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Extreme Sports

By: Rachael Stachowiak
Features Editor

The idea of dangling hundreds of feet in the air or hanging from a rock supported only by a harness and a thin cord made of rubber, to some, is nothing but an adrenaline rush. Others, however, may find it just plain nauseating.

Rock repelling seems to be a growing hobby for numerous people all over the world according to according to Steve Fettke, an extreme sports professional. Fettke's website, www.fettke.com, is a wealth of information on equipment, techniques and footage of climbing and bunging. Many fairs, sporting goods stores, and even malls in the U.S. have repelling walls you can climb or jump from if the urge happens to strike.

But if the great outdoors is prefered, there are several state parks in Pennsylvania you may visit. McConnell Mills for example, hosts rock repellers. Lessons from a trained instructor and borrowed equipment can be rented for a fee.

Dunbar, Pennslyvania is also well known for its cliffs. There are several rocks ranging from all ability levels and sizes according to www.climbpa.com. If anyone ever decides to give it a shot, go take a spill on Blood Rocks, Krahlic Rocks, or even Cow Rocks year round.

Eastern Mountain Sports also offers classes in repelling. They will teach you basic techniques, along with what to do in the case of an emergency. In many cases, they will have people climb in groups for safety precautions.

Unfortunately, the downside to repelling is that buying equipment that could save your life, can be rather costly. Helmets, elbow and knee pads, pulleys, a waist harness, and cords are all necessary. The cords run from $90 to hundreds of dollars depending on length and what the cord is made out of. The proper safety equipment is required. Special shoes and apparel are made for the sport, but are not needed to climb.

The risk for accidents is fairly low. Many rock repellers just get a little scraped up. Any accidents that occur are usually caused by human error. Generally, most incidents are caused by the harness not being hooked up to the pulley properly according to Fettke.

Another growing sport across the country is bungee jumping. Its popularity really began to branch out when fairs across the country started offering a chance to try it out. Bungee jumping is a much more obscure sport than rock climbing. Unfortunately there really aren't that many places to go around Pennsylvania.

Other than fairs, many people flock to abandoned train track bridges. Also, several amusement parks purchase cranes ranging in several elevations.

A company in Pittsburgh, Adrenaline Dream Adventures (www.AdrenalinDreams.com), offers training, the opportunity to bungee jump, and transportation to a location to jump from. The whole package costs about $78. Some of their bridges range from 175 to 250 feet high.

Bungee jumping, just like rock repelling, its costly and requires almost the same equipment. The cords are made of over 1,000 rubber strands wrapped together which can stretch to four times its length. Each cord is only used for about 150 jumps depending on the materials it is made from. A chest, waist, and ankle harness are needed for bungee jumping.

Of course with the thrill of bungee jumping also comes the risks. Jumpers often have more poor eye sight than the average person. Accidents can happen, but any person jumping should be insured and aware of everything they agree to in a waver. As many bungee and rock climbing professionals have said there is a two in one million chance of death, so it must be safer than it sounds.

If you're a seeker of thrills or looking to get outdoors, perhaps rock repelling or bungee jumping is the ticket to filling a dull day.

Profile

Tara Tupper, a GM freshman, searches for thrills. She's not your sit at home and enjoy a good book type of girl.

Tupper enjoys both rock climbing and bungee jumping. "My first time bungee jumping was at the Crawford County Fair. It always looked like fun, so I tried it," Tupper shared. "I feel weightless... like nothing can hurt me."

Tupper takes climbing and bungee lessons from a private instructor. She often goes to McConnell Mills in Pennsylvania.

"I climb with a group of ten friends about every week in the summer," Tupper shared. She's only climbed a few cliffs ranging from 100 to 120 feet up. "My instructor said I was pretty advanced for that."

Tupper also enjoys skateboarding, snowboarding, and doing scooter tricks. She absolutely loves rock climbing and bungee jumping. "Its a big thrill," she adds with a smile.