CLIMBING
Niche of Rock Climbers Call Kansas City Home
Climbing wasn’t about getting strong or healthy for Lonski. Instead, it’s been the natural outcome by continuing with an activity that he is passionate about. “It’s definitely transformative, both physically and mentally for me, in that I view myself as an athlete now,” said Lonski. “It’s not a view I’ve ever had of myself, and exploring that aspect has been interesting.” He just wanted to climb, and the more he climbed, the more he enjoyed it. While Lonski explained that climbing isn’t for everyone, almost everyone who he’s ever brought climbing has enjoyed it. The biggest piece of advice he has for newbies wanting to try climbing is to not let your fear stop you. Whether you’re afraid of heights or don’t think you’re physically fit enough to start, set aside your fears and just try it. “Relax and trust the person introducing you to it,” he shared. “Be open to new experiences.” The Kansas City Climbing Community is a great resource for veterans and those just beginning their climbing experience. Abbreviated KCCC, the organization’s mission is to foster an engaging community of climbers who support each other in active pursuits of rock climbing, alpine
Josh Burns started climbing as a teen in Colorado. Since coming to Kansas City 18 years ago, he finds his climbing outlet at indoor facilities such as RoKC in North Kansas City.
Every climber has a different approach to climbing and the same goes for Richard Lonski. Much like Walden, he said he found climbing by happenstance, inviting himself along with some friends who were heading to a rock gym. “It was a lark, out of nowhere,” Lonski explained. “I found climbing to be strangely addictive.” Where some might assume that climbers are adrenaline junkies, it’s quite the opposite. “The activity of climbing is actually typically very calm, methodical and focused. It’s almost a meditative type of movement,” Lonski shared, saying at times it can be very physically exerting but climbing movements are usually very fluid, controlled and well thought-out. A volunteer route setter at Monster Mountain in Overland Park, Kansas, Lonski said the different climbing gyms in the Kansas City area support the passions of climbers in a multitude of ways. The walls and setters might be different, but each gym offers one thing: the opportunity to climb and a different set of puzzles to unlock as you’re climbing. And climbing in the Kansas City area is different than in Denver, for example, where climbers can be on a mountain
in 20 minutes or less. Kansas City has a larger proportion of rock-climbing gyms than mountains. “Here in the Midwest, and in Kansas City, for us to get outside and climb it’s like a four-hour trip typically,” Lonski elaborated. “So, the level of excitement and energy you have to keep, to invest that much time to do your passion, means everyone is super psyched about climbing.” “The activity of climbing is actually typically very calm, methodical and focused. It’s almost a meditative type of movement” Lonski began climbing about seven and a half years ago and he admits that he wasn’t physically fit at all. He weighed in at 260 pounds with an average build on his 5’8” frame, and while he could manage a push-up or two, a pull-up was out of the question. “Climbing was certainly not something that was easy. It took a lot of work, and just through the action of climbing over the first three years or so, I dropped 50 pounds and nearly 10 percent body fat,” Lonski explained proudly. “When I started, I was 44 years old; now I’m 51 and I can pretty much say I’m in better shape now than I’ve ever been.”
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WINTER 2019
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