Jack Quick, Special to The Denisonian
The Midwest is stereotypically flat. There aren’t many mountains within a couple of hundred miles of Granville. However, that doesn’t stop the newly founded Denison Rock Climbing Club from chasing the adrenaline rush of rock climbing.
The climbing club was originally a subsection of the outdoors club, an organization that is still active today, which was founded in 2011. The club has always prided itself on giving Denison students opportunities to explore the great outdoors. According to former member Sarah Kissinger ‘24, in 2024, the climbing club separated from the outdoors club due to greater student and global interest in rock climbing.
Today, the club has expanded its membership greatly, and makes weekly visits to the local climbing gym, Vertical Adventures, where the main focus is top-rope climbing and bouldering. Top-rope climbing involves a safety rope anchored at the top of the route and attached to the climber, allowing the climber to climb freely without risk of falling. Bouldering, on the other hand, is free form and usually has routes that are not as high up, but require much more finger dexterity and stretching of one’s body.
“It’s definitely a really nice community,” explained Star D’Agostino ‘27, one of the climbing club’s most active members.
“The rock climbing community as a whole is really accepting of all different people of all different levels, and are very open working with each other to make sure everyone gets a good climb in,” D’Agostino said. “Even on busy days, everyone is really polite to each other, and works hard.”
When asked how well she knew other members of the climbing club, D’Agostino replied affirmedly.
“We all do a lot together, we’ll often do group dinners after climbing, which is really nice, and helps facilitate community.”
Location has never been something that has stopped Denison students from chasing what they love, and even though we’re not next to El Capitan, it doesn’t stop Denison climbing enthusiasts from exploring new heights.