Rock Climbing and Rappeling at Mt. Yonah

Is rock climbing safe? It can be. Our mountaineering guide for Summer Honors 2006 was SFC (ret.) Eric White, former NCO IC of the mountaineering component of the U. S. Army Ranger School. "NCO IC means 'non-commissioned officer in charge,'" director Robb Sinn explains. "Eric is a mountaineering specialist trained by the U. S. Army and the Rangers. He completed all four climbing schools and earned every mountaineering certification offered by the Army including lead climber training for both summer and winter conditions. I feel pretty safe when I go climbing with Eric." Eric supervised the training of literally thousands of Rangers over the period of two years without any serious injuries.

Three climbing lanes at Mt. Yonah's rock climing area.

"Rock climbing has a way of leaving marks," Sinn says. "You get some bruises and scrapes. But toproping is the safest form of rock climbing, and Mt. Yonah has permanent belay anchors for all the climbs we set up. Each belayer is supervised by trained staff. The participants for 2007 will all receive belayer training at Pine Valley before the Mt. Yonah event, and only those who qualify will be allowed to belay rock climbs. I believe it's safe. If my kids were older, I would let them climb with Eric."

The rock climbing at Mt. Yonah requires two-person climbing teams to work together in the safest rock climbing environment possible. Mt. Yonah is utilized by the United States Army Rangers during the mountaineering phase of their training. The routes climbed are at the beginner level with multiple, fixed bolts anchoring the belay for each climb. The bolts and anchoring stations are monitored for saftey by the Rangers' mountaineering instructors who spend several days there each month. The Mt. Yonah trip in 2006 included zero injuries and was the highlight of the trip for many participants.

"The Yonah climbs are low-risk, high-reward rock climbs," Sinn reports. "You begin near the top of the mountain but down in the trees, with your views blocked by the folliage. You climb for five or ten minutes, and there's a nice place to rest at the top. You call down to your belayer to lock off the belay, and you're free to turn around. Then it's "Wow!" You can see nearly the entirity of the Blue Ridge mountains of North Georgia. In the winter, when visibility is good from the top of Mt. Yonah, you can see nearly to Amicalola Falls, up toward Murphy, NC, and down to Atlanta. It's amazing - one of the best feelings possible after your first rock climb!"

Summer Honors participants ranked the Mt. Yonah trip as one of the highlights of an exciting twelve day experience. With plenty of shade, trails, and panaromic views, the trip to Yonah is means more than a single rappel or rock climb. "It's great chance for the kids to just chill out, watch their friends climb, go for a hike and enjoy a picnic lunch," Sinn says. "We're working with Eric to make this event happen again for Summer Honors 2007."

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"I really enjoyed the program. I liked the classes. The counselors are so encouraging and welcoming. I don’t think a better-rounded group could have been fond. I really liked how the counselors were not concerned with treating us like children. Pine valley was fantastic and so was Mt. Yona! The ropes courses help in so many different ways. Thank you guys! I could really tell that the counselors’ hearts were at North Georgia and I think that is important."

Beth
Summer Honors 2006