The Nexus

Weston White (11) clung to the surface of the boulder, his hands and feet wedged into cracks and crevices along the surface. He had no clips, no harness, no rope. The only thing that could prevent him from injury was a small 4x3 pad, six inches thick, 20 feet below him.

The fear of falling stuck in the back of his mind, but his adrenaline drove him to continue as he used every muscle in his body to reach the next handhold.

White is an avid rock climber and he experiences this sensation every time he boulders, which is a sport that involves climbing rock formations ranging from heights of 20 to 30 feet without the support of any equipment.

White climbs boulders along the West Coast about three to four times a month and trains at an indoor rock-climbing gym 12 hours a week.

He first found his passion for climbing boulders in ninth grade.

“I did all those sports, like baseball and soccer, but I didn’t really like them,” White said. “Then I found rock climbing and it sparked an interest in me. I like it because you compete against yourself, and it’s a really fun and social activity.”

White began climbing inside a gym where he became comfortable with the technique of climbing. But soon he discovered his true passion lay outside the gym doors.

“I heard other people in the gym talking about climbing outside, and I thought I would try it,” White said. “I found out that climbing in the gym wasn’t as exciting as bouldering outdoors. It’s more rewarding to climb outside because of the atmosphere and rush you get from it.”

However, the transition to the outdoors challenged White because of the new risks it posed.

From thirty feet above the safety pad, it often appeared to be a tiny rectangle, and it seemed anything short of life-saving.

“There was a certain fear I had to get over and I had to realize that if I did fall the pad would be safe,” White said. “I tried not to chicken out even if the climb looked scary. I had to get used to the fact that you fall more than you get to the top.”

White said he also had to become comfortable with the different types of surfaces at the base of the boulders.

“I was nervous on my first climb [outside] because the landing wasn’t perfectly flat like in the gym,” He said. “You don’t always get the most ideal surfaces. I worry about rolling my ankle on a rock lodged underneath the pad. There was one boulder I climbed that was like the pit of death because the landing was full of jagged rocks. Climbs like that make me nervous.”

Although White has slipped off boulders numerous times, he has never seriously injured himself and said that the fear is half the fun of climbing.

“The danger just adds a little flavor,” he said. “It’s great to get your adrenaline pumping and your heart racing.”

But the risk involved in climbing is not the only aspect that makes it difficult. In order to climb properly, White must train his body to master proper climbing techniques.

“You always have to be concentrating on what you do because there are movements and sequences you have to remember,” he said. “I climb completely vertical to upside down, and I use different techniques to climb at different angles. Every boulder is rated at a different difficulty level and I just try to train myself to climb harder.”

In order for White to improve and master these techniques, he constantly trains in the gym.

Already in the past years, White said he’s seen improvement in his climbing.

Last summer, he tried to reach the top of a 15 foot boulder in Bishop, CA called the Iron Man, but the handholds were too small and far apart for him to master.

Then a few weeks later, White returned to the Iron Man after more training. He climbed the boulder and he said being able to stand on the top of it brought the satisfaction of a personal goal.

White said he aspires to continue to improve and attempt climbing different boulders around the country.

“I want to be able to climb harder routes and have more mental edge to be able to go a little higher without being scared,” White said. “Each individual climb has something that stands out for me and I’m excited to climb more [advanced] in my future.”