PHOTO BY DJAMILA NOELLE GROSSMAN/Arizona Daily Wildcat Marcus Zengl, aerospace engineering graduate student, climbs to the top of "Moby Dick," a rock near Tombstone. The "Cliffhangers" UA Climbing Club he's involved with goes out almost every weekend.

UA Cliffhangers go high, over and above

"Slack, slack!" yells Marcus Zengl, an aerospace engineering graduate student, down the rock face.

Draped with carabiners and other securing devices tied to his climbing belt, he works his way up "Moby Dick," a 600-foot-high rock at Cochise Stronghold near Tombstone.

Further down, Mark Lauer, material science and engineering freshman, sits in his belt. He secures Zengl's rope, but doesn't have any slack left. The rope ends in his hands.

They have to climb simultaneously; neither of them is directly tied to the rock. The rope is lead through bolts, which keeps them from falling down, in case either one would slip off. The situation is tough, but the guys know what they are doing, enough so Lauer describes climbing as "a stress reliever." Five minutes later, Zengl reaches his base and everything is back to normal. Routine is important when climbing, and concentration is a high priority.

"It's mental stress, but you forget your daily trouble. Your mind gets focused on climbing up a rock and you cannot think of anything else," said Zengl. "It's fun, it's difficult and outdoors. It's good to get away from campus for a while."

Both guys are members of the UA Climbing Club "Cliffhangers." Charlie Schmidt, a regional development senior and former club president, has been involved for some time.

"We don't know when or by whom the club was started. What we do know is that it's been around for over 12 years and it was started by a group that split off from the Ramblers hiking club." Schmidt recalled. "Since I joined the club we've climbed in many places in Arizona, Nevada and California."

Back on "Moby Dick," the climbers have time to enjoy the view over the mountains and the great silence at that place. Only the light breeze and the regular monotonous click of the carabiners are audible.

"Climbing is a great way to experience the outdoors. Climbers go places and see things most people never knew existed," Schmidt said. "For me it's the mental aspect that does it: when you're leading a climbing your head is completely void of all thoughts that aren't directly related to the task at hand, which is getting to the top."

When they finally reach the windswept top, it is cold and the equipment has to be secured to keep it from blowing away. After 600 feet climbing, five rope lengths lie beneath them and a 100-foot rappel lies in front of them.

"Today was the most exciting trip I've ever been on - it's cool when you are up there, looking down, realizing you're 600 feet above the ground. It was scary though, when I was rappelling," said Florian Stagliano, a graduate student who also joined the trip.

On the way back from the rock it gets dark, and the day ends with a one-hour night walk through the forest. Headlamps flicker between the trees and they try to find the trail while they reflect on the day in their thoughts and their bones.

"I've never been caught in that strong wind before. To be that high up, the rappelling and the walk back in the dark," Lauer said.

The "Cliffhanger" trips are not always that adventurous though, and beginners are able to learn the basics of climbing. Members get to know each other well through the experiences they share.

"It's pretty social and you have the possibilities to follow someone who is experienced as a beginner," Lauer said. "So you get the nice experience without having a lot of responsibilities and you automatically have a climbing partner."

Sonja Smith, biochemistry freshman, has been swept up in the club since she joined in September.

"Since then I'm trying to go out every weekend. It's an adrenaline rush. I like to get out there and enjoy nature," Smith said. "It's an amazing perspective and you're glad when you make it to the top."

The Climbing Club meets every Wednesday in the Student Union Memorial Center's Presidio Room at 5 p.m. Trips are normally every weekend, depending on who wants to go where. For updates and more info check out the Cliffhanger's website at http://uaclimbers.org.