In Motion Asia: Outdoor Adventures in Taiwan and Asia

Sept 2010 - The Magic of Rock Climbing at Longdong

Recent article written for the Salewa catalog by In Motion Asia Technical Operations Manager, Matt Robertson

At its most basic, rock climbing is movement, adventure, and interaction with nature. Go outside, find a rock and try to climb to the top. Descend and repeat. Along the way, fun may be had, views enjoyed, challenges faced, fears overcome, stuff learned, strengths gained. The mind and the body become stronger through engagement with the forces and beauties and uncertainties that are offered to us by the earth.

Rock climbing takes us away from the city and the millions of people spending their lives wishing they were somewhere else. Time spent in nature reminds us that we are living creatures of movement, not robots designed to spend lifetimes sitting at desks.

The Yosemite climbing legend Royal Robbins wrote, “Climbing is a game in which we play at learning the skills necessary to a beautiful life.” While climbing, we sometimes find ourselves uncertain whether we can make the next move. At such moments we are free to make a decision to go for it, or give up and retreat. Neither choice is wrong, but those who give 100% effort to attempt something that appears impossible are rewarded with increased power to face difficult challenges. Climbing teaches us to step through that imaginary door where fear and doubt are left behind and we enter a state of focus, poise, and commitment.

Climbing also brings an appreciation for life’s subtle gifts. We return to civilization better able to face its rigors and with clearer vision to see the beauties and joys among life’s difficulties, just as we may see a tiny flower growing from the rock halfway up a grueling climb. The beauty of true friendships and the trust between partners are further gifts from this game we play.

When I first started climbing, I thought I had found an activity that would let me prove my strength and toughness. I was wrong. Instead I found that climbing exposed my weaknesses and my fears. The opportunity to improve through hard work was at once obvious, elusive, and addictive. For two decades, I have striven to gain the mental and physical strength of a warrior, and have discovered a wondrous journey toward that impossible goal. Just as important, my quest for learning from adventure and challenge has led me to beautiful places where I have met amazing people from every corner of the world. The friendships I have gained through climbing have inspired me, opened my mind, and given my life meaning and purpose.

One of the greatest places in the world for experiencing the magic of rock climbing is Long Dong, on Taiwan’s Northeast Coast.

On my first visit to Long Dong, I immediately sensed that this place offered the ultimate climbing experience: wild scenery, the powerful forces of nature, stunning beauty, and awesome rock climbs. The views of these golden cliffs rising from the blue sea are matched by few places in the world. The quality of the Silin sandstone ranks it among the greatest coastal climbing areas anywhere. The walls are filled with hundreds of world-class routes, and the history of these routes includes visits from many of the planet’s greatest climbers.

I’ve spent over 400 days at Long Dong and never grow tired of it. The sounds of the ocean, the smell of the breeze off the sea, the rough feeling of the sandstone under my fingers as I make a difficult move, the joy of sharing climbs with friends, and the view of the moon rising from the ocean after a day of hard climbs: these are the experiences I look forward to every day of my life.

I am fortunate to be able to share this place with climbers from around the world. By creating guidebooks that inspire people to come to these cliffs, by introducing Taiwan to travelers abroad, and by guiding others on Taiwan’s best climbing routes, I hope to encourage climbers to experience this place, to appreciate the gifts of nature, and to learn from this game the skills necessary to lead a beautiful life.

Matt Robertson
Long Dong, Taiwan, 2010