Climbing instructor knows the ropes

If you can climb a ladder, you can climb a 50-foot rock wall. So says Link Neimark.

At first, you’ll be skeptical. You’ll trek out into the wilderness, up bumpy back roads and through the underbrush. You’ll stand at the base of the flat rock wall, head tipped all the way back, eyes straining to see the top, and your skepticism will grow.

You’ll watch the way Neimark lifts himself along the wall, rising easily as he sets the lead line in place. When it’s finally time to step into your harness and up to the sheer rock wall, you’ll flat out have doubts.

But as you mount the rock wall, putting one foot above the other, you listen to Neimark as he urges you to get just a bit higher, a little bit farther. He’ll cheer as you lift yourself over a boulder and make it to the first ledge. When you’re stuck and sure that the tips of your fingers are going to fall off from the death-grip you have on the wall, he’ll suggest a route just a little to your left, and before you know it, you’re 10 feet higher.

When you get to the top and turn to look back over the Flathead Valley, Neimark’s cheers will echo up the wall, and you’ll realize that after that, you can do anything.

Neimark has more than 25 years of climbing experience, 10 of which he spent as a professional climbing instructor. He runs Rock Climb Montana, a climbing instruction and guide company stationed in Whitefish, and helps visitors and locals alike realize their dream of scaling a rock wall.

“The best part is that I get to share in their joy when they do something they thought they could never do,” Neimark said. “It’s incredibly empowering for some people to realize they have this strength. They know because they can do this, they can do anything.”

Neimark is an American Mountain Guide Association-certified Single Pitch Instructor, which allows him to teach both top rope and lead climbing. He also is certified as a Single Pitch Instructor through the Professional Climbing Guide Institute.

His safety record is perfect, and in all his years as an instructor, he’s never had an accident.

“I’ve instructed hundreds of people and never had any problems,” Neimark said. “This is actually a very safe sport. We make sure to double-check each other and all the gear constantly.”

Due to Montana weather, rock climbing is only accessible April through November. During the winter months, Neimark works as a ski instructor at Whitefish Mountain Resort.

He started out as a full-time ski instructor, working at Whitefish Mountain during the winter months, and then moving to New Zealand during their winter — Montana’s summer— to instruct on ski mountains there.

“It was an endless winter,” Neimark said with a laugh.

After five years of moving from one side of the world to the other, the instructor was offered a job locally teaching water sports such as wake board and wake surfing at children’s summer camps.

The teaching job eventually evolved into rock-climbing instruction, and as demand for his rock-climbing skills grew, Rock Climb Montana was born.

Now, Neimark often instructs the same people throughout the year — as a ski coach in the winter and then again in the summer months as a rock-climbing guide.

Several years ago, Neimark was named one of the top 100 Ski Instructors in America by Ski Magazine, and he is still one of the most requested instructors each winter.

“I’m a cool guy, people like me,” Neimark joked.

A teacher through both trade and passion, he tailors his teaching style to each student. Once he gets to know them, he is able to know the best way to coach so they can achieve their goals.

“I can walk the walk and talk the talk,” he said. “I know enough about [the sport] that I can present it in different ways until people understand what to do.”

Neimark also can read his students easily. If he senses a student is adventurous he can give them an extra push. However, when students aren’t quite ready to step out of their comfort zone, Neimark supports that and helps them become more comfortable with the basics.

It’s easy to see how well Neimark connects with his students. For almost every experience, he has a story and a student that he remembers.

One 70-year-old woman came to him to check “learn to ski” off her bucket list. When she learned that he also teaches rock climbing, she added “learn to rock climb” to her bucket list, just to check it off that summer.

One advanced rock climber from Switzerland, who mostly climbed in the Swiss Alps, traveled to Montana on vacation. Neimark worried there would be no challenge for her on the much smaller walls, but the woman ended up learning new safety techniques from Neimark, and said the Montana climbs were her new favorite.

Neimark even helped his current assistant, Marya Lambert, overcome a fear of heights to become an excellent climber.

“We can tailor any trip, and make sure there is something for everyone, no matter the level of fitness or experience,” he said. Neimark has taught climbers as young as 3, up to people well into their 70s.

Rock Climb Montana offers private lessons and guided tours, in both half-and full-day trips.

There are several walls around the Flathead Valley at a variety of levels so all climbers can participate, from those who have never climbed before up to expert climbers.

Neimark received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and zoology at the University of Wisconsin, and a master’s degree in oceanography at the University of Alaska. He worked as a biologist for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game until he decided to pursue a career in outdoor education.

Since then, he has worked as a soccer coach, wilderness guide, personal trainer and an instructor for swimming, water sports, skiing and climbing.

For more information on Neimark and Rock Climb Montana, visit online at www.rockclimbmontana.com or call 608-334-1270.

Reporter Brianna Loper may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at bloper@dailyinterlake.com.