REACHING FOR NEW HEIGHTS ASPIRING ROCK CLIMBERS LEARN CHALLENGING SPORT - STEP BY STEP.

Byline: BILL BECHER

Eleven-year-old Jessica Engel of Calabasas has her mom at the end of her rope. Lauran Engel is halfway up a 35-foot artificial rock wall and her daughter is ``belaying'' her. That means they're connected by a climbing rope and Jessica has to hang on if mom slips.

Engel and her daughter are enrolled in the Introduction to Rock Climbing class at the Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center rock wall. The ``rock'' is actually fiberglass painted to look like rock, and dotted with holds for hands and feet. Ropes run through anchors near the top.

The climbers don a harness and tight-fitting climbing shoes that look a little like ballet slippers dipped in rubber. The shoes allow you to ``smear'' against a rock and stick like Spiderman.

The student climbers learn to tie into the rope with a figure-eight knot, and the verbal commands like, ``ready to climb, on belay, climbing.''

``It was Jessica's idea,'' Lauran Engel says. ``She's gone on walls before, but this is my first time ever. I have a fear of heights. But I would do it again.''

Their roles are reversed during the class as mother belays for daughter.

Engel is a bit nervous about having her daughter belay her.

``They have her anchored to the wall, so I felt better. I was more nervous about belaying her and doing it right than her belaying me.''

``Parent-child classes are really popular,'' says Joe Holmes, the Community Center's climbing program director. ``Generally, the kid is the catalyst. Mom isn't as interested but they learn how to do belaying. At that point they're able to come in and climb on their own.

``That's where an artificial wall is great. You don't need to learn the ins and outs of setting anchors. With some basics it gives kids something to do beside sitting in front of a computer.

``A lot of people want to see what it's all about,'' Holmes says. ``I get some people who are scared of heights. They give it a try and see it's not so bad. Some do hiking or other outdoors activities and want to know how to use ropes correctly, but most just want to see what it's all about.''

Once they've mastered the skills in the introductory class, climbers can take more advanced instruction. They learn more about climbing indoors, and then how to apply their skills to climbing on real rock outdoors.

``I've seen that women don't have the confidence that men might have,'' Holmes says. ``I call that confidence without any real backing. Often women are better climbers. They have a lower center of gravity, and they don't try to bully themselves up the rock. Men brute-force it rather than finesse it.

``My big thing is to teach personal responsibility,'' Holmes says. ``People need to realize that climbing is an inherently dangerous sport and people need to be responsible for their own safety. Climbing is seen as an extreme sport by media and land managers. A lot of time hikers get into trouble and have to get rescued because they're climbing without learning proper technique.''

The Engels are learning the ropes and have to belay Holmes as part of their certification test.

``It was cool belaying my mom,'' says Jessica Engel, a sixth-grader at A.E. Wright Middle School. ``When I go to camp and rock climb it's counselors belaying us. It's different having mom do it. I wasn't worried. The guy was standing right there. And it was fun belaying her.

``I'm not scared of heights. I'm more like my dad 'cause he likes roller coasters but mom doesn't. She's afraid of heights.''

When I ask her what's next, Lauran Engel says, ``When Jessica's certified she'll be at the wall all the time. But we're not going to be jumping out of planes or anything.''

IF YOU CLIMB

If you want to climb, be sure to call in advance to get details on safety requirements and programs.

--Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center; Joe Holmes, Climbing Program Director. Programs include Introduction to Rock Climbing I and II, Introduction to Lead Climbing, Parent/Child Instruction, and Rock Climbing Parties. Try-A-Climb introductory half-hour climb belayed by an instructor is $10. [phone]. 27040 Malibu Hills Road, Calabasas; www.ahc3.com.

--Los Angeles Rock Gym near LAX with 7,000 square feet of climbing wall has classes in basic climbing, intermediate techniques and advanced lead climbing techniques. 4926 West Rosecrans Ave., Hawthorne. [phone]. www.larockgym.com.

--Rockreation Sport Climbing Center in West L.A. has 10,000 square feet of sculpted, varied climbing terrain and bouldering areas. All ropes and belay equipment available. Equipment rentals. Group, individual, kids instruction and climbing parties. 11866 La Grange Ave., Los Angeles. [phone]. www.rockreation.com/la/home.htm.

CAPTION(S):

5 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- 3) Left to right, Jessica Engel, 11, of Calabasas belays as her mother Lauren climbs the rock wall at the Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center; the elder Engel reaches the top of the climb; and they congratulate each other after a successful dya of climbing

(4) no caption (young man rock climbing)

(5 -- color) Jessica Engel concentrates as she belays her mother Lauren at the Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center climbing wall.

Bill Blevins/Special to the Daily News

Box:

IF YOU CLIMB (see text)