To maintain the summer and fall climbing excitement, the South Superior Climbing Club (SSCC) will be partnering with organizations from all over the Midwest for Sender Films’ Reel Rock Film Tour movie premiere.
The event will take place from 6 to 10 p.m on Friday, Nov. 9 in Jamrich 102.
The premiere is one of only two in Michigan, and organizations like the American Alpine Club and the NMU Outdoor Recreation Center will be participating and raising money for climbing efforts in the area.
“The guys from Reel Rock film professional climbers around the world on a lot of diverse routes and in different events that are going on in the climbing world,” said South Superior Climbing Club president Neil Poglese. “The movie doesn’t actually release on DVD until January.”
The premiere will be the first of a handful of climbing events on the starting on Friday, Nov. 9, as the ORC will be holding a Midnight Madness climbing event following the premiere from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.
The following morning and afternoon will be the Michigan Tech Climbing Competition, which brings in student climbers from all over the Upper Peninsula.
Poglese, who credited NMU student Colton Moore with wanting to bring the Reel Rock Tour to Marquette, said SSCC has teamed up with Moosejaw, Switchback Gear Exchange and Down Wind Sports for prizes that will be raffled off at the event.
“We’re going to be showing the film and we’ll have a booth set up by the American Alpine Club there to help promote safe climbing and the world of alpinism,” Poglese said.
A ticket for the event, which is $8 for students and $10 for non-students, provides a raffle ticket for prizes, and the money raised will go towards local climbing development.
“Marquette is one of the best areas for climbing in the midwest, and it has only recently been expanding with new climbs and new climbing enthusiasts,” said senior psychology major Ashley DuFresne. “It is great that this is being held at NMU. People that love the outdoors in Michigan are not going to go to Western [Michigan University], they’re going to go to either Michigan Tech or NMU.”
The Reel Rock Movie, which highlights free-soloing in Yosemite, two of the world’s best climbers attempting the hardest route ever climbed. It also features a myriad of other locations, routes and events in the climbing world, and isn’t just for the climbing community.
Poglese said the premiere and fundraising will be a good environment for non-climbers to learn and meet other climbers in the NMU and Marquette area.
“It’s just a good atmosphere for people who have never seen climbing and are interested in it,” Poglese said. “This will show them what it’s all about and inform them a little bit.”
Poglese said even in the off-season, climbing is a good way for students to embrace the larger community in Marquette, but also a good way to get motivated and stay in shape.
“The reason I see climbing as beneficial is that it gives you a chance to get outside and into the community,” Poglese said. “It gives you the chance to meet fellow students that have common interests, and it’s a good way to get motivated and set goals, achieve things and also to get a good work out in.”
While the tour started in 2006, the Reel Rock climbing premieres in 2011 showed in 280 locations all over the world and raised over $15,000 for non-profits. On a local level, it comes down to influencing students and community members alike to get outside and find your climbing niche.
“It’s a good opportunity to showcase what’s out there, the different aspects of what climbing can be to certain individuals, that everybody can find their own little niche within it,” Poglese said. “I thought it would be a good way to present that and get people psyched and amped up about climbing.”
For more information on the premiere, email Poglese at [email protected].
