PSA about camps and climbing gyms

[Anonymous]

Is your child's camp/school/aftercare program going rock climbing indoors or out?

Please make sure the gym staff, not the counselors from camp, are belaying. I've seen so much unsafe stuff....

[Anonymous]

That's right, OP. Throw a bomb anonymously with no facts to support what you assert.

What a champ you are.

[Anonymous]

Ok: camp counselors with no hand on the brake end of the rope. Not even bothering to take up slack. No supervision for smallish kids trying to top out on a 12' high bouldering wall. Kids climbing halfway up the roped climbs and the camp staff just smile while the kid isn't connected to anything----

Feel better?

[Anonymous]

My kid's not climbing anywhere, so I don't feel anything...except contempt for an anonymous asshole like you who thinks it's fun to lay fear and worry on parents who may or may not be affected by your vague accusations.

[Anonymous]

Hey OP -- It would be great if you could give the information about what camp it is, or at least what gym. I have no doubt what you're saying is true. I was a volunteer at a school carnival where they had us belaying the kids. With no training or supervision. I was horrified. (Yes, of course I said something so it won't happen again at least at our school.)

[Anonymous]

And if you don't know what camp, find out. Like just be friendly and ask a counselor. Because the camp should know what an incredible liability they're taking on. And I would post back here so parents can find out. There's nothing wrong with stating something you saw and naming the camp. People are scared to do that these days, but there's no reason to be.

[Anonymous]

Wow, sorry op. Not sure why everyone is being such jerks. My kids aren't in a climbing camp, but I appreciate your intent was to give people a heads up about the safety at these camps.

Thanks for posting. Ignore the grumpy people.

[Anonymous]

At my climbing gym, it's been several different camps all summer, which was why I didn't name one specific camp. I've asked my climbing partner to get down off the wall while I taught someone how to belay, spoken to the gym staff, caught a random small kid that was trying an overhang....sorry to dispel your belief that your kids are safe, but it's just like swimming.

[Anonymous]

I've done actual rock climbing before - no way in hell I would let my kid go to a climbing gym with a summer camp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid's not climbing anywhere, so I don't feel anything...except contempt for an anonymous asshole like you who thinks it's fun to lay fear and worry on parents who may or may not be affected by your vague accusations.

What is your problem? The only one who sounds like an asshole here is you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At my climbing gym, it's been several different camps all summer, which was why I didn't name one specific camp. I've asked my climbing partner to get down off the wall while I taught someone how to belay, spoken to the gym staff, caught a random small kid that was trying an overhang....sorry to dispel your belief that your kids are safe, but it's just like swimming.

It sounds like the common denominator here is your gym. It's their responsibility to teach the counselors how to belay, police unsafe behavior, and set expectations. You should name them, and let parents find out where their camps travel.

[Anonymous]

People on DCUM name grocery stores with rude baggers or bad produce, and OP won't name the gym where kids are basically free soloing?

[Anonymous]

Thanks OP. This is useful info. FWIW same goes with waterparks.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, OP.

The problem is ignorance on all sides about potentially dangerous activities that kids and parents are attracted to just because they sound exciting.

[Anonymous]

No, I've seen parents be just as stupid. There are other gyms that are worse. They provide lessons, but the counsellors give no fucks.