas was in one corner. Lean professionals spread out everywhere else, their gear thrown in the center of the floor. This made navigating the puffy mat even more difficult.

Jen Costa, a 31-year-old Summerlin-area resident, typically spends two nights a week after work climbing with friends.

"It's a great place to bring a date," she said, before belaying a friend up the wall. "I've brought a date. I've never gotten a date here."

But the views are quite nice, she said, from above or below.

Many of the climbers, such as 37-year-old Summerlin construction worker Kris Graff, said climbing is a good workout.

Graff was "bouldering," or climbing without ropes, on one of the overhangs. "It's a finesse sport. You can make it smooth and easy by how you place your feet and hands," he said.

For those who haven't quite mastered the technique, there are always the crash mats to soften a fall.

So, what is the best way for a newbie to learn?

"Come to the gym," said Justin Brink, a 29-year-old Silverado resident who was bouldering in a smaller, upstairs room. "There are tons of people I don't even know who have helped me out."

Becky Bosshart can be reached at 990-7748 or becky.bosshart@hbcpub.com.