This week’s HWOW lives in El Paso, TX, not far from the famous Hueco Tanks State Park. Owners Natalie Jaime and Daniel Isaac built their backyard homewall for those days and nights they can’t make it to Hueco. Check out past HWOW here.
When did you build your wall?
April 5th, 2020.
How long did it take you to build?
3 days (ish).
Not including holds and padding, how much did it cost you to build?
About $300 – mostly for wood and screws. We are lucky because we already had t-nuts and three panels of plywood provided by a friend who wasn’t using them!
Did anything in particular inspire your wall design?
Dan: Survival.
Natalie: the limitations of our space. We knew we couldn’t build inside, and we rent, so we measured the space and figured out which direction of the wall would provide the most shade and lucked out with a 10ft wide by 12ft tall wall! Also- Dan wanted to build a 60-degree wall but we compromised on 45 🙂
What was the most difficult aspect of the design and build?
Going to the hardware store during the pandemic!
What would you do differently?
Bigger is always better 😛
What is your favorite aspect?
Dan: I love everything about it.
Natalie: I love the slopey rails on the sides. I also love that Dan was a routesetter in ABQ for a long time and is really good at coming up with problems :). I also love that the problem creations are limitless, and you can work very specific movement without worrying about the wall changing every few months (unless you want to change it!). I am in graduate school and work from home, so this wall is going to get me through the next few years of life! Haha. Oh, and I also love the wooden rail that is at the very top :). And….I LOVE our Tony Yaniro Power bulb holds – they kick my ass all the time :). So much love for our little wall…
Any words of wisdom to aspiring homewallers?
Dan: Don’t be afraid to pick up the hammer and do it yourself.
Natalie: If you live in a larger city with multiple gyms contact them and see if they are selling used holds for cheap! We didn’t have to buy any holds because Dan has accumulated them over the years. Also, do what you can with what you have. It doesn’t have to be a fancy tension board or the latest greatest thang. People train using some simple and small boards and still manage to improve and have fun!
Do you have any connection to climbing brands or gyms?
Also – we are extremely partial to Send Climbing because they are a tiny tiny climbing business based out of Hueco Tanks (our home crag :)) Shout out!!!!!
Want us to consider your woodie for a future Homewall of the Week? Submit your homewall here to be considered. If yours is chosen you’ll win a prize like this (prizes vary each week):
Behind the Wrench… is an ongoing series that interviews the “rock stars” of the climbing industry, the routesetters at the gyms. For this edition, Jackie Hueftle talks with Camielle Weetly of Touchstone Cliffs of Id about routesetting in Costa Rica, the Womxn Up Climbing Festival and breaking boundaries.
An aspiring architect, Camielle Weetly found climbing and routesetting and hasn’t looked back. Photo courtesy of Camielle Weetley
In 2010, her freshman year of college, aspiring architect Camielle Weetly was invited to visit a local climbing gym, Mundo Aventura, by a friend. She had no idea they even had a climbing gym in Costa Rica, but she loved climbing trees and buildings so she went along and quickly fell in love. Camielle left home, then later moved back with enough holds to build a wall in her parent’s backyard. She started setting that home wall out of necessity, unaware that she would soon become the manager of a new climbing gym, Pura Roca. At Pura Roca Camielle found both a love of rope climbing and a community of friends. In 2018 when she moved to LA to pursue AMGA guiding she also started working at her local gym, Touchstone’s Cliffs of Id, where she taught intro lessons and belayed new climbers. After few months at Touchstone she was given the opportunity to join the setting crew, and she took it. She hasn’t looked back.
I met Camielle at Touchstone’s 2019 Womxn Up event last July. It was the third annual Womxn Up and over half the crew was made up of Touchstone’s female staff setters, all of whom were fairly new to setting with one setter only a few months in and others, like Camielle, still in their first year of setting professionally. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, Womxn Up has been cancelled this year, so I reached out to Camielle to check in, revisit last year’s event, and see what setting in So Cal is like in this time of Covid.
JPH: Instead of designing buildings you now design routes and boulder problems. Do you think climbing derailed your original “real job” goal of being an architect?
CW: Hahaha yes, definitely. After I dropped out of college I really focused on my climbing. A couple of years later I realized that I could become a climbing instructor and guide through AMGA which was a main reason for me to move to the US.
JPH: I had a similar experience, except I had wanted to be a lawyer before I found climbing and setting. For you, do you think setting took over your desire to be a climbing guide?
CW: Mmmm not exactly. I got my AMGA Climbing Wall Instructor certification around the same time I started at Touchstone. I’d still try to get my single pitch cert, but it is financially challenging. I think for the future I see myself as a gym instructor and setter.
JPH: Who do you like teaching?
CW: Anyone!! Honestly I think it’s my favorite thing to do, especially with rope climbing. I get really stoked seeing people improve. I taught a new climber with autism, he was around 18, how to tie a figure 8 knot and we helped him complete a couple of climbs. It was incredibly rewarding!
Camielle Weetly on the Golden Gate field trip from Womxn Up 2019. Photo by Jackie Hueftle
JPH: Teaching climbing is great for improving your setting to meet the needs of your gym climbers, and vice versa. It really integrates your gym community with the job setters do. Speaking of integrating the community, the Womxn Up event was designed to get more Womxn into the gym and involved in climbing. It is set entirely by womxn, for womxn. Last year there were a bunch of newer female setters from Touchstone, and you all worked super hard and did an amazing job. Setting a major event like that is fun but also is often harder, more tiring, and more work than you expect. What was that event like for you?
CW: It definitely was tiring and a little stressful as a newbie. I knew my routes were going to be tweaked by people I had just met. I found myself playing around with holds I’d never used.
There were a lot of things I enjoyed witnessing as well: how the top routesetters set for pro climbers, how they set and forerun while considering different weaknesses and strengths, and how they intentionally set a mix of styles for the comp.
I was dumbfounded seeing all the ins and outs of planning an event like this.
JPH: Haha it’s always more complicated than you think it’ll be. The best way to deal with it is just take things as they come, be open minded, and do your best with each task or challenge. So what was your favorite moment from Womxn Up last year?
CW: Literally just feeling cozy at home eating dinner and getting to know the other girls. But event wise, it was definitely watching Alex Puccio crush and talking to her, such a sweetie.
Some of the crew from Womxn Up 2019. Photo by Jackie Hueftle
JPH: For your day-to-day, how does it feel to be one of few female setters on your crew?
CW: I think in general all “male jobs” are beginning to change their thoughts on having women as part of the team.
It seemed to me that the macho attitude of my team members mellowed over time. Male talk, you know. Haha. Everyone has to give and take feedback, and when you come around something unknown or unexpected like a new female setter, a complete stranger, it might be harder to know how to communicate that feedback; then, once you are friends, there just might be loving trash talk and teasing.
It’s clearly hard to break mental boundaries. Sometimes physical evidence is all you need. All men are not necessarily stronger than all women. Everyone has their own capabilities.
JPH: What is the easiest part of the job for you? The hardest?
CW: Wanting to do my job just makes everything else easy. I don’t think there’s anything about my job I don’t like or have fun with, even the dirty work. It’s only when my body wants to stop and rest that things get hard.
JPH: What is the most fun thing about setting?
CW: Tweaking a climb and learning how things can be perfected. The little things can be mind blowing.
JPH: Haha true enough. I think that’s a big reason setting stays interesting. Do you think you’ll keep setting for a long time?
CW: Definitely as long as I can keep climbing, just maybe not 5 days a week once I retire.
Camielle Weetly hanging out in the gym. Photo courtesy of Camielle Weetly
JPH: You are not just a female setter, you are also a woman of color, making you an extra unicorny-unicorn in routesetting. Did you feel there were any extra roadblocks on your path to becoming a setter because of this, or do you feel it was helpful, or was it a non-issue?
CW: I think the roadblock I had was a mixture of where I am from, Costa Rica, and being a female mid-grade climber.
Back at home we just didn’t have enough resources to give the opportunities to all the people who’d like to routeset, and those who don’t climb hard are just usually not in a social circle that will allow you to experiment with routesetting.
Nowadays, we do want to show others that there are equal opportunities and open those doors. As a strong young woman of color, I feel like doors are opening for me. I’m hoping that this will be a chance to show that everyone is capable of accomplishing what they want in their life, that everyone can shine in their unique way.
I’m hoping that my presence in this community will be relieving and inspiring to young ones. I hope they know that they have all the chances in the world to do what they want with no fear based on their gender, race or sexuality.
JPH: Do you feel you experience (or have experienced) discrimination from the climbing community? Do you feel accepted?
CW: I don’t feel discriminated against; however, yes, I’ve felt out of place many times. I haven’t shared much with other climbers of color about the sensation, but it’s there. Ten years ago when I started climbing it was very much of a bro ambience, and being a girl just made it hard to feel welcome, especially as a lesbian.
It seemed hard to make other climber friends but eventually I did! Climbing at Cliffs of Id all the time and seeing the same people helped, then going outside and meeting friends of friends or bumping into other Cliffs members outside all increased my circle of friends.
I may have been lucky though, since as long as I’ve been in the climbing community I’ve been in open minded cities.
Camielle Weetly sending a problem in Bishop. Photo courtesy of Camielle Weetly
JPH: Do you have any advice for people who are interested in routesetting as a profession?
CW: Try to get involved with the climbing community as much as you can. You will be begging for a chance to attend clinics or help at events, basically doing everything you can to find any place and way to start setting.
Once you are setting just play with everything possible, challenge movement with all holds, break your own climbs, have friends break your climbs.
JPH: We can’t talk about setting right now without talking about Covid-19. What happened to your job when the lockdown started?
CW: Over one weekend we got news that we wouldn’t be opening the gym for sometime. We couldn’t work for 2 months. I can definitely say I’ve been blessed by working with Touchstone. I know they’ll provide safety, fun, and the opportunity to work and share with the community as much as they can.
JPH: What is your job like now?
CW: It has become more challenging, and way more fun. As a full time setter I feel like I’m always improving even when I’m frustrated with my work. In regards to Covid, after re-opening our gyms we have had to be very distant from each other―we’ve been separated into smaller crews and sorted throughout our gyms. Using masks, gloves and sanitizing gear is a constant. It kinda had made forerunning funky at first but we’re good now.
JPH: What do you see in the future for setting since the world is now a different place?
CW: I’m hoping we can get things back to where they were, or that we can find a balance with guidelines where we can trust everyone is responsible for their health and the health of the environment we share at the gym. Otherwise, we might have to have holds that are wipeable, which sounds slippery to me.
JPH: Haha ugh.
Camielle Weetly getting some buildering in. Photo courtesy of Camielle Weetly
JPH: You’ve probably recognized by now that all setters go through phases in their setting career. What is something key you’ve learned about setting in the last year that has helped you do your job better or more efficiently?
CW: To not let the hard moments keep you down. You really go through phases, and maybe even a sad day might make your setting kinda weird. To climb well we need to be present, and that goes for routesetting as well.
But also, I’ve learned about putting up quick skeletons. They can help for so many reasons: if you’re uninspired, or if you have to put up many routes with a deadline, or maybe you’re unclear about setting a move or sequence in a certain space. Skeletons.
Also, I don’t know how much it’s a taboo to try out moves while setting, but it’s definitely needed at times.
JPH: I think trying moves is totally ok sometimes! We’re learning about movement and we should use the tools at our disposal to learn as much as possible.
JPH: What are you looking forward to in the future as a setter?
CW: Hopefully setting for more big comps, collaborating with new people, and as always, trying to teach people through my sets.
JPH: Thanks Camielle!
Got a cool story? Tell us!
Do you know a routesetter in the climbing industry who would be good to profile in a Behind the Wrench segment? Or, are you a routesetter and have a background that you think others would enjoy learning about? If so, please contact us and tell us about it!
A rendering of Alpine Climbing Adventure Fitness shows the immense window that will make climbers visible from California’s Highway 99. All photos courtesy of Alpine
Alpine Climbing Adventure Fitness (“Alpine”) Ripon, California
Specs: New facility will measure approximately 20,000 square feet in total and feature a lead wall that measures 55-feet in height, a 15-meter speed climbing wall, 16-foot bouldering walls, and a kids climbing area. A press release notes that cars traveling on California’s Highway 99 will be able to view climbers in the gym through a massive highway-facing window.
Additional offerings of the gym will include free weights and cardio equipment, several creative open work and social spaces, and yoga and cross-functional fitness classes. The gym will also include competitive climbing team programs for kids.
The gym owners of Alpine have already broken ground on what will be an approximately 20,000-square-foot facility in total, which will feature a full range of climbing and fitness offerings.
Walls & Flooring: Walltopia CRM Software: Rock Gym Pro Instagram: @climbatalpine Website: http://www.climbatalpine.com/
In Their Words: “We are psyched to have broken ground and [to be] bringing this project to reality. Alpine will be a community of climbers, adventure seekers, and outdoor enthusiasts. We dream of a safe place where families can come together, people can set new goals and work towards new heights—pun intended.” —The Meek family, gym owners
In the May survey from the CWA, 75 percent of respondents to the question answered that their facility was closed. Now that number has practically reversed, with 72 percent of respondents to the question in the July survey answering that some or all of their facilities have reopened. Image courtesy of the Climbing Wall Association
The Climbing Wall Association (CWA) recently released results of a July survey related to how climbing facilities are performing after reopening. As reported by CBJ over the past few months, most gyms were forced to temporarily close as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in the spring and early summer. However, many gyms have begun operations once again—and allowed customers to return—with a host of various mitigation protocols and extra safety measures intended to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Of note in the July survey results is that 72 percent of the respondents to the question answered that some or all of their facilities have indeed reopened. In addition, 67 percent of those responding to a question about financial relief said they have received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the federal government’s Small Business Administration. The loan program was designed precisely to financially aid businesses hit hard by the pandemic, providing funds that could go towards continuing payroll, paying monthly rent and utility bills, and other necessities.
Furthermore, the July survey by the CWA notes, “On average, gyms have retained 59 percent of their membership since prior to the first wave of closures.” Additionally, the gyms surveyed are “currently employing 67 percent of normal full-time staff and 42 percent of normal part-time staff.” Such data could be coupled with other results, such as 47 percent of responding facilities revealing that they were operating with reduced hours for those full-time staff members.
The full results of the July survey can be viewed here. The survey follows June and May surveys from the CWA which also gauged various aspects related to reopening. In June, approximately 21 percent of responding gyms answered that they were firmly not in danger of going out of business. For comparison, the July survey dashboard states, “…24 percent did not feel that their current restrictions were putting them in danger of going out of business,” indicating a slight increase.
The July survey results were included in an email newsletter from CWA that also contained an article on what gyms should do if someone in their facility tests positive for COVID-19. Since the outbreak, 18 percent of gyms responding to the question in the July survey have had positive cases of COVID-19 reported to their gym by staff or customers.
This week’s HWOW is well suited to endure the varying climate of the PNW. Chi Harris decked out his standard training wall with a roof and gutters for weather protection. Check out past HWOW here.
When did you build your wall? Was it a COVID baby?
May 31 – June 4, 2020. I hadn’t put much thought into building a home wall prior to the pandemic. Going to the gym or climbing outside was sufficient. With the outlook on gym operations looking to be in limbo through the end of this year the timing just seemed right. Much of the inspiration for the design of the wall came from wanting a wall that could survive the wet Pacific Northwest winters, while looking ascetically pleasing. I drew on my experience framing homes when it came to design. I’ve always loved the beauty of symmetry and uniform spacing that comes with nicely crafted framing. The design is original in nature and I didn’t actually look at any other home walls before starting the build.
How long did it take you to build and what did that time look like?
Five days. Work days on the wall started at 9am and usually went until around 6pm with a lunch break somewhere in the middle. Being laid-off of work during this time allowed me to work on the wall for 5 days straight without interruption. The first couple days of work were the most exciting because this is when the majority of the framing goes into place. Once the framing is up, more of the detail work begins and visually feels like slower progress between days. I cannot think of any lowlights in the building process.
Not including holds and padding, how much did it cost you to build? Any surprises there?
$1500 materials. When I was 15 my granddad and I built a house together from scratch. Drawing on that experience I was able to accurately estimate the cost beforehand. I created a good building materials list from my blueprints I drew up, and priced out materials before diving into the project. The most expensive individual material were, surprisingly, the t-nuts. Those little guys add up fast. After that the plywood panels and 4”x 6”x 12’ piece of lumber that created the foundational beam for the back of the wall was fairly spendy.
What was your primary incentive for the wall? Did anything in particular inspire your wall design?
I was inspired to build an outdoor homewall that could survive the wet climate in the Pacific Northwest.
What was the most difficult aspect of the design and build?
Keeping the framing square through each phase of the build was very time consuming. This started with leveling the base of the structure with custom cut 2×4 shims and continued with making sure we had accurate rafter spacing for the wall rafters and roof rafters
What would you do differently?
I would extend the gable of the roof 6 inches wider on each side of the structure for more weather protection.
Did you make any mistakes along the way or choose to re-do any aspects?
Small mistakes were made, but caught and remedied before getting too deep into the project. The most time consuming was on day 3: I had to go and adjust a decent number of wall studs to make sure they were on 16” centers. Being off by even 1/8 or ¼ of an inch adds up and can cause conflicts with t-nut placement on the plywood. This was a couple hours of back peddling.
What is your favorite aspect?
My favorite aspect of the structure is it’s the architecture. It’s simply pleasing to look at the clean lines and nearly perfect spacing of the framing.
How often do you use the wall? Do you think you’ll still use it as much when all of the gyms open back up?
The wall gets used about 3 days a week for a couple hours. Time on the wall will diminish once the rain returns to Portland in October. Similarly, when gyms feel safe to return to it will probably see less use. However, there is always something special about having a home wall session with your friends and not having to share the space with anyone else.
Any words of wisdom to aspiring homewallers?
Measure, measure, measure! Invest in a tape measure, level, carpenter square, and speed square. All can be had for less than $50 total and will make your life so much easier and less frustrating when it comes time to hang your plywood panels.
Want us to consider your woodie for a future Homewall of the Week? Submit your homewall here to be considered. If yours is chosen you’ll win a prize like this (prizes vary each week):
Behind the Desk… is an ongoing series that interviews people influencing and advancing the climbing industry. Continuing our latest global coverage, which previously highlighted gyms in Canada and South America, we recently ventured across the world—virtually—to Australia. There, 9 Degrees just opened its fifth gym on August 1, a bouldering facility in Sydney known as 9 Degrees Waterloo. Other 9 Degrees locations include Alexandria, Parramatta, Lane Cove and Enoggera. We connected with Jack Masel, behind the desk as Manager & Head Routesetter at 9 Degrees Waterloo, to get the scoop on the new Waterloo facility and chat about the history, heritage and future of the Australia climbing gym scene.
Jack Masel says the phrase “Bouldering makes you happy,” and the general joy of sharing the climbing experience, has driven the 9 Degrees brand since its earliest phases. All photos courtesy of Jack Masel / 9 Degrees
Name: Jack Masel (@jackmasel) Title: Manager/Head Routesetter Gym: 9 Degrees Waterloo (@9degreeswaterloo) Location: Sydney, Australia
CBJ: Let’s start with some foundational details. Can you give me some history of the climbing gym scene in Australia? Gyms first started popping up in the USA around the mid/late 1980s, so I’m wondering if Australia followed a similar timeline?
MASEL: From what I can gather, the first commercial gyms in Australia opened on the east coast in the early 90s—typically rope-only gyms or with minimal bouldering. It wasn’t until much later that we got our first dedicated bouldering-only facilities. Even then it was a far cry from what we’ve come to expect from boulder gyms in recent years.
CBJ: When did you first start climbing, and what was your own climbing progression like?
MASEL: I started climbing at age 15 or 16 when one of my high school teachers took a small group of us out top-roping at a sea cliff along the coast of Western Australia. Over the following years, I learned all I could about gear, knots and anchors so I could go top-roping at the local crags and quarries within driving distance of home.
It wasn’t until I was 17 or 18 that I started lead climbing and bouldering at the gym. It was through a friend there that I was introduced to the world of sport climbing outside, which changed the game for me and led to my first overseas climbing trip to Tonsai [Thailand] in 2005.
From ages 19 until 24 I got thoroughly distracted by my first full-time job and foolishly gave up climbing during that time. When I started back in 2013, however, it was with a renewed appreciation and enthusiasm. I quit my then job as a nightclub manager to study personal training in the hopes of better understanding the human body and ultimately how to improve at climbing. Although I never pursued a career in the fitness industry, it was the start of a new era for me and my rediscovered passion for the sport.
It wasn’t until 2016—at 27 years old—that I moved to The Blue Mountains in New South Wales in search of greener (steeper) pastures. Western Australia is mostly very flat and climbing areas are few and far between, especially for sport climbing in and above the 5.12 grade range. I picked up some routesetting and coaching work at 9 Degrees Alexandria in Sydney to help fund my newfound climbing lifestyle and eventually transitioned into a management and head-setting role when 9 Degrees expanded to open a second gym in Parramatta in mid-2017. Last year, after three years there, I was ready for a new challenge and set out on this latest venture to spearhead the opening of our newest gym, 9 Degrees Waterloo.
I’ve been living, working and climbing in New South Wales for the last four and a half years now and haven’t looked back. Although I live and work in Sydney, I still do the majority of my climbing in the Blue Mountains—about 90 minutes-drive away. It’s a world-class climbing destination and home to thousands of routes with room for plenty more.
Masel envisions the first year of the Waterloo facility being focused on motivating climbers of all skill levels to enjoy bouldering.
CBJ: There is a ton of world-class outdoor climbing in Australia, and I’m sure that influences Australia’s gym scene. What are some other assets of Australia and Australian culture that influence the gym scene and make it perhaps unique from other countries?
MASEL: While yes, there is undoubtedly some world-class climbing here in Australia, I think the once-obvious link between gyms and nearby outdoor climbing areas is diverging at an ever-faster rate. I know more people than ever who consider themselves a ‘climber,’ yet they have no intention of ever going outside to climb. Gym climbing has become its own sport. For better or for worse, the routes, and in particular, the boulders we set in the gym continue to trend further and further away from what a lot of people would consider to be anything much like ‘real’ rock climbing.
Looking at the numbers of climbers in the gyms here, I’m actually thankful for it. I can’t imagine having that number of people frequenting the crags and it being in any way sustainable long term…but that’s another discussion altogether.
What makes the Australian gym scene unique? I think two things: One is the climate. We do have seasons that are best for climbing, but it’s also possible to climb year-round. You don’t really see people training hard in the gym through winter and then taking time off from the gym in spring to redpoint.
The second one is that because we’re so isolated from the rest of the world, our style of routesetting is very much influenced by the big mix of media we see from overseas. I think the modern boulder gyms here are probably most similar to the typical German-style bouldering gym, but we see lots of media from the US, UK and Japan too.
CBJ: This new gym is now the fifth 9 Degrees in Australia…that’s quite a collection of gyms! What have been some of the keys to successful expansion and opening multiple gyms?
MASEL: Being the first modern-style bouldering gym in Australia was huge, and having that headstart helped put us in a good position to start expanding before the gym landscape here became too competitive. Secondly, I think we did amazingly well with the location of our first gym in Alexandria.
Even now, after five years and four newer 9 Degrees gyms, Alexandria continues to outperform them all in terms of visitation, in particular, of first-time climbers. It’s hard to isolate any one key metric for success, but I think choosing a good location is vital. We’ve got our fingers crossed we’re onto another winner in Waterloo.
It’s great to see that as more gyms have opened, the climbing scene in Sydney has grown along with it. We’re yet to see a dip in attendance and are optimistic that even with multiple gyms opening in the area later this year, that trend will continue.
Masel points out that 9 Degrees was the “first modern-style bouldering gym in Australia.” That heritage has carried through to other facilities and, now, a Waterloo gym.
CBJ: Tell me a little more about the new Waterloo gym. This video mentions an old warehouse space—with some cracked skylights, old lights, cockroaches. What was the most challenging part of retrofitting a really old building to become a state-of-the-art climbing gym?
MASEL: I think it comes down to cost. Trying to get the product you want without the price tag is always the biggest challenge. If you’re not limited by a budget you can do pretty much whatever you want with relative ease. We shop around a lot, get multiple quotes and really spend the time deciding what are the most important and noticeable improvements we can make that will positively impact on the customer experience without breaking the bank. Things like replacing old skylights with new (for more natural light), moving to LED downlights, polishing the concrete floors, and more recently installing carpeted mats—those have been some of our top priorities. We also took the time to design the boulder walls and general fit out in such a way that it not only feels spacious and bright but also in a way that ensured the vast majority of the old warehouse features were hidden behind a new façade.
CBJ: On a related note, this has been a really unprecedented time for the global climbing industry with COVID. Can you tell me how your new gym’s opening has been impacted by the pandemic crisis, specifically?
MASEL: When COVID-19 hit Australia, the government enforced a large number of mandatory closures across multiple industries that included all gyms and fitness centers. The immediate loss of almost all revenue across our four existing venues was a situation I don’t think anyone was prepared for. Already heavily invested in this newest expansion, we had to first assess whether or not our existing gyms would survive, and only then consider if Waterloo was still feasible given potential complications associated with overseas manufacture, shipping, construction, etc.
We were fortunate that the Australian Government was willing to provide some assistance to small businesses like ours in the form of mandated rent relief from landlords at our existing sites and providing the majority of our staff with wage subsidies. We were also lucky that our walls and matting system had already left their destination by sea and could continue their journey mostly unhindered by the pandemic unfolding worldwide. In the end, our setbacks were limited and we were only a month or so behind schedule, if that.
Even with the COVID-related setbacks to the construction of the Waterloo gym, 9 Degrees Waterloo was able to open “only a month or so behind schedule” on August 1.
CBJ: Tell me the ideal story of what the first year looks like for this new gym?
MASEL: Some people may be familiar with our slogan: ‘Bouldering makes you happy.’ The drive behind creating the 9 Degrees brand has always been about sharing the joy of climbing and bouldering with as many people as possible. Building and operating a bunch of boulder gyms has been an amazingly rewarding way for us to do just that, and I hope Waterloo will be more of the same.
With that in mind, my vision for an ideal first 12 months in Waterloo would be focused around creating a welcoming space that inspires and motivates people of all skill levels to enjoy bouldering. Being located in such a densely populated area close to the city is a unique and exciting opportunity to be seen by larger than usual numbers of people currently outside the existing climbing scene.
The success of most modern bouldering gyms, I believe, is in large part due to the social aspect of the sport. Despite these undeniably turbulent and uncertain COVID-related times, providing an environment where people feel comfortable and happy relaxing—even when they’re not climbing—is another one of my core goals for the new gym.
Climbing-wise, we’re working to create visually striking boulders and circuits that guide and facilitate continued improvement in our regular customers. Happiness in climbing (and in life) comes from many different things, but one undeniable source of happiness, I believe, comes from a feeling of progress. Through a thoughtful and purposeful approach to routesetting we aim to strike the balance between giving people enough of what they know and like tempered with just the right amount of pushing people outside their comfort zones and into situations where they’re forced to learn, adapt and grow.
It’s hard to predict what to expect out of the next 12 months. Despite COVID still looming so ominously and no clear path to a COVID-free world in sight, I’m still optimistic about the new gym—but am very much looking forward to getting back to ‘normal,’ as are most people…especially fellow climbing gym managers and owners, I imagine.
Share your story
Are you leading a climbing gym or brand through this unprecedented period? Or, do you work in the industry and have a story that others could benefit from hearing? If so, please contact us and tell us about it.
Welcome to the third “monthly wrap” in cooperation with Climbing Hold News Reviews, where we bring you the latest developments in the climbing holds, macros and volumes sector.
As summer goes on, climbing hold brands from around the world continue to persevere through this period and release new shapes for the gyms able to reopen their doors and homewallers alike. Climbing continues, and new grips of all sizes have been something to look forward to. We highlight some of the latest ones in July from nearly a dozen brands below.
Be sure to check out all the hold news this summer since May and June, as well as the new training equipment of late.
// New Developments //
Menagerie
Menagerie Climbing has brand new Torso Jug additions and Nibblers poured by Composite-X / Dannomond being released this month. The Torso Jugs are a series of stalactite-type, high-profile jugs. These holds also range from Extra Small to Massive 7XL sizes. The Nibblers are a series of screw-on, low-profile plates and jibs designed for slab and volume-based climbing, ranging from Extra Small to 2XL. They vary from rounded and angular edges to slopey surfaces, and some with a smooth transition between the two styles. https://menagerieclimb.com
Kilter
Winner of multiple Grip List 2020 awards, Kilter released a total of 8 new sets this month featuring the following: The Font Corner Stacks – 30 degrees (shown top middle), which are screw-on holds designed to fit into specific angles between volumes and angle changes on some walls. Made out of Dannomond polyurethane, they flex to adjust to subtle angles in either direction. The Granite XL, 2XL Complex Blocky Incuts (top right, middle left, middle right) feature rounded angular lips which work without or with blockers―meaning the holds can go from jugs to intricate rounded edges. The Smooth Tufa System also received expansions, with several new end pieces featuring the Rounded Horn Jug (bottom left) and Rounded Ball Sloper (bottom right), as well as a Slopey Directional Hueco (bottom middle), increasing the sets available to 51 in total for this line. https://settercloset.com
Urban Plastix
Urban Plastix is releasing the start of a new line called the Strato series shaped by Peter M. Juhl. The Strato series features a variety of low to high-profile holds with a wavy grabbing surface. Initial releases feature the XL pinches (top), Kaiju sloper (middle) and Kaiju jug ledge (bottom). https://settercloset.com
Rock Candy
Rock Candy Holds based out of Akron, Ohio, released a new expansion to their Diatoms line which now includes the Diatoms slopers and incuts (shown in green)―adding variation to a series of edges and sloping edges. Within the nine new sets that were released, the Grip List 2020 company also incorporated larger colossal and feature shapes as well as rails. Rock Candy Holds also released two smaller expansions to their Fillets line featuring a 3XL edge (shown in red) which pairs with the other holds in the series, as well as the 2XL Toadstool slopers (shown in yellow). https://rockcandyholds.com
Satellite
Satellite Climbing from Japan released several new shapes from XS to XL mega shapes. The company recently expanded on their Diamond family, adding in 8 new sets to a total of 15 sets available, featuring faceted geometric edges. Satellite also released the new Gigatoron, Megatoron and Bolka shapes which showcase large feature-type holds and smaller ear-like shapes, respectively. There is also a new family in the works called the Manta series, which features a curved lip surface and low-profile taper looking like their namesake―Manta Rays. Satellite Climbing is exclusively distributed by Solostile Climbing Lab in the United States. https://satelliteclimbing.com
Robinhood
Robinhood Climbing Company is a newer company based out of Ohio that released 11 new sets. The Waves (shown in lime green) are a series of plate-like, ridged edges which feature 5 new large shapes by Heywood BD, formerly of Pur Climbing. Meanwhile shaper Andy Nelson released expansions to his existing series with L, XL (shown in blue) and 2XL Webs and Feature Wimple shapes (shown in lime green). Nelson also released the beginning of two new series―the Small and Medium bowtie crimps (shown in purple), Foundation incuts, and a brand new collection of foot chips (both shown in blue). https://robinhoodclimbing.com
Stoked
Winner of the new Favorite Homewall Volumes award this year in the Grip List 2020, Stoked Climbing is getting in the hold game with early shapes being released by Kegan Minock. The first offering is a series of multi-use climbing grips with different grabbable surfaces depending on what difficulty the user desires. They could almost be thought of as training equipment, since each features a jug, an edge and a pocket. There are 5 medium shapes available with the L and XL sizes coming soon. Stoked Climbing also released the Kaiteki series (which means “comfortable” in Japanese), a series of 40 holds ranging from XS to M sizes of crimps, jugs and slopers (also shaped by Kegan Minock). https://stokedclimbingvolumes.com
Bluepill
Bluepill Climbing is releasing a set of 6 Diamonds and 6 Broken Diamonds which are wooden volumes that have the ability to connect to one another or be used separately. Their namesake comes from different multi-plane angles being present on the same volume to create the diamond-like shape. Their creation has been made specifically with screw-on holds in mind to adjust difficulty of climbing as needed. Bluepill Climbing macros and volumes are distributed exclusively by Blocz Distribution in the United States. https://bluepill-climbing.com
Splitter
Splitter based out of Salt Lake City, Utah, is known for their wooden Crack Trainer volumes, but recently expanded into the area of climbing holds. Their latest offering is called the Flakes, a series of large flake-like holds currently ranging from M to XL. They are shaped by Brandon Wilde and being poured out of Proxy / Vertical Solutions. https://splitterclimbing.com
EuroHolds
EuroHolds is producing a large catalogue of wooden holds and training tools, as well as a fiberglass line of macros with a new technology called Fibertech. Euroholds’ latest family of holds is called The Phantoms (shown in green), shaped by Sergei Timchenko. This series features 27 positive holds with a limestone texture. EuroHolds also released The Seven Dwarfs (in red), which feature big, rounded positive screw-on slopers (also shaped by Sergei Timchenko). https://euroholds.com
Gatowalls
Gatowalls is a climbing hold / macro / volume / training equipment and climbing wall producer out of Poland. Recently the company released the Moustache series (shown in green), featuring handle-bar size bulbous holds of all sizes. Gatowalls also released the Semi hold series (also shown in green), with both dual-texture and full-texture edges of varying incuts. In the macro domain the company released several new lines: The Drops (shown in blue), which feature large, scoop-like plates; The Buckets (also shown in blue), other large scoops; The Nests (shown in black), a series of 9 screw-on variably sloping huecos; and the Semis (also shown in black), which are half-sphere-like holds now available in dual-texture and full-texture. https://gatowalls.com
Climbing competitions won’t look the same this year due to COVID-19, but a planned virtual format could allow athletes to keep competing. All photos courtesy of USA Climbing
USA Climbing (USAC) recently announced in a press release significant changes to the upcoming 2020-2021 competition season. Among the changes, USAC announced that the Qualification Series for Youth Bouldering, Collegiate and Paraclimbing will be “going virtual” this year. The press release also noted that the Qualification Series for Youth Lead/TR and the Regional Championships may go virtual as well. In order to deliver the events, USAC will be working with a third-party partner which will be named at a later date.
Safety of the participating athletes was identified as one of the major reasons for the shift to a virtual format. “While we recognize it may not be consistent with the event experience you’ve come to expect, we believe it will provide the safest possible return to competition climbing for our youth athletes,” reads a section of the press release on changes to the Youth Bouldering series.
Instead of large crowds, the virtual format will consist of athletes competing in “events” held over a two-week period. Competitors will attempt sanctioned boulders/routes at the host gym and track their attempts and tops via an app. In order to maintain the “sanctity and integrity” of the competition, athletes will also be required to submit videos in the app of the top five sends which count towards their event score for verification.
Instead of large crowds, qualifying events in the Youth, Collegiate and Paraclimbing series are planned to be held over two-week periods in the newly released virtual format.
In addition to the goal of providing a safer competition environment, the press release noted other benefits of a virtual format for athletes and host gyms. “We also believe it will provide for significantly less travel within Regions for most competitors to achieve Regional Qualification, will be at less total cost for most members and will greatly minimize impacts on climbing gyms during a time of significant challenges,” the press release continues.
Minimizing Impacts on Athletes and Host Gyms
In terms of the impacts on host gyms, of note is that the virtual format will consist of participating gyms selecting existing boulders/routes at their facilities as the sanctioned ones for their event―as opposed to creating entirely new sets like in years past. Additionally, gyms hosting events across different series may hold the events during the same time period―and in some cases the same boulders/routes may be used for different series.
In keeping travel for participating athletes at a minimum, only event scores from competitions held in the athlete’s home Division―which will follow the new regional alignment―can count towards Regional Qualification. In addition, only an athlete’s single highest event score will count towards Regional Qualification. And the more gyms that are encouraged to host events, the greater the chance an athlete won’t have to travel as far to try and achieve Regional Qualification.
However, the press release does acknowledge the challenges this format poses for grading. Since grading varies across facilities, the USAC Routesetting Committee and USAC Routesetting Program Manager will be working with USAC’s Certified Routesetters to “achieve as much standardization of grading across the country as feasible,” according to the press release.
2020-2021 Calendar
While many dates are still to be determined and could be impacted by further developments around COVID-19, a tentative schedule for the 2020-2021 season was also included in the press release. The Youth series would kick off the season, with qualification events in Youth Bouldering starting as early as November 2. The Collegiate series is slated to launch in November, followed by the Paraclimbing series in January and Team Trials in the Elite series―formerly the Open series―beginning in March. The Recreational Series announced as part of the competition changes approved in February is estimated to commence in early 2021.
USAC also noted it will be hosting the Women in Climbing Virtual Summit beforehand on September 21-26. The week-long educational event will celebrate women in the climbing community and include presentations from female athletes, coaches and parents. Winners of the recently announced “Best-of-Season” awards and the complete 2020-2021 rulebook are expected to come out in September as well.
More information about the latest competition changes can be found in the full USAC press release, and stay tuned to CBJ for the latest coverage of developments around competition climbing in the U.S.
A rendering of what the new Aspire Climbing gym in Canada will look like; the gym will feature bouldering and roped climbing as well as fitness opportunities like Ninja Warrior programming. All photos courtesy of Aspire Climbing
ASPIRE CLIMBING
WHITBY, ONTARIO
Specs: 14,845-square-foot facility will offer bouldering, top-rope and lead climbing. Some of the climbing walls will also include auto-belays. Youth climbing and Ninja Warrior programming (for adults and children) will also be included in the offerings. In addition, the new gym will foster competition teams and host birthday parties and corporate events. Other accoutrements will include a cafe, lockers and a fitness training area.
The new gym in Whitby will be the second Aspire Climbing facility; the first gym is located in Milton, Ontario, and opened in 2016. “Whether you’re brand new to the sport, or looking to push your climbing and ninja warrior skills, our aim is to provide an enduring customer service experience for all skill levels, and all ages,” states the Aspire Whitby website.
Construction is well underway for the new gym in Whitby, Ontario. The nearly 15,000-square-foot facility will be Aspire Climbing’s second location and is getting ready for a fall open in “an already active and thriving community.”
Walls: Impact Flooring: Asana (installed by Impact) CRM Software: Rock Gym Pro Instagram: @aspireclimbingwhitby Facebook: Aspire Climbing Whitby Website: www.aspireclimbing.com/whitby
In Their Words: “One year ago we found our building; construction is currently underway and we’re getting ready for a fall open as Aspire Climbing’s first franchise. Whitby will be the perfect location for a large scale climbing and ninja warrior facility—a space that will add to an already active and thriving community. Our goal is to help grow the sport of climbing while fostering a strong climbing community within Durham Region.” —Sarah Kostadinov, Owner/Marketing Director
This week’s HWOW is a dual-angle Covid build out of Washington, DC. With the help of a contractor and some used materials, Elliott B. renovated his garage roof in order to make room for his new toy. Check out past HWOW here.
When did you build your wall? Was it a COVID baby?
May 2020. I’ve thought about building a wall for a long time prior to this but climbing outside or at the gym always got in the way, so being stuck inside pushed us to actually get it done.
How long did it take you to build and what did that time look like?
We hired a contractor who had done a bunch of work for my friend, both on his house and building a home woodie and a Moonboard. It took two weeks in total, with some days not working.
Not including holds and padding, how much did it cost you to build? Any surprises there?
We paid the contractor, Leo, $15k, but that was mostly to rebuild the garage roof and structure, and redo the gutters on the house. The wall cost was part of that, but not broken out of the total cost.
What was your primary incentive for the wall? Did anything in particular inspire your wall design?
Well, we got the home wall third-hand. Someone had built it and given it away to another person, and we got it from that person. So we got the disassembled wall from that person; panels, 2x4s, holds and all from him. And the idea was to put that wall into the garage space.
What are the dimensions of your wall?
It’s about 11 feet wide, 9 feet tall, at about 35-degree angle. There is a short vert wall which about 8 by 8 feet, though most of that is under the angled wall.
What was the most difficult aspect of the design and build?
So the wall is in the garage, but the garage was very old, with a leaky roof, and the roof was designed in such a way that it was very low, so the big cost was the contractor ripping off the roof and building a taller roof, and building in such a way that the support structure was mostly on the half of the garage that doesn’t have the wall, so that there was more height for the wall.
What would you do differently?
Done it earlier. We have been needing to do this for years, but before quarantine I was always going away for climbing trips and couldn’t focus on doing what I needed to get this done.
What is your favorite aspect?
How large the wall is and how close it is. Also, as part of the renovation we had an electric garage door installed as well so you can have a nice, airy experience.
Did you make any mistakes along the way or choose to re-do any aspects?
The wall was built from materials used in a 2 prior homewall builds of two different owners. Initially I thought the wall would be rebuilt as it had been in prior location, but actually they just used the materials to build a new wall. Knowing what I know now I probably would have extended it to be able to accommodate a full Moonboard set up. As it stands it should be able to approximate mini Moonboard.
How often do you use the wall? Do you think you’ll still use it as much when all of the gyms open back up?
I’m doing a Lattice plan right now, so I usually use it 2-3 times per week at the moment, depending on what the plan directs.
Any words of wisdom to aspiring homewallers?
Do it now! The sooner you do it, the sooner you can have years of fun and training.
Want us to consider your woodie for a future Homewall of the Week? Submit your homewall here to be considered. If yours is chosen you’ll win a prize like this (prizes vary each week):
