By Rebecca Vallett
BYU students are itching with rock-climbing fever, waiting for the spring thaw to begin.
Although there may still be snow on the ground and more to come, BYU student Chris Wilkinson is preparing to hit the climbing scene.
'Rock climbing is such an adrenaline rush,' said Wilkinson, 24, a junior from Salt Lake County majoring in public relations.
'It''s just a sport I enjoy,' he said.
Rock climbing may be an enjoyable activity, but without proper instruction and equipment a fun afternoon on the rock can turn into a life threatening experience.
Wilkinson survived a 70-foot fall in Rock Canyon this September.
'I''m lucky to be alive,' said Wilkinson, whose fall crushed two vertebrae and required emergency back surgery.
Wilkinson said most climbing injuries occur out of simple carelessness.
'Routine things, like tying knots, are the easiest mistakes to make,' Wilkinson said.
'There are things you don''t think about checking twice because you do them all the time,' he said.
Tim Griffen, camping sales associate and rock climbing expert at Galyan''s, said rock climbing is not a dangerous sport.
'Most rock climbers don''t get hurt,' said Griffen. 'Climbers are more likely to sprain an ankle getting to the climb than to hurt themselves on the rock.'
Scrapes and bruises, with occasional strained tendons, are common injuries to climbers.
Bob Swenson, a senior in recreational management youth leadership and an avid rock climber said, 'There is no way to avoid scrapes and bruises. That''s just part of climbing.'
The best way to avoid injury is to learn from someone who knows what they are doing and to climb with them until you are comfortable doing it by yourself, he said.
Swenson, 24, from Taylorsville, Salt Lake County, was taught to climb by professionals in Yosemite and then climbed with experienced friends until he was sure of his climbing skill, gear and partner.
'If you trust your equipment and climbing partner you will climb better,' Swenson said.
Keeping your equipment in good condition is another essential aspect to climbing safety, Griffen said.
Although harnesses will last several years, climbing shoes and ropes wear out quickly.
'If you climb once a week, you will kill your rope in a year,' Griffen said.
Even if a climber knows all the techniques and has good equipment, accidents will still occur if he or she forgets to think.
'Honestly, the most important piece of equipment is your brain,' Griffen said. 'So many accidents could be avoided if people would just think.'