"Though that original harness is long since retired, Lopes has kept it as a reminder of what led her to rock climbing and the outdoors. Lopes and Rocheta run the Portland-based adventure company Loco por la Aventura, which offers low-cost, guided outdoor trips in Spanish and English. After immigrating to Portland in 2014 as political refugees from Venezuela, Lopes and Rocheta founded the company with the mission of making the outdoors more accessible to the Latino community."
"One of the largest barriers to entry when it comes to outdoor sports is gear. A rock climbing gear set can cost more than $500 new, including harnesses, ropes, quickdraws, and a belay device. Aspiring backpackers will need to invest at least $800 to cover the basic tent, sleeping pad, pack, and crucial cooking and first aid supplies. The couple recognizes the importance of having reliable gear when entering the wilderness, which is why they opened BaseCamp Mountaineering Center this summer in Portland's Central Eastside."
"The snug 1,600-square-foot shop sells new and gently used gear, covering everything from rock climbing to camping to snowboarding, but BaseCamp isn't "just a store," Rocheta emphasizes. In addition to gear, it provides outdoor sports newbies the guidance to get started. At BaseCamp, Lopes and Rocheta offer free weekly educational workshops in Spanish and English for community members, covering outdoor fundamentals like how to pack a backpack or set up a tent, or how to minimize your impact on the environment. "We just try to educate and guide people," Lopes s"
Maria Teresa Lopes received a bright pink Petzl climbing harness as a Christmas gift from her then-boyfriend, now-husband Aníbal Rocheta. Lopes, a lifelong dancer from Venezuela, began climbing after meeting Rocheta, an outdoor guide. The couple founded Loco por la Aventura in Portland to offer low-cost, guided outdoor trips in Spanish and English for the Latino community after immigrating as political refugees in 2014. High gear costs deter many newcomers, so the couple opened BaseCamp Mountaineering Center, a 1,600-square-foot shop selling new and gently used gear and offering free bilingual workshops on outdoor fundamentals and low-impact practices.
#outdoor-accessibility #climbing-and-camping-gear #latino-community-outreach #bilingual-outdoor-education
Read at Portland Monthly
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