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Gallery: UCLA Climbing Team

By Amy Dixon

April 5, 2017 9:07 p.m.

Many people practice lead climbing at indoor gyms where the risks of falling are slightly less dangerous than those outside. In lead climbing, the climber, who is attached to a rope with another climber belaying them, clips in their rope to carabiners that are set in the wall. Because there can be long stretches where the distance of the last clip is far below, lead climbing can be very dangerous.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Amanda Lynn, a third-year dance and psychology student, stretches on the mats of the gym. Flexibility can be very useful in certain climbs, and stretching also helps in avoiding injuries.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Natalie Duran, a former employee at UCLA, finishes the send as the last run of her climbing workout. Duran frequently goes to team practices and was a part of the collegiate Ninja Warrior show. Rock climbing works very well as a way to get stronger, and many people prefer rock climbing over lifting.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Lynn helps Dean Neugebauer, a fourth-year mathematics student, figure out which holds are in for his climb. Neugebauer is color blind, and indoor gyms tend to use colored holds as a way to differentiate climbs.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Sarah Denison-Johnston, a third-year anthropology student, drives toward Joshua Tree National Park from the dried riverbed the group slept at the night before.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Because campsites at Joshua Tree fill up very quickly, the climbing team camped overnight right outside the park in Twentynine Palms. This is a solution many people who plan to enter the park in the morning do to avoid full campsites.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

People cook breakfast over camp stoves while getting ready to travel to the park.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Kyle Cuenin, fourth-year microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics student, and Curt Young, a fifth-year mechanical engineering student, approach the Gunsmoke problem, or climbing route, carrying big crash pads. The crash pads are used to pad falling climbers to help them from getting hurt.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Denison-Johnston applies chalk to her hands before attempting a climb. Chalk helps retain friction between the skin and rock by removing moisture from the hands. This can be the difference between finishing a climb and falling from one.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Denison-Johnston practices a bat hang on a big ledge. Bat hangs are when the climber is only holding themselves on the rock from their feet. While they aren’t very common, it’s always better to practice them in a controlled environment than on a first climb.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Nicole Jewell, a third-year geology student, attempts new approach for the Secret Samurai problem.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Young attempts a side V5 problem that runs off of Gunsmoke. After many tries, he makes it to the top and sends the problem.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Cuenin warms up on a side send on the Gunsmoke problem. Like any physical activity, warming up is important to avoid injuries.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Alizae Natsoulis, first-year human biology and society student, Jason Wittmuss, a second-year computer science and math student, and Denison-Johnston take a break from climbing to rest their muscles as other climbers take a turn on the rock.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Neugebauer tries Secret Samurai, a V6 bouldering problem, as others spot him to make sure he will fall in a safe way onto the crash pads.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Young accomplishes the Secret Samurai, V6. Spotters continue to spot the climber even after they finish because there are still dangers of falling off.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Many climbs require climbers to hold onto slivers of ledges. Natsoulis practices on a small rock ledge.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Members of the UCLA climbing team watch as other climbers try the boulder routes.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

At 8 a.m. on weekends, Joshua Tree holds Climbers Coffee, an event where climbers meet up and converse over free coffee provided by the park service.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

Denison-Johnston attempts the John Bachar Memorial Face problem, V5, a classic route that many climbers do at Joshua Tree. After getting through most of the problem, Sarah dynamically jumps for the last ledge to just barely miss the hold at the end.

(Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin)

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Amy Dixon | Alumna
Dixon was the 2018-2019 Photo editor. She was previously a 2017-2018 assistant Photo editor.
Dixon was the 2018-2019 Photo editor. She was previously a 2017-2018 assistant Photo editor.
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