Joshua McKinnon

Image courtesy of Michael Allen, via Facebook

“Climbing isn’t a hobby for me; it is a lifestyle,” says Joshua McKinnon, with a smile. This 25 year old emergency room nurse out of Russellville is a regular of Horseshoe Canyon Ranch and not just when sending routes; he helps out there from time to time. The spark that caused this extreme sport firestorm was his dad and would take he and his brothers top-roping (a style of sport climbing that a rope is secured at the top of a route at to the belayer at the bottom  to ensure the climber’s safety) when he was younger. His influence to try out lead climbing came his freshman year after seeing a friend lead and on December 26th, 2005 he lead his first 5.7 at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch and hasn’t looked back. He claims that day as “the day I [he] started climbing.”

Not surprisingly, this lifestyle shift came with many changes. Physically, he claims he “could only do one pull-up” and would “consider my[him]self chubby” when he first started climbing. Now, he’s trimmed down and can spout off twenty pull-ups with grace. While most people assume the physical changes climbing will provide someone with, most don’t assume the mentality changes that come with the sport. “Climbing has given me confidence in every aspect of life,” claims Joshua. “I think climbing is more challenging mentally than physically at times. By dealing with failure nearly constantly, my perseverance and determination has grown, in every aspect, not just climbing.” That confidence is important in pushing a climber forward and constantly seeking out challenges. That confidence, however, is greatly humbled by one aspect: falling. Most climbers vividly remember their first fall and Joshua is no exception: “I was originally taught to not fall. As you could imagine, the first fall I took was probably pretty scary, in a bad way. I believe this affected my mentality as a climber in a great way. Now, after realizing that falling is (or can be) safe, and is perfectly acceptable, I still have a hard time committing to climbs/moves that are at my very limit.” The names of the game of  rope climbing come down to sport and traditional and Joshua has mastered both. He prefers sport but is equipped with a trad rack and will make time each year to place some gear. When asked if he preferred bouldering or roped climbing, he definitely leans towards the ropes because of his initial climbing roots and he believes “it fits my [his] development as a climber.” Though he prefers his ascents high and his moves securely bolted, he hasn’t ruled out bouldering. “Bouldering for me is hard (that’s the point…) and I get more frustrated with it. Alas, as a climber wishing to continue to progress, [the two] complement each other [and] that’s why I’m taking a bouldering trip to Rocklands, South Africa in two weeks.”

Given Joshua sent his first route here in Arkansas, one can imagine it has a special place in his heart. According to him, he never really realized the depth in the meaning of “The Natural State” until he started climbing. Arkansas is known for its sandstone which he claims “naturally produces quality lines” which is one of the reasons it attracts climbers from all over the nation. Even more than the beauty of the state and the ideal sandstone routes, Joshua loves that the Arkansas climbing community is small. “I know or have met nearly all the regular climbers,” he mentions, proudly. In the last four years, Arkansas climbing has elevated in the number of routes that have been developed so it is possible that “you won’t see another soul; you can have the whole crag to yourself.” Joshua also adds, “This development of new areas as well as adding new lines to existing areas has really made Arkansas worth talking about.”  If you want a competitive atmosphere; stay in a gym. If you want a serene, confidence boosting experience–climb outside in the hills of the Arkansas wilderness. With Arkansas’ popularity slowly rising, the developing of new routes is starting to take-off. Bolting a line takes a lot of rock expertise, proper tools and plenty of patience. Joshua explains the process: “First, you must find a line that is inspiring to you, also it must have solid rock. You can test this out by hammering on a few spots to see if its hollow or not. Most bolting now-a-days starts with placing your anchors at the top first, you then rappel down the route and spot places to place bolts; some may want to test out the moves on top rope to see how the route climbs to determine bolt placement. You then place the bolts. The two main types of bolts are five piece expansion bolts, and glue in bolts. For five piece, you drill the hole with a rock drill, brush and blow out excess dust, place the bolt and hammer it in, place a hanger on the bolt and tighten it down with a wrench. For glue ins, you drill the whole and clean it out, fill the hole with special glue, and place the bolt, making sure it is in proper placement before the glue dries which is quickly.”

Beyond Arkansas, there is a wanderlust involved with climbing pursuits. When asked if money wasn’t an option where would he travel to climb, Joshua jokingly said, “Mars.” All jokes aside, he has wide and deep ambitions for his climbing adventures. “Spain, Germany, China, Vietnam and Australia are all on my list right now, with more to be added. Traveling is more than just seeing historic places/old things. For me, its about seeing and experiencing other cultures. Climbing is a wonderful way to travel and experience the world.”

Ask any climber and they’ll confess that climbing is addictive. Joshua claims, “There are so many aspects to climbing that can draw you in. For me, what first drew me in was the comradery of sitting around a campfire every weekend, enjoying the outdoors. Also, climbing is what keeps me fit, its why I run, train and diet.” Given its addictive nature there’s no surprise that there are new climbers “born” everyday. Joshua’s advice to anyone interested in making their own chalk marks on the rock: “Have fun. Don’t take yourself too serious; there will always be someone better or stronger. Climbing is a challenging and humbling experience that will help you grow as a person, if you let it.”