Besides surfing San Diego’s coastline, outdoor adventurers seeking an extreme sport can satisfy their risk-taking desires in several indoor facilities offering traditional rock climbing and rappelling throughout the city.

Rock climbing dates back to the early days of man, when climbing was a necessity in travelling from place to place. It first became a leisure activity in Europe during the late 1800s and spread to the Americas as a fast-growing, thrill-seeking experience.

“The sport offers an exciting physical and mental workout emphasizing strength, agility, balance and endurance,” said Brooke Dearwester, an instructor at Vertical Hold Sport Climbing Center, Inc., the largest climbing facility in San Diego.

Walking inside an indoor-rock-climbing center, patrons are surrounded with walls of challenges. Each wall offers alternating terrain on a scale of 5.3 to 5.12, rated by least to most difficult. Experts consider 5.15-rated rock unfeasible to complete. The level of difficulty is determined by the dispersion of the footholds, angles and size of the rock.

Climbers remove their footwear and don a pair of climbing shoes, with sticky soles to avoid slippage against the footholds. Next, climbers step into a harness and pull it up over their hips, tightening the leg straps for a snug fit. The harnesses act as safety measure, preventing a dangerous fall should one loose grip.

Instructors teach customers how to properly tie in to the ropes with figure eight knots. Climbing is usually completed in pairs; one person scales the wall while the other remains tied-in on the ground to support the climber.

“Instead of muscling the holds by pulling up with the arms, climbers have to learn that it takes 90 percent legs and 10 percent arms to master the technique,” said Dearwester.

With their eyes set to the top, climbers maneuver their hands and feet from foothold to foothold, deciding on the most stable position each movement.

“Reaching the top of the wall creates a huge sense of accomplishment,” said Lance Cpl. Scott Hurowitz, a musician with the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing band, who recently visited the center. “It’s a lot of fun and it’s conveniently located right off base.

“Indoor climbing is a great way to overpower a fear of heights,” said Vanessa Christainsen. “It’s a leisure activity that beginners or experts can try.”

Instructors offer step by step guidance to customers wishing to learn the fundamentals.

“It’s addictive,” said Michael Gardener, another instructor at Vertical Hold Sport Climbing Center, Inc. “I have climbed everyday since the first time I tried it.”