An unusual summer camp in Hilo literally has kids climbing the walls.
Ten keiki spent last Friday scaling the walls of the only rock-climbing gym on the island.
Big Island Climbing is hosting the Kula Pinana No Na Keiki climbing camp for kids ages 6 to 12 this summer.
The climbing space opened two years ago and has been frequented by beginning, intermediate and advanced-level climbers of all ages. This is the first camp the business has hosted.
“The last two years have been good. We’ve spent most of our time educating the community about climbing, because there isn’t really anything similar on the island,” said co-owner Donna Nichols. “The camp has been a great addition for this summer and is going really well so far.”
While Nichols had not originally planned for a camp, she decided that it would be a great idea after instructor Holly Lammert volunteered to teach it for six weeks.
Lammert teaches the basics of climbing through challenging but exciting games on and off the wall. The classes are 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays and cost $20 for preregistered climbers and $25 for drop-ins. Waivers needs to be signed for all participants.
“What’s great about climbing is that it’s a good activity for all ages. We’d love to incorporate after-school programs similar to this in the future,” Nichols said. “Rock climbing is a great way for kids to get out of the house and do something different that engages every muscle in the body, including the brain.”
The climbing gym includes 60 routes that can be changed for added variety. While many people who come to the gym are regulars, tourists often bring their own shoes and climb.
“We have a database of about 3,000 people that have come in the past two years,” Nichols said. “We have goals for a larger facility that would emulate a large, Olympic-style gym for training. The goal is to offer as many opportunities to the community as we can, like mountain climbing with belay.”
Big Island Climbing is open 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. every day. The keiki camp is from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m every Friday until July 21.
The climbing gym is located at 126 Keawe St. in Hilo. For reservations, call (808) 491-2582, or visit bigislandclimbing.com.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com.