Welcome to the 3rd annual Grip List! CBJ collected votes from North American routesetters as to which climbing hold company was their favorite in 2015. The voting process was the same as last year but this year only the top 5 companies will be given the “Official Selection” award. This was due mostly to the fact that the top 3 brands received 52% of the votes leaving the companies in 6th – 10th place with percentages in the single digits. Like the last two years, we are continuing to hand out the “Favorite Hold Company of All-Time” award.
Since this is the first year we’ve limited the list to five companies we felt that our readers would like to know which brands were in 6th through 10th place. So we begin the 2016 Grip List at #10 with Metolius which followed Climb-It at #9. The So Ill Climbing boys held strong at #8. Making their first entry on the List and coming in at #7 is Swiss grip maker, Flathold, which was right on the heels of the stalwart purveyor of plastic, eGrips at #6.
This year we are also adding a new category, “Favorite Volume”. This is awarded to the company that received the most votes for North America’s favorite volume. The winning company does not have to only produce volumes but can make bolt-on holds as well. We would be remiss if we did not mention that Motivation Volumes came in a very close 2nd place in the volume category.
Flathold
Taking the first-ever Favorite Volume award is Flathold. Coming straight out of Switzerland, this volume and hold company made a huge splash earlier this year when they hit the North American climbing scene. Even though Flathold makes bolt-on urethane holds, it was their all black, sloppy scoop volumes that lit up the imagination of setters. Within the year these volumes started transforming America’s climbing walls and made setters job that much more enjoyable. One voter commented, “Hands down the best giant-terrible slopers. There’s a reason they’re in almost every large gym in America.”
Flathold Volumes.
Until recently most popular volumes were made of wood and tended toward the geometric. Flathold instead produces volumes that are made out of lightweight fiberglass with smooth rounded edges. This new style allows setters to bring moves into the gym that climbers previously have not been exposed to. “Their shapes lend themselves to a unique style of climbing that is rarely seen in the typical climbing gym. It offers customers a chance to step out of their usual focus, it is fun to watch them be thrown for a loop,” wrote one Grip List voter. Other companies make rounded fiberglass volumes but it was Flathold that really blew the lid off the market.
Flathold’s founder, Manu Hassler, an IFSC Chief setter in his own right, has amassed an impressive collection of some of the best setters in the world to help sell Flathold around the world. This includes IFSC Chief Setter Laurent Laporte, US-based International Chief Chris Danielson, and the world renowned guru Tonde Katiyo, currently residing in Canada. This team along with Hassler’s partner Mathieu Achermann are showing the world that their Swiss penchant for perfection is what setters want. One voter’s comment sums it up nicely, “I had never set with Flathold until this year, and man I’ve been missing out! Simply put, they have near perfect volumes that are well worth the price!”
Element
Element Climbing is the nerdy neighbor you had as a kid but never talked to while in school. They may not live in the hippest neighborhood, Georgia, or have the slickest marketing, but they know who you really are and what you really need. If they could hug you through the Internet they would.
They’ve been supporting climbing gyms since 2008 by giving them some of the best value for the price, as well as a super refined gym ordering system. They aren’t afraid to dig into the science of grip making which is evident by their new NEO-LITH GT urethane mix. In fact Element is the only company in the top five to produce their own holds in-house. We’re not talking a dingy garage operation either. These guys operate a top notch pour house that other up-and-comers are signing on to.
In 2015 Element brought to market almost 200 new shapes and signed shaping icon Louie Anderson as their lone hold rep (Anderson also reps for Kingdom and Kilter). EC did drop one spot from their 4th place finish last year, but remains one of the major players on the North American climbing hold scene.
Rock Candy
The Rock Candy crew, led by Nathan and Liz Yokum, made huge strides in 2015, moving up 7 spots and back onto the Grip List! They’ve always been one of the top brands on the market but this past year was a particularly good one. Over the last 12 months they’ve put out 150 new shapes spread throughout four new sets. This includes Nathan Yokum’s original Gastropods series, which are a slopey yet juggier version of their ever-popular Corpolites, as well as the new Jaspers which also fall into the slopey-juggey category. In fact one voter commented that Rock Candy has, “Positive holds for steep terrain that are NOT jugs.”
As CBJ wrote back in August: “All those new shapes will definitely get the attention of buyers and setters and prove that quality and quantity overcome hype any day.”
The Yokums also completely re-tooled their online gym ordering form, making it one of the best in the biz. They did all this and opened a bouldering gym, The Rock Mill, in their home town of Akron, calling it a “tasting room” for their holds (plus raise two kids!). They have been building their brand since 2007 and continue to deepen their market presence by hard work and smart marketing. Their plans to grow Rock Candy, as well as the climbing gym, are not over yet.
Teknik
What can we say about Teknik that hasn’t been said before? Setters have been loving their simple designs and comfortable grips for 16 years. They’ve created some of the most iconic and classic shapes ever made. And that’s why Teknik has once again been voted “All-Time Favorite Hold Company” for the 3rd year in a row!
“Classic! What do they make that setters and climbers don’t like? That would be a short list if any at all,” wrote one Teknik voter. “Classic line with nothing but classic shapes,” wrote another.
As great as their established line is, and it is great, many setters are loving the new shapes that came out in 2015. Teknik founders Zoe and Seth Johnson brought to market 155 new shapes including the Cobra Commander and Geomatics, which were by far the most talked about holds Teknik recently put out. They also decided to bring back an early millennium favorite, the Plats, the molds of which were destroyed years ago. They’ve re-shaped the Plats and expanded the line to include larger and one-handed versions. They also produced what could be considered the ultimate simple shape, the Geo Flats, which are basically a volume with no volume.
Teknik Geo Flats.
Most Grip List voters mentioned Teknik’s clean simplicity as the reason for all the praise. “They didn’t invent simple shapes but they did master them,” wrote one voter. And another said about Teknik, “Simple shapes that are still so much fun to climb on, subtle differences and variations that keep them interesting after all this time.”
Teknik doesn’t put out nearly as many shapes as other companies and they’re not known for flashy marketing…or marketing at all. But it doesn’t seem to hurt them in the least. They are still the company that all others hope to emulate.
Kingdom
Kingdom Owner Mark Bradley getting ready to make some greatness.
The one word used most to describe Kingdom Climbing is massive. “Kingdom and their massive sets with massive features couldn’t have gotten anyone more stoked to put up some real quality routes and problems,” said one voter. And that goes along with Kingdom’s philosophy which is: Bigger is Better. Yes they make some of the largest holds on the market but they also have some of the largest theme sets in the business. One voter said, “Their sets have enough holds in them to create full routes with a [shared] aesthetic through the line, and enough diversity in difficulty to force creativity.”
After being at the top of the mountain last year, Kingdom dropped one spot on the Grip List to 2nd place. This is still an achievement for a company that is only a few years old. In that short time Kingdom has created what are sure to be perennial favorites. The new Fragments and Lugs are as good as it comes for incuts and jugs. They’ve also introduced what they are calling ‘Emperor’ size. Some of these new Emperors, like the Rok Blok, measure in at 38 inches long and stick off the wall 14 inches!
Kingdom’s Rok Bloc Emperor.
Kilter
Taking the grand prize on this year’s Grip List is Boulder-based Kilter Climbing. And this year Kilter dominated! From the moment the Grip List survey went live Kilter started racking up the votes. They regained the top spot after a 3rd place performance in 2015 by releasing nearly 400 new shapes! But quantity will only get a hold company so far. They must also have a line that setters are drooling over and can’t wait to get their hands on. And Kilter has done that by bringing to market a line full of the go-to holds that make a route pop and have climbers tripping over themselves to get their hands on them.
Ian Powell, the burly visionary behind Kilter, has created an aesthetic that is fundamentally different than anything on the market yet is so very familiar to setters. “In my opinion, they are finding the path to achieve the balance between great looking and highly functional holds in a solid way,” said one voter.
From their unique foot holds and slab slopers, to their Kaiju line of mega sized features, Kilter is giving setters everything they want. “Kilter offers a line-up of shapes that suit every style of wall a gym can offer. From small holds that act as your meat and potatoes to the big shop pieces, they have it all.”
One of the other aspects that put Kilter over the top was the love customers heaped on the Kilter website, especially their 360 degree rotation photos. Other companies have tried to do this but Kilter is the first to really nail it.
Kilter 2XL Pinches by Alex Puccio
If one peaks into the Kilter shaping studio in Boulder, they will find hundreds of finished foam shapes waiting to be molded. These shapes, all carved by Powell, are arguably even better than what’s out right now. Powell is also bringing in some new flavor with his Haptic line, which is sort of a brand within a brand. Just this year Haptic released an additional 300 new holds. These holds are shaped by pro-climbers like Alex Puccio and Jimmy Webb, as well as pro-routesetters like Keith Dickey and Jeremy Ho. Doing the bulk of the Haptic shaping is the very talented Will Anglin, whom if you don’t know of him yet, you soon will!
The unrelenting drive that Powell puts in to everything he does will continue to push Kilter in to the future, and force everyone behind him to play catch up.
Mammut, the Swiss quality providers of alpine gear and apparel, are excited to announce plans for the opening of the brand’s first retail store in North America. Partnering with MetroRock Climbing Centers in their soon to be opening Brooklyn location, the store will be Mammut’s first move into North American retail with the brand’s global store system.
Operated by MetroRock, the new retail space will be strategically located within the fast-growing urban outdoor consumer market of New York City. Conveniently located at 321 Starr Street, MetroRock Brooklyn will be a quick twenty minute ride away from Manhattan at the Jefferson St. Station on the MTA “L” line. The multi-use facility will be a destination featuring MetroRock, with climbing walls up to 50 feet high, a large bouldering field, fitness and yoga rooms and will also include multiple, highly respected food establishments.
“When we chose to expand beyond the New England market we felt we had the opportunity to do something different and new,” states Pat Enright, CEO of MetroRock Climbing Centers. “Teaming with Mammut on the retail side will further differentiate us in the local Brooklyn/Queens market.” Mammut will also serve as the primary climbing-specific sponsor of the gym with retail, rental equipment and a major brand presence.
“With the proliferation of climbing gyms and more urban communities embracing outdoor recreation, Mammut’s partnership with MetroRock signifies the importance of these growing market segments,” explains Bill Supple, CEO of Mammut North America. “As we grow in North America, Mammut will continue to engage the gym climbing population and serve all types of climbers and outdoor enthusiasts.”
High demand across the country for climbing gyms has led to a 10% growth in the number of indoor climbing facilities over the past year, according to Climbing Business Journal. While Mammut remains committed to the brand’s core principle of “Absolute Alpine,” the urban outdoor consumer segment continues to grow with thirty-four percent of outdoor consumers now living within cities, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. To further engage urban communities, MetroRock helps to facilitate access to the positive benefits of climbing for underrepresented and disadvantaged youth through their Urban Peaks non-profit program, which is based in Boston and operates throughout New England. This new partnership between Mammut and MetroRock will allow both brands to capitalize on this growing demand and the growing trend of indoor and outdoor rock climbing.
Managing the UK’s biggest and busiest climbing wall is one of the top jobs in the climbing industry, so when The Castle announced it was recruiting for a CEO, the news attracted a lot of attention. The current Managing Director, Audrey Seguy, was stepping down after ten years at the helm to start a new business (and life) in southern France. She leaves The Castle in a strong position with over 200,000 visits a year and plans underway for even more growth. The Castle is also one of the largest employers in the industry with over 70 employees on just one site. Characterized by a unique building (yes, it really looks like a castle!), The Castle recently celebrated twenty years and has just secured a further twenty year lease for the building.
The recruitment process took about three months and involved a number of stages and tests to progressively narrow down the field. We are pleased to announce that we were successful in finding a candidate and are delighted to announce that Duncan Howard will be the new CEO. Duncan has been climbing for over 20 years, much of this at The Castle. He comes from a housing background with over 25 years professional experience in housing associations. His last position was with the Southern Housing Group, a large housing association with 28,000 homes in their portfolio. As Regional Director (London), Duncan was directly responsible for 7,000 homes and has developed many skills which we are confident will transfer well into indoor climbing.
“I am very excited about this new role. The Castle is an outstanding facility with a really professional and passionate staff team. This once in a lifetime opportunity was too good to miss,” says Duncan about why he went for the role. As a local climber who has been a Castle customer for nearly twenty years, Duncan has seen The Castle change and is looking forward to presiding over another period of growth and prosperity. “The Castle has grown significantly over the past five years and we see this continuing for many years to come. I hope that my experience of successfully leading large teams through periods of significant growth and change… will help me make sure that the Castle continues to develop, pushing its very high standards even higher while maintain the variety and broad appeal that it’s loved for.”
Duncan will be breathing new life into The Castle’s sustainability policy- a journey that we embarked on six years ago. As we evaluate the effects of our actions in the first five year action plan, Duncan will be instrumental in leading the development and implementation of the second five year plan. “The team are committed to being as green as possible, but the building presents some challenges that will require significant investment. I really want to prove that businesses can be green and profitable.”
The Castle is using this opportunity to restructure its top management. Founder and outgoing CEO, Steve Taylor, will become the Chairman of the board of Directors. Audrey Seguy will remain involved as a non-Executive Director. The Castle also has two centre managers to oversee the day to day operations- Ben Levey and Efua Uiterwijk.
You train for years. You chalk up, climb and repeat for months. You make the slightest changes to save milliseconds. You get stronger. You get faster. You register and pay. You get vaccinations, book flights. You arrive in another time zone. You step in front of hundreds of eyes and a spotlight. You clip in. You hear the beep. You climb. You lose. And you wonder what you were training on, because it was not these holds.
If you are a speed athlete, coach or gym owner frustrated by similar changes, you are not alone in this sentiment. “They are definitely different,” says Pat Enright, owner of MetroRock Climbing Centers. “There are some juggy parts on these holds, and the juggy parts are definitely juggier.” Other people have noticed a change in the holds used at speed climbing events. “All the speed climbers are like, ‘You don’t have the right holds,’” continues Enright. “What you had has become obsolete.”
So just what happened to the Speed holds?
Certification
According to Jerome Meyer, sport manager of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), the IFSC partners with and certifies climbing holds manufacturers to provide official speed climbing holds for use at sanctioned events and for training. Hold manufacturing companies wanting to become official producers must submit an application to the IFSC which addresses two concerns: 1) the duplicability of speed holds; and 2) the logistics of operating a global program. Experts in the IFSC Sport Department then conduct a technical evaluation and the IFSC Executive Board reviews their report before making a final decision.
The importance of operational logistics is self-explanatory: the holds are used at competitions around the world and the manufacturer needs sound internal resources to ensure the holds get to where they are needed.
The importance of duplicability, on the other hand, requires a bit more explanation. Different from Lead and Bouldering competitions, Speed climbing events are not based on the difficulty of different climbs, but instead the time it takes to complete a standard route. Consequently, for any comparisons in time to be significant, the exact same wall and route configuration must be used at every event. To accomplish this the IFSC established a standard by which athletes competing anywhere in the world can compare themselves for a Speed World Record. The 2015 IFSC Rules Handbook sets the following criteria:
A World Record in Speed can be set only:
On a Climbing Structure certificated by the IFSC to meet the requirements for a World Record;
Where the timing system in use has been certificated by the IFSC to meet the requirements for a World Record;
Where the competition is included in the official IFSC calendar of events; and
Where a Jury President has been appointed by the IFSC. The Jury President shall report any new World Record to the IFSC.
For a speed wall to become certified, an IFSC Technical Delegate must approve that it conforms to IFSC Speed License Rules which dictate the exact height, width, inclination, rope protection, t-nut grid, granulometry and color of the wall. The rules also govern aspects of the holds, including shape, color and thickness.
The duplicability of speed climbing holds, then, is merely one piece of an ongoing IFSC puzzle to standardize Speed competition climbing. “The introduction of the Speed World Record meant that the support of this record was allowing a fair comparison of the different athletes’ performances,” says Meyer. “This forced us to enter into a different approach, meaning the creation of the certification process of all the Speed components (walls, holds, timers…).”
Right now there is only one IFSC certified holds manufacturer. Entre-Prises was the certified provider of Speed holds until the close of a three-year contract last summer, according to Todd Chester, marketing manager of Entre-Prises. For mutual reasons, the contract was not renewed, but Entre-Prises remains the sponsor and official provider of IFSC walls. As for speed holds, a new player has stepped into the game.
On June 12, 2015, the IFSC announced in a press release the creation of a new partnership with Planet’Roc (specifically, company group Kit Grimpe – Planet’Roc – Escapade) as the exclusive sponsor of IFSC speed holds and the lone manufacturer providing Certified Speed Holds. According to the IFSC, Panet’Roc has a proprietary manufacturing system that provides exacting duplicability. “Thanks to the Rev’Olution technology, these holds will be lighter, standardized and UV-resistant. As a result they will be easier to install, they will last longer, and they will be more precisely identic,” the IFSC said in their press release.
How does the Rev’Olution technology do this and what does this have to do with your Speed holds problem? Read on.
2014 Speed Climbing World Record
Production
Most climbing holds are produced by a polyurethane pouring system. In its most simplified form, the holds manufacturing process consists of the following procedures: liquid silicone is mixed with a catalyst and poured over specially designed foam shapes; after the silicone cures and the foam shapes are removed, the silicone forms a mold into which liquid urethane mixed with a dye (for color) and a catalyst is poured; after the urethane cures, it is removed and sanded to create an exact duplicate of the original shape; the mold can be used again and again to produce many exact copies. According to Chester, Entre-Prises produces their holds in a similar fashion.
When it comes to speed climbing, the problem with this process is that nothing guarantees uniformity across holds. “You have to get a lot of things right when you are doing it by hand,” says Chester. For one, human error can result in uneven urethane levels since humans can over-pour or under-pour the silicone mold. For another, as silicone and urethane cure they contract, and this contraction can be difficult to predict and manipulate as desired. Chemical reactions are touchy, and minor changes in external variables like, say, room temperature and humidity, affect the curing process. During the first cure, a change in the reaction can result in density variations of the silicone mold, which alter its flexibility. During the second cure, a change in the reaction can result in a different contraction rate of the urethane. What this means is that two urethane holds produced from the same foam shape can differ in form, if only by a few millimeters. Such a marginal difference is permissible for holds which are not used as Official Speed Holds, but in the sport of speed climbing where time is the measure of comparison and every millisecond matters, a few millimeters can significantly alter an athlete’s training for or performance in a speed competition. “Millimeters can make a difference, and [the IFSC is] trying to make sure everything hits that target one hundred percent of the time,” says Chester.
To meet the standards of the IFSC one hundred percent of the time, according to Meyer, Speed holds manufacturers using a urethane pouring system have to discard unworthy holds and only enter conforming holds into circulation. Such trial and error substantially increases manufacturing costs. “So far the technology around the polyester holds or even the polyurethane one was not really satisfactory,” says Meyer. “Once the holds were produced you were not sure they were perfectly similar … Besides the cost it implied for the manufacturer, the approach was not sustainable.”
Planet’Roc utilizes a different Speed holds manufacturing process. According to Planet’Roc operational manager Sylvie Fortier, instead of pouring urethane, the internationally patented Rev’Olution process relies on a thermoforming technique often deployed in the plastics industry. Thermoforming creates plastic shapes by heating plastic sheets to softening temperature, placing these softened sheets over suction molds, cooling the plastic so that it solidifies according to the dimensions of the mold, and then cutting the newly defined plastic shape with a digitally operated machine. At the close of the process, thin layers of paint and grains (like sandpaper) are applied to the slippery plastic holds in order to increase friction, and this cover can be reapplied as necessary.
Since the temperature of the plastic sheets and molds, the dimensions and suction of the molds, and the cutting of the plastic shapes is all controlled by computers, the Rev’Olution process decreases the probability of variations between holds resulting from uncontrolled external variables and human error during manufacturing. It also increases the probability of each hold satisfying the strict tolerances established by the IFSC. “The process guarantees a rigorous reproducibility,” says Fortier.
Planet’Roc promotional video
Besides duplicability, Rev’Olution holds are innovative for a number of additional reasons. First, they are extremely durable and their covers are aging and wear resistant. What’s more, since the holds are shaped on the outside of a mold rather than the inside, they have a hollow interior and thin exterior, which decreases the overall weight of each hold. The Rev’Olution holds weigh in at 0.5 kilograms per handhold and 0.05 kilograms per foothold, only a tenth of the alternative 5 kilogram polyester handholds and 0.5 kilogram polyester footholds Planet’Roc also produces for Speed climbing. Such a significantly lower weight substantially increases ease of distribution and installation. Lastly, since the Rev’Olution holds are made of plastic they can easily be resurfaced or broken down and reused, thereby increasing sustainability. In these respects, the Rev’Olution Technology is truly revolutionary.
Speed climbers noticing differences between speed hold sets, then, are likely climbing on holds produced by different speed holds manufacturers, whose production methods do not guarantee the same level of uniformity as the Rev’Olution technology of Planet’Roc.
Mystery solved. The solution then is simply to purchase Speed hold sets from Planet’Roc, right?
Acquisition
Unfortunately, these revolutionary holds are proving difficult to acquire. Whereas the duplicability of Speed holds has been improved with the introduction of Planet’Roc as the new IFSC certified manufacturer, the logistics of acquiring Certified Speed Holds has been problematic. For one, Planet’Roc is based in Loriol-sur-Drôme, a commune in southeast France, and, unfortunately for American and other international buyers, the website is in French.
For another, even if you have a translator or translation tool handy, nothing necessitates a quick reply. “I’ve called them, left messages, emailed, Facebooked them,” says Enright of MetroRock. “I don’t know how to go about acquiring these things.” Enright eventually brought the matter to Kynan Waggoner, CEO of USA Climbing, who acknowledged the acquisition problem. “The difficulties for US gyms in gaining access to the Official IFSC Speed Holds is inherent with the IFSC awarding the license to only one company that has offices in Europe,” says Waggoner. “This geographic barrier is the hardest to overcome – it is typically difficult to do business with entities that are based overseas.”
The IFSC is aware of and and is working to address the issue. “We had some difficulties answering the demands since the beginning of the year only,” says Meyer at the IFSC. “These problems were mostly due to some challenges we faced in the development of the new version of the Speed holds.” Now that the production challenges have been tackled, the IFSC is actively resolving communication barriers so that interested parties can better acquire Planet’Roc’s Speed holds. After reaching out to Waggoner for help, Waggoner contacted Meyer who recently aided Enright in establishing communication with Planet’Roc. Enright is now in the process of ordering their Certified Speed Holds. “This was addressed and we’ll take care of every case one by one,” says Meyer.
Transition
Climbers are still likely to see variability into the future. No regulations within the IFSC prevent the acquisition of Speed holds from manufacturers who are not certified. In fact, the IFSC intentionally permits the manufacturing of unofficial holds for the purpose of growing speed climbing participation. “We left free to use the generic form of the hold,” says Meyer. “We believe that this would help the development of Speed climbing and, ultimately, contribute to spreading the certified version.” Even Planet’Roc advertises their Polyester holds alongside the Rev’Olution variety. When corresponding with Fortier, Enright was given the option of purchasing either Speed hold set. Based on the prices Fortier quoted to Enright, the Polyester holds are roughly 15% cheaper.
Neither do American speed athletes necessarily need Certified Speed Holds to train for USAC events. “We are not yet at the point whereby we only host USA Climbing Regional and Divisional Championship events at facilities that have an [official] IFSC wall and holds,” says Waggoner. “There just aren’t enough IFSC Speed walls in the United States for us to do this.” Only at USAC National Championship events are the Speed walls and holds required to conform to IFSC standards, and even then Waggoner is considering sticking with the previously certified Speed holds produced by Entre-Prises. “Even though the IFSC has not renewed Entre-Prises’ license to manufacture the IFSC Speed holds, I think that we’ll continue to use their product in the future because of our history with their organization and the difficulty inherent in sourcing the holds from the European company that now holds the IFSC license,” Waggoner says. For recreational Speed climbers and Speed athletes not looking to compete on the international stage, then, Speed holds manufactured without the Rev’Olution technology may suffice.
Change takes time, and more developments in the IFSC Speed program are on the way. “We’re checking some alternatives to the human based belaying … and we may also propose within the next months some new routes for those of us who cannot really express themselves in the current one,” says Meyer. Certified auto-belay systems? Standardized youth and paraclimbing Speed structures? The Rev’Olution technology may only be the beginning of the Speed Climbing Revolution. “If it heads to the Olympics,” reminds Chester, “it will be a much bigger sport than it is today.”
The Charlotte Observer reports that the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, NC is planning to open a Deep Water Solo Climbing Facility where climbers free climb to the top of the wall before plunging into the water at the end of their climb.
Construction has begun on a permanent deepwater solo climbing facility, the only one of its kind in the nation. The facility will have three climbing walls – 25, 35 and 45 feet tall – surrounded by a 16-foot deep pool to catch descending climbers.
“They’ve just started moving dirt,” Osterhus said. “The winter weather that we’ve had has kept them from doing more, but we’re still planning on having it open in April.”
The whitewater center has two climbing facilities, both on land sculpted to look and feel like granite – the Spire, a 46-foot tall wall; and a 30-foot roped wall.
This will be the only permanent deep water solo facility in the country.
The new facility will be the location of a Deep Water Solo Competition during the USNWC’s annual Tuck Fest in April.
Intrepid Entrepreneur interviewed Chris Warner, founder of Earth Treks Climbing Centers, an entrepreneur who is also a high-altitude climber, author and sought-after corporate speaker.
Warner has been guiding domestically and leading international climbing expeditions since 1987. He’s summited over 120 times on peaks of 19,000 feet, and his rescue of other climbers on Mt. Everest was featured in National Geographic Adventure. He knows a thing or two about facing fear and still jumping in with both feet. But Chris had a moment of clarity when a friend posed the question to him: “As someone who takes such risks in your personal life, why won’t you take a risk with your career?” That was a turning point for him and since then, he’s been taking the knowledge and insight gained through years of climbing, and applying it to business.
In this show, Warner explains why the team has to come before the individual, how stories open people’s minds, why entrepreneurs are in the business of opportunity, not strategy, and why when you make people have fun, they do their best work.
2015 may have already faded into history but thanks to the magic of the Internet, CBJ articles live on forever. Even though all of our articles are great, there were some that our readers loved more than others. We look back on the 11 most popular articles from the last year.
Gear designed for hands-free operation, head protection and rescue plans are entering the climbing gym as routesetters borrow more from the world of high rope access.
Apparently Australians like to boulder. From the Grampians to the Blue Mountains, the climbers of Oz have plenty of options for pebble wrestling. But it seems they also like to pull on plastic.
2015 may have already faded into history but thanks to the magic of the Internet, CBJ articles live on forever. Even though all of our articles are great, there were some that our readers loved more than others. We look back on the 11 most popular articles from the last year. 
