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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Parts of Normal Neighborhood Plan approved ... Pacific fisher sculpture dedicated in Ashland ... Techtoberfest has high-tech speakers and exhibits ... Parts of Normal Neighborhood Plan approved ... Pacific fisher sculpture dedicated in Ashland ... Techtoberfest has high-tech speakers and exhibits ... Acting on instinct Ashland High School junior's climbing prowess gets him to nationals Comment By John Darling for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 26, 2015 at 4:12 PM Updated Jan 26, 2015 at 4:13 PM By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 26, 2015 at 4:12 PM Updated Jan 26, 2015 at 4:13 PM » Social News When Dakota Nidalmia is climbing a rock wall, he doesn't think about how to do it, he says. He operates solely on instinct. The Ashland High School junior's instincts have served him well, landing him a spot in the national championship in "bouldering" — climbing rocks with no rope nor harness. With amazing confidence, the 17-year-old crawls around a near-vertical overhang during a recent workout at Rogue Rock Gym in Medford, his hands, knees and feet penetrating tiny niches that seem barely there. Then he springs out in midair — called a “dyno” (dynamic jump) — and lands 10 feet to the side. “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.” Nidalmia 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 Day weekend, Nidalmia will compete at the American Bouldering Series 16 Youth National Championship in Madison, Wisc., having worked his way through regionals and divisionals. Nidalmia will compete against seven other 17- and 18-year-olds from Western states over three days, with each day bringing more difficult challenges. Nidalmia used to play soccer and run cross country but gave them up for climbing, a sport that gives him “a feeling of power” — especially on a difficult route he’s never done before, he says. “The more you do it, the better you get," says Nidalmia, who's been climbing for six years. "It does take confidence. It also takes not looking down.” Nidalmia says he empties his mind when he starts a climb. "It helps a lot," he says. "If you think, you lose focus. In my head, there are no words. It’s all feeling, all instinct.” Nidalmia will head to college next year and hopes to find a school with a rock-climbing team and a scholarship. It’s an up-and-coming sport and most colleges, including Southern Oregon University, don’t have such teams yet. Climbing teaches Nidalmia problem-solving, good attitude and lots of personal confidence, he says. Though the sport is intense, climbers themselves 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 Dakota's 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,” Randy Nidalmia says. “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 Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 26, 2015 at 4:12 PM Updated Jan 26, 2015 at 4:13 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. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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