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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Police reports Students send heartfelt message to missing Ashland girl End-of-month sale set at Ashland library Rose Circle volunteers help mentor children 10 things to know for Tuesday Education A connection between Charlie Hebdo, MLK and the classroom Crunching the numbers Chickenpox in rear-view mirror? Ashland schools expand chicken pox exclusion rules Students go behind the scenes at hospital Environment Grant will help restore 'legacy' oak habitat in Southern Oregon and Northern California Mt. Ashland Ski Area crew dips to five Mt. Ashland Ski Area announces layoffs The top five conservation success of 2014 Protestors want Keystone pipeline plans stopped Business Ride & Drive: 2015 Audi Q5 Silvio Calabi: Chrysler 200S — hey, who is that? Ashland Fiber Network wants to be able to keep trade secrets The heart of Brammo will remain Silvio Calabi: Ford Escape Still a Solid Player Politics and elections Ashland Fiber Network wants to be able to keep trade secrets Volunteer award, State of City address presentations Tuesday City's policy, efforts aim for diversity, but numbers show shortfall Kent Bush: The keys to decoding the State of the Union address Chief Holderness retiring, wants to help find successor State News Two new wolves confirmed in Southern Oregon, state reviewing status of northeastern packs State records show number of big marijuana farms has increased New wandering wolf arrives in Southern Oregon Nation - World Obituaries Barbara Jean (Ton) Grover Death Notices May E. Harrison James Bernard Death Notices Shareable Looking back: Do you remember 2014’s biggest stories? In memoriam: 2014’s notable deaths Sports Latest Stories Grizzly spirit Howard named NAIA coach of the year Sacks, Gooding claim Century title Sacks, Gooding claim Century Tourney title Ashland girls remain winless in MWL High school Grizzly spirit Ashland girls remain winless in MWL Springfield takes advantage of Ashland letdown A Grizz sweep Comets press past Grizzlies Southern Oregon University Howard named NAIA coach of the year Ashland girls remain winless in MWL Fourteen Raiders earn CCC academic honors Four Raiders up for SOSC honors Springfield takes advantage of Ashland letdown Opinion Latest Stories Our View: Honor well deserved Letters to the Editor, Jan. 28 Guest Opinion: A New Year’s resolution you can keep: starting “the conversation” Our View: Whole lotta shakin' ... Letters to the Editor, Jan. 27 Editorial Our View: Honor well deserved Our View: Whole lotta shakin' ... Other Views: Managing wild horses Our View: Adjusting the lines Our View: City gets high marks Letters Letters to the Editor, Jan. 28 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 27 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 26 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 23 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 22 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: A New Year’s resolution you can keep: starting “the conversation” Chris Honoré: Modern media: the unreliable narrator Guest Opinion: The relevance of socialism in the U.S. Herb Rothschild Jr.: Support single-payer Guest Opinion: We're Oregonians, but we're not stupid Revels Latest Stories Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Brian Freeman presents 'An Evening of Scottish Music' Best Bets: Jan. 22-29 Ballyhoo! brings reggae and rock to Brickroom 'Sniper' reveals the total cost of war Theater Roy Orbison tribute hits high note Insights into the gifts theater offers off the stage Theater is an act of co-creation Music The Farr Side: Trainor building a music niche A laid-back chat with Marilyn Manson Roy Orbison tribute hits high note Jeff Kloetzel at Belle Fiore The Farr Side: Top 10 album count-up for 2014 Visual Art Schneider winter exhibits on tap: 'Baker's Dozen' and 'New Works' First Friday kicks off a new year Movies Movie review: ‘Mortdecai’ majorly misses the mark Movie review: Aniston’s performance is the icing on ‘Cake’ Movie review: ‘Cake’ showcases Jennifer Aniston at her best Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas 'Sniper' reveals the total cost of war Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Dear Monty: Is a home ‘trade-in’ a good idea? 5 Things to Do This Super Bowl Weekend (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) Rose Circle volunteers help mentor children Eleanor's dog and the veil between worlds Buying a home? Consider its walkability Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business NEWS NOW Our View: Honor well deserved ... Guest Opinion: A New Year’s resolution you can keep: starting “the conversation” ... Calendar: Wednesday, Jan. 28 ... Our View: Honor well deserved ... Guest Opinion: A New Year’s resolution you can keep: starting “the conversation” ... Calendar: Wednesday, Jan. 28 ... AMERICAN BOULDERING SERIES NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Ashlander boulders on High school junior traveling to Wisconsin for climbing contest Comment By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Jan. 23, 2015 @ 7:50 pm By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Jan. 23, 2015 @ 7:50 pm » Social News When 17-year old Dakota Nidalmia is climbing a rock wall, he says his mind is empty, not thinking about how to do it, just operating on instinct. It’s called “bouldering.” It’s not rock climbing with ropes. When bouldering, you’re exposed to falling if you misstep — and it’s something this Ashland High School junior has grown to love over the past six years, as he’s gotten ready for the nationals in his sport. With amazing confidence, Dakota crawls around a near-vertical overhang at Rogue Rock Gym in Medford, then springs out in mid-air — it’s called a “dyno” (dynamic jump) — and lands 10 feet to the side, hands, knees and feet insinuating themselves into tiny niches that seem barely there. “He is one of the strongest climbers in the gym,” says James Avila, one of his coaches. “He’s doing very powerful gymnastic moves that require intense core strength and incredible pulling muscles.”   Dakota climbs at a level called V-8 on a scale that goes up to 16. He hopes to ascend to V-10, he says.  Over Valentine’s weekend, Dakota will compete against seven others at the nationals in Madison, Wisc., having worked his way through the regionals and divisionals. It will be three days, with each day bringing harder and harder tests, competing against males, aged 17 and 18, from Western states. Dakota used to play soccer and run cross-country but gave them up for climbing, something that gives him “a feeling of power,” especially on a difficult route he’s never done before, he said during a workout at the gym. “The more you do it, the better you get. It does take confidence. It also takes not looking down.”  As for the “head game” of climbing, Dakota says, “I keep my mind blank. It helps a lot. If you think, you lose focus. In my head, there are no words. It’s all feeling, all instinct.”  Dakota heads for college next year and hopes to find a school with a rock-climbing team — and a scholarship to get through the university. It’s an up-and-coming sport and most colleges, including Southern Oregon University, don’t have such teams yet.  What the sport teaches him, says Dakota, is problem-solving, good attitude and lots of personal confidence, he says. In addition, the people in this intense sport are “so nice and down to earth and they help me be that way.” His father, Randy Nidalmia, says the sport has helped round out his academic work with demanding physical work and made him stronger, more confident and able to master routes or projects, as the rock challenges are called. “It’s an amazing sport,” says Randy. “It has done wonders for his physical and mental confidence. There’s no question that it’s incredible to watch him do what he does up there.” Reach Ashland freelance writer John Darling at [email protected].     By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Jan. 23, 2015 @ 7:50 pm » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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