Brookfield/Elm Grove Monthly

February, 2016

Brookfield/Elm Grove Monthly

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By Stephanie S. Beecher Special to The Freeman PEWAUKEE — In a state not exactly known for its mountainous terrain, the sport of rock climbing is reaching new heights. More than 9 million Amer- icans enjoy rock climbing every year, and despite the sport's "extreme" reputa- tion, everyone from tod- dlers to septuagenarians are getting in on the action. When most people think of rock climbing, they stir up dramatic images of climbers scaling moun- tains and hanging from cliffs. But the sport is growing, due in part, to the arrival of indoor rock climbing venues. At Adventure Rock Indoor Climbing Gym, Inc. in Pewaukee, visitors get the opportunity to partake in the sport, without much of the risk of outdoor rock climbing. That doesn't make it any less thrilling for the facility's thousands of annual visitors, howev- er. "What's really interest- ing about climbing is real- ly this physical puzzle- ness of it," said Craig Burzynski, a manager at Adventure Rock. "You have to figure out how to move your body: 'Where do I put my foot, where should my hand go next? Where should I put my hips? Then there's this whole social aspect. 'Yeah, dude, I got it. Now, I want to climb something hard- er.'" Adventure Rock boasts more than 12,000 square feet of textured climbing space, over 40 top ropes, walls up to 35 feet, two bouldering caves and a tread wall. The facility also provides cardio and free weights to its mem- bers. But its bread and but- ter lies in the challenge presented on the gym's massive rock walls, a facet that keeps visitors return- ing throughout the year. "If you come in today, and come back in six weeks, it won't be the same — all the routes change that frequently," Burzynski said. "We have four full-time people do that. It's quite an under- taking. But if we were the exactly the same now as we were 18 years ago, peo- ple wouldn't continue to come here. We have to keep it fresh." The next generation of climbers Keeping the pathways fresh is just one way the business is getting more people interested in rock climbing as a sport, Burzynski said. In addi- tion to offering recreation- al and competitive pro- grams for adults and youth alike, Adventure Rock began partnering with local high schools to recruit the next genera- tion of climbers. "There isn't a huge cul- ture of rock climbing in Wisconsin," he said. "We basically saw this as good for teenagers. It's just edgy enough to be cool, and not too expensive to join. We're just really big advo- cates for high school stu- dents to get involved in climbing." So far, 14 high schools have created semi-compet- itive rock climbing teams, including Waukesha West, Sussex-Hamilton, Brook- field North, Brookfield East and Pewaukee. The teams are scored on both individual and team per- formance, depending on how difficult the terrain on the wall is, how the holds are spaced, and the overall difficulty of each route. If the teams score high enough, they have an opportunity to compete at the state level. Roughly 200 students have taken on the challenge. The local teams all prac- tice their skills at Adven- ture Rock. "Sometimes, it's like a madhouse in here," Burzynski said with a laugh. This year, Adventure Rock hopes to expand its high school programming and attract new members when it opens its newest facility in Milwaukee. Construction is well underway at the second location, near Humboldt and North avenues. "It's a cool facility with 11,000 square feet of climb- ing surface," Burzynksi said. "It's going to be sig- nificantly bigger. We had to ask ourselves: 'Do we add on to our current facil- ity to make it larger, or do we move into a different area to accommodate many of our members who come out here from the East Side? Let's put something in their back- yard." Burzynski hopes the new facility will expose more people to his beloved sport. He first began rock climbing with his father when he was 12, and said he has been hooked ever since. "I've traveled all over, Thailand, Germany, Italy — it's a great way to trav- el and see the country," he said. "The coolest thing about climbing is there is climbing everywhere." Even in Waukesha Coun- ty. www.adventurerock.com Page 2A • Freeman Brookfield & Elm Grove 262-542-2500 Hours: M-F 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. 801 N. Barstow St., P.O. Box 7, Waukesha, WI 53187 The FREEMAN How to reach us Established in 1859 Brookfield & Elm Grove T H I S M O N T H If you have a news tip from the Brookfield/Elm Grove area, contact 262-513-2644 or news@conleynet.com To advertise in "Brookfield & Elm Grove This Month" call the advertising department at (262) 513-2624. 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Freeman subscription rates • By in-county mail 13 weeks............$36 26 weeks............$66 52 weeks..........$120 • Out-of-county mail 13 weeks.............$51 26 weeks............$99 52 weeks..........$192 Easy buy .....$10 a month with credit card Electronic edition ......$10 a month with credit card Circulation Dept. To reach the Circulation Department call 542-2501 or go to www.gmtoday.com/wfhelp. FEBRUARY 2016 Maximize your income tax refund CALL TODAY! (262) 786-4442 13500 Watertown Plank Rd. Suite 103 Elm Grove, WI. 53122 www.AllianceTaxUSA.com ✔ Personal & Business Tax Preparation ✔ CPA and Tax Accountant on Staff ✔ State or IRS Tax Problem Consultation 248191004 $ 50 OFF Tax Preparation by March 15th, 2016 Bring in this ad and receive 10% OFF YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE Consignment Hours: Mon. 10am-6pm; Wed. thru Sat. 10am-2pm Store Hours: Mon. thru Fri. 10am-7pm; Sat. 10am-5pm Expires 2-29-16 EliteRepeatClothing.com GIF T CARDS AVAILABLE PLEASE CALL AHEAD FOR CONSIGNMENT CLOTHING / PURSES / SHOES / JEWELRY Ruby Isle Shopping Center 2205 N. Calhoun Rd., Brookfield 262-789-9359 An enormous amount of beautiful jewelry pieces have just arrived... 247356011 Looking for this season's hottest trend? We've got that. 247380030 Reaching for new heights — indoors Adventure Rock Climbing Gym thrives in Pewaukee; will open Milwaukee facility this year Charles Auer/Freeman Staff Michael Vogt of Wauwatosa climbs one of the walls at Adventure Rock on Friday. Charles Auer/Freeman Staff Ben Foster of West Bend gets upside down as he climbs in one of the bouldering rooms at Adventure Rock.

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