Climbing

Almost every time I go to Stone Mountain State Park I get to see technical rock climbers making their ways up the face of the cliffs. I really like watching them working the routes to the top. They're all very careful and take their time on the walls. As I understand it, Stone Mountain is a relatively easy technical climb and many instructors use it as a classroom because of the relative safety of its routes.

Generally, I shy away from such steep areas. As I've said before, those kinds of risk just aren't for me. However, as I was scrambling up to the edges of the technical routes, I looked up to watch the real climbers high above me. And I really wanted to join in.

Maybe one of these days before I get too old, I'll give it a shot.

Information kiosk at the base of the climbing routes.

Self-service permit box so that the rangers will know who you are if you fall and go "squish".

Instructor and student above a point where I felt safe enough to climb.

Telephoto shot of the very patient instructor and student.

This guy was part of another climbing team to the right of the highest point I scrambled.

Another place where I climbed as high as I safely could.

This flake of rock kept telling me to keep climbing. "C'mon," it said. "It's safe! Keep goin'!"

Two climbers about halfway up the face of the mountain.