FORT CARSON, Colo. -- Alex Rodriguez pulled himself over the lip of "Blow Tube Envy." He looked up the sandstone face -- still 30 feet to go. Grasping onto the thin holds, Alex braced himself against the 35-mph winds that blew through the canyon.
Pulling himself up the remaining few feet of the climb, he looked around the valley, calling for tension to let his belayer know he was ready to be lowered.
"This is awesome," said Alex, 15. "You can't ask for a better view than this."
Alex joined 10 children ranging in age from 11-15 from Fort Carson for the Winter Youth Camp, held during their spring break Monday-Wednesday.
"It was my parents' idea," said Alex. "When I heard there was ice climbing, I agreed. But we're not doing that now because it's too hot."
With temperatures in the 70s, Outdoor Recreation employees Trevor McConnell and Meg Louk opted to take the youths rock climbing rather than risk the warming temperatures on the ice. Alex said he was still excited to rock climb.
The group traveled Monday to Red Rock Canyon near Colorado Springs, climbing at "The Whale," a large formation that boasts close to 30 climbs. With skills ranging from beginner to intermediate, the youths climbed "Red Venus," a 100-foot-tall beginner route and "Blow Tube Envy," an intermediate 105-foot route.
"It gives them the opportunity to comingle with other individuals in the military outside a military setting," said McConnell, Adventure Programs and Education program director. "It allows them to be themselves while enjoying the outdoors. It gets them outside and not playing video games."
Despite the warm weather, the children still enjoyed winter sports, snowshoeing Tuesday and skiing and snowboarding Wednesday.
For many, sacrificing a few days of their spring break was worth the experience.
"I wouldn't be doing anything," said Devin Jean, 13.
"I'm excited to go snowboarding," said Ona Chapman, 15. "I've never been."
Most of the other children said they were also excited for the ski day.
McConnell said the camps APE is able to put on reach the preteen and teenage age group, providing them with unique experiences outdoors.
"It's a really unique group to work with and it's a lot of fun," he said. "It's an excellent time to get them outside and give them experiences that they want to have."
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