| Some people just have the urge to climb up and | | | | 3. AvaLung - Back to our avalanche theme. |
| up. If you're giving gifts to a climber, here are a | | | | Having an avalanche beacon is all well and good, |
| few mountain, ice and rock climbing gift ideas. | | | | but it doesn't really help if you can't breath while |
| Climbing Gifts | | | | waiting for rescuers. The AvaLung is a very cool |
| You can usually identify a climber at an early age. | | | | device that draws air directly from snow packs |
| You come home from work and the energetic | | | | and lets climbers breath in the life giving air even |
| two year old is hanging from the top shelf of the | | | | if they're under ten or twenty feet of snow. |
| bookcase. By the age of five, they've progressed | | | | Black Diamond is the best brand and you can |
| to hanging off the edge of the roof and you're on | | | | expect to pay $100 or so. |
| a first name basis with your doctor. Don't even | | | | 4. "Fifty Favorite Climbs" by Mark Kroese. - This is |
| ask about the teenage years! | | | | an excellent book for climbers. The book lays out |
| Since you can't beat a climber, you might as well | | | | 50 climbs in North America and can be used as a |
| give in to their passion. Here are few climbing gift | | | | "to do" list by even the best climbers. The book |
| ideas. | | | | comes with narratives, photographs and detailed |
| 1. Avalanche Beacon - A new climbing toy is an | | | | route descriptions. An excellent gift that will set |
| invitation to climb. Since yours will come in the | | | | you back $30 or so at any major bookstore. |
| form of a Christmas gift, the climber can be | | | | 5. Nomad Climbing Journals - A little self-promotion. |
| expected to immediately climb mountains, rock | | | | Nomad Climbing Journals are great gifts for |
| walls or iced over waterfalls. Don't try to stop | | | | climbers. These writing journals allow climbers to |
| them. Just give them an avalanche beacon, an | | | | keep track of their climbs, impressions, people the |
| electronic device that sends out a signal if they | | | | climbed with, routes, contact information and any |
| happen to bring the mountain down on top of | | | | additional information they feel necessary. Over |
| them. Backcountry is a good brand. You can | | | | time, the climbing journals become a history of |
| expect to pay $100 to $300 to keep them alive. | | | | climbs and a great keepsake. A great Christmas |
| 2. Grip Strengthener - When it comes to hanging | | | | gift, you can see the journal by clicking the link in |
| off the side of a cliff, the ability to grip the wall is | | | | the byline of this article and expect to pay $25 |
| literally the key to life. A grip strengthener is a | | | | for the journal with case. |
| device climbers can carry around with them to | | | | As you know, there is simply no way to keep a |
| build up their grip by repetitively squeezing the | | | | climber from climbing. You might as well give in |
| resistance device. Grip Master is a good brand. | | | | and give them a Christmas climbing gift. |
| You can expect to pay $15 to $20. | | | | |