HAMILTON – Extreme Edge
For quite some time, people at our climbing gym have been suggesting that Issy join the Auckland Climbing Youth Development Club.
She’d never been keen (she’s not the most sociable kid) so I was surprised when late last year I made the 10,0089 suggestion that she go along and try it out she said “yeah I’d like that” .
What…?!?! Who is this kid?!?!?
Anyway (my newly brave) child went along to a session and enjoyed herself enough to decide that she’d like to join them in 2021.
Fast forward to the beginning of 2021 and the Club are organising a camp and the *not sociable kid* who has attended one session and doesn’t know anyone want’s to go!
Ummm – not about to say no – although as this was her first camp both James and I were going along to keep an eye on her (and we were going to get to join in on all the activities too – win/win I say!
Our first stop (on what would be a full on weekend) was Extreme Edge in Hamilton.
Issy and I have actually been to Extreme Edge in Hamilton once before (on our Northern Explorer weekend), however I’ve never climbed there as I didn’t have a belayer, so this time we’d both get to climb.
The last time we went, I didn’t go into much detail about the gym itself, other than Issy’s rather succinct summary of “It’s not as nice as ours .. ”
Which if I’m honest is pretty much how I’d sum it up as well – however their lead wall looked pretty epic – but since I’m not a lead climber (or more accurately, I’m not a confident or proficient lead climber) I didn’t even attempt it. Watching the AYDC kids climb the wall was pretty inspiring though!
Things I liked;
These two walls – I tend to like walls with features.
Things I thought weren’t so fab;
Their are two toilets .. wtf .. two? Do you know what a pain that is when everyone in your group is trying to use the bathroom to get changed for swimming after climbing?
Also, the majority of the top rope walls are very short.
Other stuff;
They also have a kids area with auto belays, which have been busy both times I have visited – which is good as I guess that’s usually what keeps climbing gyms ticking along – from what I’ve heard, there isn’t a tonne of money in climbing – although with the amount of money I’ve shelled on climbing I’m a tad skeptical about that .. 😉
Till next time
