RoKC isn’t worth the climb

The RoKC didn’t rock my boat.

RoKC isnt worth the climb

by Victoria Cahoon, Breaking News Editor

story by Victoria Cahoon

When walking into the RoKC, a rock climbing gym in North Kansas City, I was optimistic. From what I had seen on their website I was excited to try it out and improve my experience in rock climbing.

The building was in a warehouse and had a bit of a rustic feel to it. I was kind of surprised by the fresh vibes that you wouldn’t really expect from a rock climbing gym. There were two main climbing sections, one section was for climbers with a harness where the walls were much higher than the walls that didn’t require a harness. Other than the climbing sections there were two small gym sections, one had generic equipment such as a treadmill and weights but the other had more rock climbing oriented equipment.

But as I walked around the facility I realized how many kids were running around, making me skeptical of how the following 30 minutes of my life was going to go. Was this more of a fun place for kids to bring their friends or an actual gym?

My previous rock climbing experience was limited to a 7th-grade summer school field trip, and I was ready to redeem myself from that first traumatic experience. It’s not like I fell from a 30-foot wall, but as I made my way up I froze. My classmates were cheering me on but even the slightest fear of falling was getting to me so I slowly worked my way down shamefully.

Looking up at the impressive rock climbing structures, I saw the little kids who had reached the top with no fear. The 7th grader inside of me felt ready to take it on, and I knew I needed to make it to the top. I climbed higher and higher with each step, but eventually, old fears resurfaced, and I was stuck, I pushed myself a little farther up the wall, but as I took a deep breath I realized I needed to accept my fear of heights.

Having a fear of heights may have stopped me from enjoying my time at RoKC but for those who aren’t and don’t mind climbing, RoKC might be worth a try. The people around me seemed to be having a wonderful time and even the staff was enjoying the crowds of people walking in and out.

I don’t think I would be able to put down 65 dollars a month for a visit of two or three days a week due to work and homework getting in my way. RoKC is a new way for an alternative workout, but be sure to get your money’s worth.