| Rock climbing is a great way to escape the rat race, | | | | remind you to keep notes on specific things. Cues |
| live on the edge and get a heck of a view. Alas, your | | | | should include: |
| rock climbing experiences can fade with time. The | | | | 1. Who you went rock climbing with, |
| best way to prevent this is to keep a rock climbing | | | | 2. The nature and quality of the rock, |
| journal. | | | | 3. Who you met and contact information for them, |
| Rock climbing Journals | | | | 4. The geographic and weather conditions, |
| Take a minute to give some consideration to your | | | | 5. Any unique things that occurred while rock climbing, |
| most recent rock climbing experience. What sticks | | | | 6. The routes you took up the ice and alternatives. |
| out in your mind? Did you go bouldering at Joshua | | | | 7. The equipment you needed to make the climb, and |
| Tree for the weekend? Now think about the first | | | | 8. Any inside information provided by locals or other |
| time you ever went rock climbing. Undoubtedly, you | | | | climbers you met. |
| remember few things about the geography, people | | | | At the end of the rock climbing trip, you should be |
| you went with and the particular rock climbing routes. | | | | able to get the following from your journal: |
| The experiences you've forgotten are lost to time. If | | | | 1. Contact information for other climbers you met, |
| you keep a rock climbing journal, this won't be the | | | | 2. Enough detail to provide you or a friend with a |
| case. | | | | route guide if you climb the location a second time. |
| There are famous instances of people keeping | | | | 3. Memories to reflect upon years later, and |
| journals throughout time. Of course, Anne Frank's | | | | 4. Something to pass on to your friends, children and |
| Diary is the best example. In her diary, Anne kept a | | | | grandchildren. |
| running commentary of the two years her family | | | | To get the most out of your rock climbing journal, |
| spent hiding from the Nazis. While your rock climbing | | | | you should write in it just before you climb and when |
| experiences better be more lighthearted, keeping a | | | | you return. It is always interesting to see the |
| journal will let you remember them as the years pass. | | | | different impressions you have before and after a |
| A good rock climbing journal combines a number of | | | | climb. Was it harder than you thought or easier? |
| characteristics. First, it should be compact so you | | | | Rock climbing is a great way to commune with |
| don't have to take up unnecessary space for other | | | | nature and spend a weekend. Make sure to preserve |
| things. Second, it should have a case to protect it | | | | the experience with your rock climbing journal. |
| from the elements and so on. Third, the journal | | | | Rick Chapo is with Nomad Writing Journals. Rock |
| should contain blank areas to write your notes. | | | | Climbing journals are the perfect Christmas gifts for |
| Fourth, the journal should contain cue spaces to | | | | him or her. |