The Kansas City Star from Kansas City, Missouri • 49

p-a The Kansas City Star Wednesday July 19 1995 WALL Continued from F-1 OUCH "A HJflRI SHIPPING IHRIIIIR IN IHE IRAHIIION Ilf 'AMINS' Bill FAR SUPIRlIJRi' PA 111 II Nil IK WHAI HA I II I- ll QQ NOW SHOWING! Hey kids for really kicking totally chilling absolutely twisted fun call StarTouch at (816) 889-7827 and enter 2666 to visit Cool HQ READ AND USE STAR WANT ADS HELEN JAUThe Star Indoor climber Coby Feris 18 is an assistant manager at Monster Mountain in Overland Park 13' Is Oni Hem of a Ride!" Rit Liard orlis I IMI NOW PLAYING! INDIAN SPRINGS Mountain however say their 365-fcot Wal which can take 16 climbers at once is the tallest All of which speaks to just how competitive the indoor climbing craze already is and how potentially popular and profitable its devotees see it becoming to seven years ago there was probably no more than five or six indoor commercial climbing wall operations throughout the said Nick Yardley director of the International Mountain Climbing School in New Hampshire in the In fact since 1987 when two Seattle rock jocks opened the Vertical Club the first commercial indoor rock climbing wall the number has erupted to more than 500 Exactly why rock-climbing indoor and outdoor has grown into fitness fashionability is guess Some such as Michael Kennedy editor of Climbing Magazine whose circulation has gone from 8500 in 1985 to 45000 today thinks part of a growing interest in outdoor recreation Keith Lenard executive director of the Access Fund in Boulder Colo which helps conserve and protect outdoor climbing areas said camping enjoyed huge popularity in the 1970s Now simply rock turn Others offer a more primal explanation an old-world type of climber I try to avoid the word said Dan Couthorn coowner of Vertical Club true There is a natural appeal to it you just deny It is an aesthetic thing to watch people climbing their muscles flex-ing Indeed in Climbing Magazine or Sports Illustrated on ESPN MTV or even the occasional Mountain Dew commercial there they are: bodies on boulders Males and females (women are the fastest growing segment among rock jocks) who are lean tight muscular and gymnastic Others add that outdoor of the type seen on in which young athletes partake in everything from bungee jumping to acrobatic bicycling have added to the rock climbing chic This is now a sport where athletes hang from New KaHii liftoff with Apollo 13 on the Internet (hltpwwwmca com)! THE COTERIE THEATRE JULY 18 AUGUST 13 4 4 Think that Lenard said and a rock jock with rocks in your head Many of the indoor rock gyms he said have become to outdoor rock climbing biggest gripe is that this influx has caused ever-growing problems with crowds on rock faces damage to rock and damage to natural climbing sites growth in the sport is not something particularly enjoyed Lenard said But the other concern is that more climbers is translating into more accidents think there are a lot of people who learn to climb in the gym and say is really fun I want to go said Kennedy But the problem with that he said is that the controlled environment of a gym no wind no loose stones no falling rocks or bad weather lulls people into the false impression that rock climbing is exceedingly safe perception that climbing is safe or that it is safer than it used to be is a very dangerous Kennedy said of the outdoor sport human error is how people get hurt in this thing If you fall or hit the wrong way you can kill yourself when talking about climbing safety talking about risk awareness important to be he said No matter how exciting in climbing is mesas and canyons who ice-pick up frozen waterfalls free-solo without ropes wedging hands and feet into cracks bracing on footholds the size of teetering on overhangs laybacks and ledges their muscles rippling from toes to temple beautiful like vertical said Kari Stanberry 21 of Overland Park who spends hours each week trying to conquer Monster different routes Just as in the outdoors the indoor wall painted desert purple and finished in a rough rocky texture has routes rated on a scale starting at the simpler ladderlike climb of a 56 to the acrobatic back-bending ascent of a 510 or 51 1 What makes it so physically and mentally challenging is not just the pitch of a cliff or the flatness of its face but also its features: the so-called the cracks crevices crags and knobs that jut out from the face of the wall cool different said 13-year-old Jason Agron who admits that in the last few months become a full-fledged rock-climbing addict and spent several hundred dollars buying the kind of equipment that most rock gyms rent for less than $5 as part of their all-day climbing fees which usually range from $10 to $15 Agron for example hacl his Scarpa Dominators (shots) and his Metolius bison ball (hand chalk) and chalk bag his Black Diamond Alpine blody harness his Petzl gri gri Blue Water carbines and his Black Diamond air-lock screw gate all safety gizmos that help him climb as his mother said an 80-pound Climbers repeatedly taljk about the thrill of crawling at deathly heights along a sheer wall face of the camaraderie of the climb of the delight of reaching a peak even if it is only the top of a wall less than 40 feet high For Kansas City area cljimbers the thrill of scaling an int wall is more intense becai 18-year-old Coby Feris si said no place els Outdoors a few area rock jocks take to scaling the faces along Cliff Drive near the Kansas City Museum or by the dam atj Truman Lake Otherwise area climbers usually have to jaunt to Colorado or Arkansas to do rock climbing of any significance Which raises a very important point: Both Kennedy of Climbing Magazine and Lenard of tihe Access Fund emphasize thatj if indoor rock gyms have any downside in too easily leading novice climbers to believe that indoor rock climbing and outdoor rock climbing are the same type of experience I I I I I MP ANIMAL FAIR A Jf Ammtts iDn(i tAtk this is thiy tvonlA SAy Ideal for Age 8 through Adult Tues-Fri at 1 lamSat-Sun at 2pm $600 per person Groups of 20 or more are $350 per person floiKsI taken alio ptmidsl by iht Minouri Arts (until and ths IMwmI MwnM lor Hm tin as CALL (816) 474-6552 TDD (816) 474 2225 St Louis-born silent film star dies in California I Quasi-23 Los Angeles Times Bom Jan 17 1904 in St Louis Patricia Ruth Miller was a girl cast opposite modo in the classic 1923 Hunchback of Notre Miller later switched to writing' earning three Henry awards for her short stories and penning a novel That Flanagan Girl radio scripts and plays She also appeared briefly on Broadway 16-year-old vacationing with her family in Hollywood when she met film star Alla Nazimova at a party who got her a part in the 1921 film starring Valentino Miller probably is best remembered as Esmeralda the Gypsy dancing Chocolate Complete 2-Year Set of SHORTEST US DOLLAR SERIES SINCE 1795! 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(limit 4 sets) Littleton Coin Company Celebrating Over 50 Years of Friendly Service to Collectors Susan Anthony Six coin 1979 1980 All-Mint Set Regularly JfcMj Now only $1000 per set (Limit 4 sets) 60 OFF SPRING AND SUMMER KIDS' CLOTHES 7100 woman (Comer of Gregory Womall) 816-361-2952 C8 Mfg blousst boys' shirt bloomsrs turtlsnecks and knK tops ara 40 i Patsy Ruth Miller silent film star who made more than 70 films during her decade on screen appearing opposite such leading men as Rudolph Valentino and Lon Chaney died Sunday at her home in Palm Desert Calif at 91 A Quincy Jones could play role in KC television QJE partnership with David Salzman is likely buyer for Channel 32 By BARRY GARRON TV Critic PASADENA Calif Quincy Jones Entertainment may become the owner of a new television station in Kansas City The Federal Communications Commission issued a construction permit for a new Channel 32 nearly a year ago Robert Liepold a former Sprint executive who won the permit after a prolonged selection process is expected to sell it to a broadcast firm Liepold said he discussed the sale of the station with several potential buyers but declined further comment Industry sources said this week the most likely buyer is QJE a partnership of musician Quincy Jones and David Salzman QJE already owns a TV station in New Orleans nothing really to talk about Salzman said could be very He said that if a deal is struck it liktly will occur by the end of the summer love Kansas City as a Salzman said think Kansas City is a great opportunity and love to own a TV station there but it done Salzman also said that if his company succeeds in buying the station it has not yet decided whether it will operate it or lease it to another broadcaster A third option he said might be a shared services agreement in which QJE provides the staff for the station but contracts for services with another broadcaster Mr Mrs Ms Send cou with pa jupon iyment to: Christmas i ARTS AND CRAFTS SHOW 340 BOOTHS Friday July 21 Saturday July 22 Sunday July 23 Overland Park International Trade Center oormriy Mmnmou fwt) 1 15th Metcalf Overland Park ii i i 1 1 it I Littleton AC Con Compary Dept LH0265 Littleton NH 03561 Ci Check or money order enclosed Charge to my: VISA MC AMEX Discover Card No Exp Date No of sets (limit 4) $1000 per set Shipping Handling Total enclosed Money Back Guarantee qf Satisfaction mss AMP iLLafUCii uwrkis We hnmmhm Admission 83C (good lor entire weekend) Under 12 Free Buy sell trade morning and Sundays with Star Classified Ads To place your ads dial 234-4000Adv.