safety issues for kids - bouldering

My son is 8 and can climb very well. He can do 5.8 to 5.10 routes in a gym and has done very well in various comps last fall. He is after me to take him outside to climb (bouldering) and I would like to take him to Castlewood Ranch boulders. My wife is a nurse and thinks that it would be way to dangerous for him to even attempt. I am looking for information about kids and injuries. I would be spotting him and we would have a crash pad. Are there any parents who will back me up? My opinion is that it is a great sport and since he can climb at a fairly high level it would be a good thing to try.

Talk with Krista @ the CMC, she deals with a good number of young climbers in respect to the Youth Ed. Program (YEP!) - she would be a great help.

javorkATcmc.org 303-996-2751

Thanks for the number. Krista was very nice but unfortunatly did not have the kind of info I need.

IMO, a child is just as (if not more) likely to be injured if he or she were riding a bike or playing mini-mite hockey or playing on a swing set. With a good spotter and a pad I would think that there should be little concern. Just find boulders with good flat landing areas and low topouts. Maybe bringing your wife along to see what it's like may help to alleviate her concerns?

If he has never climbed outside than by all means get him out there!

My wife doesn't like him topropeing at a gym! I am just making the same point as you. I feel it is safer than riding his bike(especially with the way the jerks drive around my neighborhood) I am looking to see if anyone with kids has ever had serious injuries occur on a regular basis.

My experience with Boy Scouts has been that if injuries do occur, the presence of an adult almost always decreases the severity and frequency of such injuries. I have been involved with the Boy Scouts for over 15 years, most of that time has been regularly attending and supervising climbing, hiking, backpacking, canoeing, snowshoeing, etc. The worst injury I can remember was an adult who went off trail down a rock slide and had a small rock knock him over. Children are resilient. I would recommend a place like Morrison (low traverses) or even Flagstaff in Boulder, although it is a drive from HR, the problems and area are well established and the landings for the most part are about the best in CO. You could even check Garden of the Gods in CS, but that's pushing it. Good luck!

Well, my parents were/are supportive of me taking on the outdoors. I broke my arm soloing when I was a kid, but I don't see that being any different than the result of any other activity, like riding a bike or skateboard like a bat out of hell.

What about joint & tendon development? Say for example, in baseball, a curve shouldn't be taught until a certain time because it won't let the pitcher's arm develop properly??

I don't know how this translates into technical moves. Any damage to feet by constantly using small shoes or forcing toes onto holds??

Sorry Krista couldn't help you with what you needed, thought I'd give it a shot anyway.

I take my 4 year old out toproping. He has a full body harness, a helmet and climbing shoes. Granted, he's not ready for .8's and 10's and may only get about 15 ft. off the deck but he is still out there. It just adds to our family time and he is learning to be a safe climber. Today I took him and my neice out to do some easy toproping. On the way there he asked me who was going to belay me cause I was the only adult!!
Maybe if you took your wife out with you. Or-- Maybe she is coming from the perspective that serious climbing will affect his physiological development??? I was a competive swimmer for 18 years of my life, entering my first meet @ the age of 3. Except for some knee problems that were probably caused by other things I don't have any problems,except maybe that the dr's said I was supposed to be 6'2" and I am only 5'9"!!!! LOL!! Good Luck.