Frequently Asked Questions

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We focus primarily on young adolescents (ages 13-16), however, if your child is outside of this age range but still wishes to participate, please send us an email verticalhorizonsinitiative@gmail.com and we can discuss if your child would benefit from the program!

Climbing experience is not needed! Our experienced instructors are able to teach all levels of climbers, from completely inexperienced to avid climbers.

We can provide your child with all the necessary gear and resources to participate in the program. 

However, if your child does not own climbing shoes, when you fill out our registration, make sure to mark that you need us to provide climbing shoes. 

All your child needs to bring is a backpack with water, lunch/snack, and jacket (in case it is cold). 

General Day for Gravity Vault Sessions

9:00: Meet and greet/check in at Gravity Vault

• Ice breakers, everyone meets
• General orientation
• Talk about bouldering (explain it) and top roping (go over rules for it the knots, double check stuff, etc)
• Journal for the morning (your thoughts at the moment, could be about anything), share if comfortable

10:00:  Begin climbing; first day will be teaching top rope climbing and maybe a little bouldering 

12:00 Lunch

12:45: Climb more (continue learning techniques and practicing to get belay certified)

2:30: Circle up, debrief

• Reflect in journal on day and previous writing, share if comfortable
• Write down a goal from program for climbing and an optional personal goal you want to achieve by end of session /explain why we set goals

3:00: Pick up

For our indoor sessions, it will be located at Gravity Vault Climbing Gym near McInnis Park. Our outdoor sessions will be held on Mt. Tam and a location will be given after sign ups

Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to provide your child with transportation at this time (although we hope to in the future!). This means that you or a trusted guardian will have to provide your child with transportation to and from the meeting point.

However, if multiple families are interested, we can organize and form carpool groups with other kids from our program to ease the stress of driving each day.