This month's newsletter will have links to watch videos about climbing

Three men fell into a deep crevasse while they were climbing up a mountain.

A magical fairy came along, and said "I'll turn you into any bird you want so you can fly out of this crevasse."

"When you are home, you will change back to a man."

The first man asked to become a beautiful swan. He flew all the way home.

The second man chose to become an eagle, and flew all the way home.

Finally, the third man watched the others fly gracefully in the air. He said to the fairy, "I would like to be a penguin."

Watch a video about cave conservation. This means to maintain and preserve caves. Click here to watch video.
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Welcome to our newsletter for January. Topic is traveling - Climbing.
**** If you can't see the images then click here. ****
Mountain climbing is the sport where you literally climb the face of a mountain.
Also known as rock climbing, this sport is growing quickly all over the world. The reasons why it has gained popularity are adventure and the sense of achievement when you have reached the top.
Spelunking is the art of cave exploring. It was originally just for scientists and explorers, but it's now a popular sport.
Abseiling is going down a mountain or building. Click here to watch video.
When not climbing up a mountain, and just walking, this is hiking or trekking.
The first men to reach the summit of Mt. Everest, the world's largest mountain, were Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
This was a British-led team on the 29th of May, 1953. Sir Edmund Hillary was from New Zealand, and Tenzing Norgay was a Sherpa, which is an ethnic person in Himalayan Ranges. Click here to watch video.
Altamira (Spanish for 'high view') is a cave in Spain famous for its Upper Paleolithic cave paintings featuring drawings and polychrome rock paintings of wild mammals and human hands. Click here to view larger image.
Click here to watch video about rock art.
Click here to watch video about the history of caves.
Édouard-Alfred Martel (July 1, 1859 - June 3, 1938), the "father of modern Speleology", was a world pioneer of cave exploration, study, and documentation. Speleology is the study of caves.
During the 1940's, due to the increase of tourism to caves throughout places like America, due to privately owned cars.
What to find in a cave. Click here to watch video.
Speleothems: commonly known as a cave formation, is a secondary mineral deposit formed in a cave. Click here to view larger image.
Lava Tubes: are natural conduits through which lava travels beneath the surface of a lava flow before it is expelled by a volcano during an eruption. Click here to view larger image.
Flowstones: are composed of sheet like deposits of calcite formed where water flows down the walls or along the floors of a cave. Click here to view larger image.
Stalagmite: is a type of speleothem that rises from the floor of a limestone cave due to the dripping of mineralized solutions and the deposition of calcium carbonate. Click here to view larger image.
Stalactite: hangs from the ceiling or wall of limestone caves. It is sometimes referred to as dripstone. Click here to view larger image.
Water or Sea caves: also known as a littoral cave, is a type of cave formed primarily by the wave action of the sea. Click here to view larger image.
Helictite: a speleothem found in limestone caves that changes its axis from the vertical at one or more stages during its growth. Click here to view larger image.
Soda Straws: a speleothem in the form of a hollow mineral tube. They grow in places where water leaches slowly through cracks in rock, such as on the roofs of caves. Click here to view larger image.
Glacier caves: a cave formed within the ice of a glacier. Glacier caves are often called ice caves. Click here to view larger image.
Cave Pearls: a type of speleothem, a concretion of calcium salts which forms in limestone caves. Click here to view larger image.
Styles of rock climbing.
Bouldering: this is climbing without the aid of ropes, and is limited to short climbs. Click here to watch video.
Boulders are very large rocks. Climbers will bring a safety crash pad that can be carried on their backs
Top Roping: this style of climbing is using the aid of ropes and a belaying system.
Belayer (right) is climbing equipment used to control a rope during belaying
Belay devices usually attach to the harness of the belayer via a carabiner. (left)
Lead Climbing: this is similar to Top Roping, but a leader will place the anchors into the rock.
Ice Climbing: when climbing in snow or on a glacier.
Glaciers are large frozen reserves of ice. Click here to view larger image.
A crevasse is a big crack in a glacier, and is very dangerous.
Equipment you need to go climbing.
Harness: this goes around your waist, and put your legs through.
Anchor: this is to fasten ropes into the rock.
Quickdraws: are used to connect ropes to anchors.
Ascenders: help the climber to grip the ropes.
LED Headlamps: when in dark places this will help you to see. This is placed on your head, and useful for caves.
Crampons: when climbing on ice or snow, the spikes will dig in. They are strapped to your shoes to give better grip without slipping.
Adrenaline Junkie
Adrenaline is a chemical released by your body that triggers the "fight or flight" response - to fight or run from danger. Your heart will beat faster, your blood will race - - it is a survival instinct we all have. Some people love this feeling, and will do sports like base jumping, just to feel it.
Base jumping is diving off a mountain or building.
Junkie is what people call someone who is addicted to something.
"He is an adrenaline junkie! He's going to get himself killed one of these days!"
Click here to watch video.
Indoor climbing: some clubs provide a place to practice climbing without traveling to the actual mountain. By constructing an artificial climbing wall.
Sacred sites: some indigenous cultures, there are places that have ancient art work or have a spiritual connection with the people. They believe that climbing on these mountains is dishonoring these sites.
Erosion: is the displacement of soil or rock from wind and rain. Climbing can speed up the process of erosion, especially if it's done by many people .
Trespassing: entering a place without permission. Some climbing sites are privately owned.
"He was climbing up the walls!"
He could not stay still and misbehaving.
"Go take a hike!"
Go away!