The Best Rock Climbing Sites in the World (Part 1)
One of the most amazing natural sports in the world, rock climbing offers climbers beautiful views of landscapes that most people never get to see. Climbers who reach the top of the rock formation that they are attempting to climb achieve a great sense of
self satisfaction after all their hard work. Incredible climbing experiences are available in all countries of the world and are accessible to anyone who is willing to look for them. Out of all the rock climbing sites in the world, a few stand out. Whether
for their natural beauty, climbing difficulty or history, these sights are the most prominent on the climbers’ lists of their dream climbing experience.
One sight which holds both beauty and historical significance is Meteora, Greece. The monasteries built on the peak of these sandstone rock pillars are the largest and one of the most important complexes of monasteries in Greece, seconded only by Mount Athos.
These 20 monasteries are believed to have been established just before the 14th century by St. Athanasius, who was the founder of the first monastery. The sheer difficulty of climbing to the monastery gave the monks security and isolation, as the
only way to reach the monastery was by ladder, which the monks drew up whenever they felt threatened. Legend has it that St. Athanasius did not scale the rock, but was instead carried up by an eagle. Until 1920, the only way that goods and people could reach
the establishment was by baskets or ropes. Climbers appreciate the rich history as well as the experience of climbing an almost straight face to the top.
The 1996 production of Tom Cruise’s hit movie Mission Impossible, featured Cruise climbing to the magnificent peak of Dead Horse Point. Dead Horse Point State Park is situated in Utah, running adjacent to the Colorado River in America. The park receives
its name from the cowboys who corralled horses within the plateau to keep them from running away. This plateau has one opening which is only 30 yards wide. Aside from this, there are sheer cliffs, reaching heights of over 2000 feet, on all four sides. The
“dead horse” part of the name refers to a group of horses who were kept there. They were fenced in and forgotten and eventually died of thirst. Offering some of the most beautiful topographical features in the world, any climber would value the beauty and
stunning scenery of the climb.
Legend has it that a Navajo woman, known simply as the “Spider Women” lived in a rock formation in the area of what is now called Arizona. The Spider Woman is acknowledged as a liberator of the Navajo tribe and is respected by the Dine as a divine being.
Thus, the name Spider Rock came into being. Spider Rock is situated within the Canyon de Chelly National Monument, which borders the Navajo nation. The formation comprises of two sandstone spires that tower 800 feet above the canyon floor. Although the monument
tallies almost one million visitors per year, only a few select climbers are permitted to scale Spider Rock.
At a dizzying 1583 feet, Shiprock is also on climbers’ lists of formations they dream of climbing. Navajo for “rock with wings,” Shiprock is located 12 miles south of Shiprock, New Mexico, which is named after this famous peak. “Rock with wings” refers to
the Navajo legend of the great bird that brought the tribe from the north to their current lands. Formed by volcanic eruptions from over 30 million years ago, this basalt exhibit offered climbers a series of volcanic vents at the top. This central feeder pipe
of a volcano has been off limits to climbers since the 1970s, but it is every climbers dream to scale the incredibly difficult Shiprock.
These four formations are exceptions climbing sites for those climbers seeking a challenge. Few people have made it to the top of them but climbers are always trying. It takes great skill, strength and patience to climb any formation, and these, especially,
require the most.
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