Melissa i
Strong

Rad Ass Climbing Chicks

 

            It was the summer of 2001 when team RACC came into being.  We were lounging and laughing on crash pads, and a bouldering session was concluding. Randomly, we threw out perspective names, hoping to discover our perfect team name.  Gearing up for our trip overseas, the training, the planning--the sheer excitement-- we felt a team name was necessary.   The only way the local “Estes” women could go to France would be with a title, of course. “The Estes Gals” and “Team Bitch Slap” were among the numerous amusing suggestions. However, nothing fit us.   None of these names capture our essence. We continued to ponder this pertinent question; “How about Rad Ass Climbing Chicks?” I exclaimed, knowing immediately that no other name could be so appropriate.  Momentarily, Karla froze. “Team RACC, I like it,” she responds, nodding her head in approval.   

From that moment on, the silliness spread. We were known as team RACC by all who were important, and that very significant group was composed of its members- Karla Mosier, Lisa Foster, Bronson MacDonald, and me. The experience of RACC is something unique and special to each of us.  Most fortunate climbers have all had partners with whom they connect on a distinct level.  Male or female, from traditional climbing to bouldering, sometimes something clicks, and you want to climb with this person again and soon.  Participating in this dynamic partnership has affected us all dramatically in different ways. Whether it is group dynamics, unfailing support, anatomic similarities, or vital energy, we all have had an amazing effect on each other and on ourselves as we have grown together.  

Taking an active role in such a strong group means something different to the unique members.  “There are so many things that make this partnership so special,” Karla states.  “It is the idea of a group that gets together and gets things done--that is the most important aspect.  Team RACC will never end because of the different driving forces behind it: Melissa, the planner and the idea maker.  Lisa is just out of control and psyched all of the time.  She is excited about the idea, supporting it all whether she is there or not.  And Bronson, another crazy psyched one.  She is the one with the experience, been there done that--Hueco and all that shit.  Hanging out with you girls is great because we have done some of our best things together.  And it does take each and every one of us together to get it done.  Everyone has had that connection, that partner that brings out the best in them.”

I had climbed for two years, and even though I had some strong climbing partners and mentors, I was still searching for something more.  I did not think I was looking for too much; I was just looking for fun, dependable, and motivated climbing partners.  With the formation of team RACC I found all of this and more.   I found an atmosphere where everyone’s climbing, despite the level of difficulty, is equally important.  RACC allies are always there to push, spot, reveal, and list the 101 reasons why it is not a peak performance day, even if they do not have a project in that area.      

            Climbing with fellow RACC members is remarkable not only because the original members are unique but also because of the anatomic similarities.   The familiar size and movement of women’s bodies allow a group to work on problems together.  Sometimes movement translates from male to female, from people six foot tall to five foot nothing; however, this is not always the case.  Rather than attempting to imitate a difficult move statically executed, our bodies and minds work together, translating movement and power to our size and muscle mass.

The similarities of RACC members bring us together, and our differences keep us unique and complement each other; as Bronson notes, we are different:   “Each of us climbs differently.  We have different crazy facial expressions; we grunt differently and solve each boulder problem/climb with a different flair.  Even with all of these differences, we share the most important things: friendship, trust, understanding, motivation, inspiration, laughter, pain, desire, and a partnership helping each other.  We all communicate so easily.  There is still competition, but we turn it into motivation and encouragement.  We are a different crew of climbers.  Each has a specific style of climbing, but together, the differences don’t exist.  We all thrive on each other’s energy, the energy of the partnership.”     

The partnership found in RACC, like any positive relationship, encourages growth, physically and mentally.  Lisa’s enthusiastic words illustrate this partnership: “Being part of the crew means much more than standing at the base of a rock and eyeing a promising line to the top, more than pulling hard and accomplishing a challenging sequence or sending a difficult route.  It means taking part in something greater than the act of climbing.  As a group, we dream together, act together, and accomplish together.  We achieve limitless satisfaction through our encouragement of each other, sharing the felicity of the moment, and the unity of teamwork.  Together, we grow as individuals to become the best climbers, best friends, and best women we can be.  Team RACC is a vehicle for the augmentation of each member’s potential.”    

Basically, to be a member of team RACC begins, of course, with being radical.  To be radical does not mean you have to climb at a specific level--you are ‘rad’ because you love to climb.  ‘Ass,’ well ass is essential because sometimes and some days it is one of our best features.   Climb, we climb because it is a defining part of us, a part that motivates our spark of life--it is our essence we cannot do without.  And chicks, that is what we are--chicks, there is no denying that. 

 

 

Melissa Gargano

Estes Park, CO