Raleigh based rock climbing and ice climbing guide service and climbing school has expanded it’s climbing class offerings to climbers in Western NC by offering their Climb Outside Rock Climbing Class on September 26-27, 2009 at Looking Glass Rock NC. These classes give people the knowledge, skills, and understanding they need to begin rock climbing outside. Asheville is an ideal location for these classes because of the volume of climbing areas, and the volume of people who desire to learn how to climb outdoors but aren’t sure where to get started. Students learn anchor building, rope management, knot tying, belaying, rappelling, rescue, and more. The class consists of 2 full day sessions, where the first day will be spent teaching the skills, and the second day will be spent putting the newly acquired skills into practice. The classes are open to all experience levels, and all equipment is provided. Details on the Asheville Climb Outside Rock Climbing Class can be found on the Climb Outside Website (http://www.ascentadventure.com/2009/04/asheville-climb-outside-class/).
“Taking this class taught me a lot and confirmed things I had already been in the process of learning. Even though I have much more to learn it allowed me to feel confident, to go with my partner, and climb outside at my current level,” expresses Chris Troisi, a Climb Outside Class participant.
For an interview, or to find out more information about the classes and unique services Ascent Adventure Consultants provides, please contact Brandon Hensinger at bhensinger@ascenadventure.com or 877-254-4617. Also, visit the Ascent Adventure Consultants website to learn more.
Ascent Adventure Consultants is a Raleigh, NC based professional rock and ice climbing guiding and instruction provider, as well as a corporate team building and leadership development program provider. Climbing courses and team building programs are conducted locally, nationally and internationally.

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Danel, Climb Outside Class Participant

Derrek, Climb Outside Class Participant

I wanted to share, over the next few days, what some of the lessons I learned from climbing are.

There is nothing that is truly impossible.With determination, the right tools, the right training, and the right people, you can accomplish anything.

When I began climbing, I remember standing at the base of Route 2 (5.3) at Ralph Stover State Park’s High Rocks climbing area. I had big clunky hiking boots on, and was a bit overweight and probably hadn’t done ANY kind of exercise for a while… and was sure that I’d make it to the top. But much to my dismay, I did not make it more than 5 feet off the ground.

Now, many people may have given up at that point. But I, by nature am a very determined person and did not give up. Yes, on that day, I realized that it was impossible for me to make it to the top. But instead of throwing in the towel and thinking “This is for everyone else…even though I want to do it. I guess it’s not for me,” I went home and gathered up whatever money I had from my job as a waiter, and bought a pair of climbing shoes, a rope, a harness, 7 carabiners, and 100 feet of webbing. Then I bought a book that would teach me how to climb. I poured over whatever material I could find to learn how to do it, and I made sure to ask as much advice as possible from the people who took me out climbing for that first time.

I began to run, do pullups, and lift weights. I began to surround myself with climbers who could teach me, and within 3 months, I easily climbed Route 2 at High Rocks State Park. As soon as I stood on top of that cliff, something clicked. I realized “WOW! It wasn’t impossible,” and from that moment on, I vigorously pursued climbing.

Now I am getting nostalgic and feel like writing more and more. But I won’t say too much more, except that as soon as I got to college, I got involved with Quest, the climbing guiding service at the University and continued to train hard and push myself. I remember saying “Climbing is great! But I’ll never do that Trad Climbing thing. That is just WAY too scary.” Well, within 3 months of being at college, I learned enough about trad climbing that I set out and bought my own rack, and led Route 2 at High Rocks State Park as my first trad lead. One thing continued to lead to another, and I eventually become a climbing guide and coordinator for Quest.

Through the experience I gained in climbing, I also became involved with conducting team building and leadership development programs through Quest and Corporate Institute, and even changed my major to Organizational Communication, with a concentration in Outdoor Leadership.

And here I am today, having started my own climbing guiding and team building company, founded upon the principles and life lessons I have learned through climbing.

So how did all this apply to me starting my own company?

Even though many people seemed to be in my way, and there were SO many obstacles to overcome, never once did I think that I wouldn’t be able to do it. I wanted to make it happen, so I was confident it would.

I made sure to surround myself with people who could help me. Building relationships not only benefited my business, but it also improved my life as I have been able to meet so many people.

I was not afraid and am not afraid to invest in my company. By making my initial investment into climbing, it opened the doors to a whole new world, and the same is true in business.

What might look difficult on the road ahead, only looks exciting to me now. Difficulties and trials only excite me more!

NEVER stop learning. NEVER think you know it all.

]]> http://www.ascentadventure.com/2009/06/reflections-on-how-climbing-helped-me-start-my-business/feed/ 0 http://www.ascentadventure.com/2009/06/trust-your-feet-the-climbing-experience-applied-to-all-of-life/ http://www.ascentadventure.com/2009/06/trust-your-feet-the-climbing-experience-applied-to-all-of-life/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:50:26 +0000 brandon http://www.ascentadventure.com/?p=1340 A few weeks ago, while guiding a trip at Table Rock NC, one of the ladies mentioned how she kept having to tell herself “Trust Your Feet!”, and that is what got her to continue to move forward. After the climb, she mentioned how that thought and concept really could have a good life lesson to it! I gave it some thought and wanted to share with you all some thoughts on how this climbing concept and experience translates into all of life.

She had climbing shoes, with “sticky-rubber” on her feet, which enabled her to stand on and obtain friction on rock and rock features that she wouldn’t have been able to use otherwise. But because she had specialized shoes for the task, she was able to accomplish her goals. I think we all have simliar experiences in life, but instead of convincing ourselves to move ahead, we give up, thinking that failure is imminent, due to fear of the unknown, and due to us doubting our abilities. Often, we have the tools we need to accomplish a task, but fear taking that next step.

Here’s an example:

It is your first month on the job, and you are given a new assignment at work to design a new product that would appeal to a key market in your location. You are given all the information you need….very detailed market research, an unlimited budget for developing the product, a team of people to help put your ideas into place, and books on what NOT to do when developing this product. Even though you have all the resources you need, you continue to have the thought of “But I can’t do this….I’m brand new. I have no idea how to develop a product. People won’t like it,” or whatever else your thoughts might be that cause you to doubt. So ultimately, the project is delayed.

So how does the trust your feet concept apply here? Well, in climbing, even though my client looked down on the cliff and saw the tiny holds, or featureless rock faces, she did not say “these holds are too small, I can’t move on,” but rather she said “Trust your feet.” She knew that even though it LOOKED impossible, it was NOT impossible because she had the right tools designed for that very purpose…to stand on small holds and featureless faces. She trusted her feet! AND she climbed to the top of the climb.

So here’s some key application points for you:

1. Ask yourself, “What areas in my life do I feel like I’ve hit a brick wall? Are there resources I have that I’m not taking advantage of? Are there people I should be trusting that I’m not trusting in right now?
2. Pick a project that you are working on right now. What is the main thing you dislike about it? Is it because it seems impossible? Do you see the Trust Your Feet concept coming into play here at all?
3. What are some of the things you fear in life? Are you simply not taking advantage of the proven tools around you to help you overcome that fear?

Chris, Danel, and Derek, the class participants first practiced building top rope anchors using cliff top and cliff face bolts.  Being

quick learners they soon moved on to doing their first outside rappels from the of  the 90ft’ cliff.  The rappel was done using an anchor they made using natural features.  The group had fun playing on the “Parking Lot” routes of “Thin to Win,” “Chicken Bone,” and the unnamed route called “Chicken Wing” by some.

Next the group moved to the Three Bears area for practice with setting up cliff top safety lines.  After some more anchors building the threesome climbed three more routes.  The day was finished off with some belay escape practice.  It had been a day of successful day of “firsts” for everyone as all headed home with confidence in their skills to climb outside.

When people do then decide to give climbing a try, they are always overwhelmed with excitement when they get to the top of their first climb. The feeling of accomplishing something that had previously seemed out of reach or unattainable is unmatched by anything they had experienced before.

This is such an important lesson to learn in all areas of life. Here are a few bullet points that show how the experience translates into life:

• Never think that something is impossible. Left to ourselves, a task may be impossible, but by seeking help from others more knowledgeable and/or wise than us, we can learn what we need and gain the tools necessary to accomplish the task.
• Taking risk is necessary. Without taking risk, we will never grow and never move past the obstacles that seem to get in our way.
• Take on step at a time. Only careful, controlled movement gets a climber to the top of a cliff. In life, we need to learn to take things one step at a time, so that we can accomplish the tasks that are before us.

Applying these principles will help us to accomplish things that previously seemed impossible.

Ascent Adventure Consultants, Raleigh North Carolina’s professional rock climbing guides, offer s a multi day alpine climbing package,  July 21-August 2nd 2009, to introduce people to the sport of mountain climbing and to give them the opportunity to summit some of the most beautiful mountains the country has to offer.

Apex, NC USA May 18, 2009 — Standing atop a snow capped, glaciated mountain peak is something that appeals to many outdoor adventure lovers and athletes. However, it is often a lack of knowledge, skill, and experience that keeps people from believing that they can accomplish these goals. This summer, July 21- August 2, 2009 , Ascent Adventure Consultants is offering a climbing trip and package that begins with the basics of alpine climbing, and ultimately leads to the successful summit of the mountains that participants have only dreamed of in the past.

Participants will be able to choose from four course lengths: 4, 7, 10, or 13 days, starting with a four-day basic course set on beautiful Mt. Baker in the North Cascades of Washington State. The first three days will be spent learning the skills to climb in a large alpine mountain environment, such as snow and glacier travel, ice climbing, roped travel, crevasse rescue, and more. This portion of the course will culminate with a summit attempt of Mt. Baker on the fourth day.
At the conclusion of the 4-day section of your trip, those who choose to add on extra days will be ready to head into the heart of the North Cascades and put their new skills to use on some of the most stunning peaks in the lower 48 states.  Each 3-day course section will find us attempting a new summit and learning new skills and techniques. More information can be found by visiting their alpine climbing trips and classes website.

“We love to teach people the climbing skills and techniques that they need to accomplish their dreams, and then provide them with the context to do it” says Brandon Hensinger, owner and professional climbing guide of Ascent Adventure Consultants. “To know that we can be a part of such a significant moment in someone’s life is amazing. The climbing experience that they have will impact them for the rest of their lives.”

If participants are unable to do the entire 13-day course in one climbing season, they can do part of the course then complete it the following year. At the completion of our 13-day course participants will have the skill to begin to get out into the mountains on their own.

Ascent Adventure Consultants is a professional rock climbing, ice climbing, and mountaineering company, as well as a professional team building and training company, headquartered in Apex NC. They conduct climbing courses and team building courses locally, nationally, and internationally.

For more information, please contact Brandon Hensinger, owner of Ascent Adventure Consultants of Apex NC, at bhensinger@ascentadventure.com, or 877-254-4617. More information can be learned about Ascent Adventure Consultants by visiting their website at http://www.ascentadventure.com.

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