Fall is on our doorstep and with that a cooling of the weather.  Rogue Rock Gym is one of our go-to indoor family activities when the weather is too cold to get outside, when we are too lazy to prepare for our outdoor activities that we normally like to do, or just to keep in shape.  If you are a member it is as easy as grabbing your gear and scanning in with your membership card like at any other gym and if you aren’t a member then get on over there and sign-up!  If you have never been to the Rogue Rock Gym you need to get over there because you can try it out for FREE, the first time.  All you have to do is rent equipment.  Rent shoes if you are just climbing around on the boulder or if you want to climb on the wall with the auto belay you can rent a harness too. 

Now don’t think,  "there is no way I can do this, I am too old, too heavy, not strong enough…etc., etc."  Rock climbing is not as hard as it may look.  I used to use all of those excuses myself when my husband started climbing almost ten years ago.  I would go watch and get so freaked out by the strength that it takes to climb and the fact that when you climb the wall is SOOOO high.  Gary would ask me to go with him and his friends and I would always make an excuse, until one day one of my girlfriends went with him and his climbing friends about seven years ago.  I watched her do it and thought, I guess I should at least try.  I got my gear rented, started bouldering around and then got hooked up to the belay device and started climbing. I could not believe that I wasted so much time freaking myself out.  Was it hard?  Yes, but once I put my faith in my belay partners, I knew that they wouldn’t drop me; even if I fell, I knew I was safe.   Within a couple of months we went and bought me my own equipment and now I am an addict.

Ilias is now eleven years old so we signed him to join the Rogue Rock Gym kids climbing club and what a great experience that is.  He has become a better climber and has learned to belay other kids if they don’t want to just use the auto belays (above is an example of Ilias using the auto belay).  During the summer they even head out to do outdoor climbing!  Ilias is is so excited to do that next summer.  Olivia, who is five, loves to climb up the boulder and has become a seasoned veteran and will climb up and down without assistance.  We are now working on getting her up the wall!  It will just be a matter of time and she will be taking command of that too.   See the video below of Olivia showing the boulder who's boss!

Rock climbing is such a great family activity, building teamwork, and encouraging the kids to reach awesome goals and build confidence!  Gary and I even go on dates there sometimes.  Plus, we love what a great workout it is!  In one hour of climbing you can burn 1000 calories.  You can’t do that working out at the gym for that same amount of time!

If you want to go, Rogue Rock Gym is now open from 10am – 10pm every day of the week (we are so excited about this, they just recently extended their hours) and they are located at:   3001 Samike Dr. Medford, Oregon 97501  MAP
 

For all more great places to have fun with the kids go here.  For more information about What to do in Southern Oregon and a full events calendar visit our website at www.whattodoinsouthernoregon.com

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