Image: USA Climbing logo
The chief governing body for competition climbing in the United States, USA Climbing, announced this month that Caitlin Curry has been hired as the organization’s new Finance and Administration Director. According to a press release, Curry will report to USA Climbing’s CEO, Marc Norman, and manage all aspects of USA Climbing’s financial and administrative functions—including accounting, budgeting, and audit oversight.
Norman stated, “[The Finance and Administration Director] role is critical to achieving our future organizational goals. We look forward to working closely with [Caitlin Curry] to achieve organizational financial targets as well as instituting best practices in accounting, finance and human resources management.”
Curry, a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo and formerly employed at Albany Engineered Composites, expressed excitement for the hiring and said, “I look forward to being a part of the sport’s growth as we head into 2021 for the Olympic debut, and beyond.”
Curry is the most recent in a series of significant hires at USA Climbing over the past year or so. These include Kelly Feilke as the Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Development; Rachel Owens as the Collegiate and Paraclimbing Series Manager; and Rebecca Ingraham as the Education Manager.
The same week as Curry’s hiring announcement, USA Climbing kicked off its 2020-2021 “Virtual” Competition Season in conjunction with digital partner KAYA. Stay tuned to CBJ for more USA Climbing information as this season progresses.
There’s no shortage of valuable articles, videos and podcasts being published online around the climbing industry. We highlight some of the major storylines from last week below. To get all the latest news in your inbox and before this roundup hits the web, sign-up for our weekly Insider newsletter here.
Photo by Daniel Gajda (@gajdaphotography)
Just a few thoughts.
By now we’ve long reached the “it feels like this should be over” emotion during this period. But one thing’s for sure: we won’t get there without safety and solidarity. Whether finding creative ways to keep staff employed and member families supported or fighting for the survival of our small businesses, let’s keep building safe environments to do so and working together to meet the needs of our climbing and wider communities.
Content for Climbing Insiders
Finding Community (Drew Hulsey, Gym Climber)
“Climbing media and social media do a disservice by showing only perfection. That hits hard for those of us with self-esteem issues.” – Drew Hulsey
Best Rock Climbing Ethics and Practices (Gym Climber)
“What we do individually reflects on climbers as a group…We need to lead by example and educate our ranks if we want to continue to enjoy our current level of freedom and maintain the quiet calm of outdoor climbing.” – Gym Climber
How WWII Led to the Climbing Ropes We Use Today (Gripped)
“It all changed in 1953, when the German company Edelrid created the kernmantle design, which placed a strong synthetic rope core within a braided nylon sheath. They increased elasticity and strength, and solved issues with untwisting and rope wear.” – Gripped
Historic Ouray Routes Resurrected for Reimagined Ice Fest (Corey Buhay, Rock & Ice)
“With Bozeman cancelling its Ice Fest, and Michigan potentially cutting back, this is an opportunity for world-class ice climbers to compete, and for Ouray to show what we’re all about to North America and to the world.” – Peter O’Neil
Video: Climbing Gear ASMR – A Parody (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
Distance Learning Meets Climbing: Sender One’s COOL Camp (Joe Robinson)
“We were just trying to pivot as much as we could for a couple reasons: one, to create jobs for our employees and two, to provide a space for family support. A lot of parents were working at home and they needed an option for their kids during summer.” – Crystal Tan
How Climbing Centers Are Navigating Tiered Reopening in California
“From the bottom of our hearts, we’re so incredibly grateful to our members for sticking with us through this closure. I think that’s the number one thing that I would say to anyone who’s having a hard time right now is just to look to your membership. Treat them as well as you can because they’re going to treat you well in return.” – Kenneth Pack
Homewall of the Week 30: Decked Out Family Garage Homewall
“After a 10-year hiatus from climbing, my teenage daughters both started climbing with me and then the local gym shut down. I didn’t want to lose this – plus I needed a hobby during lockdown.” – Scott Harder
A “weekday warrior project” and pandemic boredom turned Scott Harder’s garage in Mill Creek, WA, into the perfect home gym and hangout space for him and his family. Check out past HWOW here.
When did you build your wall? Was it a COVID baby?
Heck yeah it was. I ordered lumber on August 5th and nailed the last board on September 10th.
How long did it take you to build and what did that time look like?
Just over a month. I spent a few hours after work every night but our family was climbing every weekend so it was a “weekday warrior” project.
Not including holds and padding, how much did it cost you to build? Any surprises there? Most/Least expensive part?
$450 for lumber, paint and hardware. No real surprises, although Timberloks are damn spendy.
What are you doing for padding?
I was able to acquire some remnant foam from
Vertical World North that was just adding on the 2nd floor bouldering area during lockdown. Like a game of Tetris, I used spray adhesive to create (2) 4” layers that were 5’ x 5’ that were then covered by a custom cushion cover. I also found some athletic foam pads on craigslist for $15 each that were from an indoor soccer business that had to close.
What was your primary incentive for the wall?
After a 10-year hiatus from climbing, my teenage daughters both started climbing with me and then the local gym shutdown. I didn’t want to lose this – plus I needed a hobby during lockdown.
Did anything in particular inspire your wall design?
Vertical World was my inspiration. Their colors and paneling are the best around – no wonder they were America’s first climbing gym!
What was the most difficult aspect of the design and build?
It was all above my pay grade. I had never done anything like this before. What better project for an OCD person like myself? Getting the angles and measurements as close to perfect was quite the challenge. I also built it all by myself – which was difficult some of the time.
What would you do differently?
Probably would have laid it out differently. The original design was only going to be 12’ wide and 8’ tall. Once that was completed, I continued to expand out and up and design wise was not as consistent with the original design.
Did you make any mistakes along the way or choose to re-do any aspects? If so, what?
Numerous mistakes. That’s what you get when you don’t hire a licensed contractor 😊.
What is your favorite aspect?
I love that it has so many uses. I can still park the car in the garage if I want to, but it’s also a home gym. That was the first COVID conversion after cancelling my fitness gym membership. It’s a gathering space now, complete with TV, super cool lighting, music and more.
How often do you use the wall?
Someone is out there every day for one reason or another.
Do you think you’ll still use it as much when all of the gyms open back up?
Our gym opened up at the end of August but this has become training for the gym and an easy way to stay strong between visits to the gym. It’s much closer!
Any words of wisdom to aspiring homewallers?
The Interwebs can guide you, but nothing will show you what you want. Find something inspirational and then make it bigger and better.
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):
Stuck between the state’s regulations and a lack of financial aid at the federal level, indoor climbing center operators have joined forces to find a way forward and educate policy makers about the sport. Photo courtesy of the CICC
As a second wave of the pandemic approaches―and in many places around the world has already arrived―indoor climbing centers in North America have been preparing for the possibility of a second round of temporary closures. But not all locations are in the same position. Of the 41 climbing facilities listed as “temporarily closed” on CBJ’s map at the end of October, 31 of those facilities were located in the state of California.
A maverick of sorts politically of the 50 recognized U.S. states, California has received both praise and criticism for its policies over the years. In August, the state announced its Blueprint for a Safer Economy, a tiered reopening system. The system takes into account the adjusted case rate per 100,000 residents in a county and the positive test rate―and, most recently, a health equity index which considers the positive test rate of a county’s hardest hit neighborhoods. Based on these metrics, counties are given a tier (purple, red, orange, yellow) which determines the set of rules and capacity levels (0, 10, 25 or 50 percent, etc.) at which businesses in various industries can reopen. For climbing centers in hard-hit counties, that system has meant continued closure of their climbing walls.
Source: Blueprint for a Safer Economy (November 2, 2020)
Caught between the state’s regulations and a lack of substantial financial aid at the federal level, California climbing centers have been pushing back against the structure and rollout of the tiered reopening system. But while some people in America have opposed even the smallest extra health measures based on arguments around personal liberties, the coalition is not among them. Based on interviews with a sampling of climbing center operators in California, the overwhelming takeaway from those discussions is that safety has been priority number one since the start of the pandemic. Instead, these conversations suggest the movement of climbing centers petitioning for the survival of their small businesses has taken place within the same enduring goal: the well-being of their communities.
The California Indoor Climbing Coalition
Announcing its formation in a press release on September 21, the California Indoor Climbing Coalition (CICC) was started by climbing center operators Kristin Horowitz and Alice Kao. Horowitz, co-founder of The Pad Climbing and CEO of Ascent Ventures, and Kao, CEO and co-founder of Sender One and the 2020 California Small Business Person of the Year, first met through the CWA’s Survive & Thrive Workshop on September 2-3. Since then, the pair have grown the coalition’s member base to 29 climbing center owners and 76 facilities altogether, more than 75 percent of the California facilities listed on CBJ’s map at the end of October.
“I have long wanted to do more than just watch things go by, but I knew that petitions and lawsuits weren’t the answer―either ineffective or expensive, and neither did a lot for community building which I was behind,” Horowitz told CBJ. “When I floated the idea of a lobbyist and a coalition to Alice, she was absolutely on board and I just needed that one other person to know I wasn’t chasing a pipe dream.”
The CICC has been lobbying primarily for the specific goal of California indoor climbing centers being allowed to reopen at 25 percent in the tiered reopening system, even in the most restrictive (purple) tier. Always conscious of risk management, the coalition argues that climbing centers are uniquely positioned to safely operate at that capacity level.
“While we fully support the purpose of the current county-by-county restrictions, we now know enough to move indoor climbing into less restrictive bounds,” reads the CICC homepage.
The CICC is not against extra safety measures during the pandemic like wearing masks and sanitizing surfaces. Indeed, the coalition formed around the belief that climbing center operators are taking the utmost care to create a safe environment for their customers and staff. Image courtesy of the CICC
The CICC position letter to the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, and this fact sheet identify multiple reasons for this belief. They point out that climbing centers are often in spacious, well-ventilated buildings and put in place strict COVID-19 safety protocols. Plus, incoming evidence suggests chalk is unlikely to transmit COVID-19 on surfaces (and there are powerful liquid chalk options), and climbing is a relatively anaerobic activity which―when coupled with masks and other measures―reduces the likelihood of transmission through the air.
Thanks to the work of the coalition and its members, letters from industry leaders like the Climbing Wall Association and USA Climbing, and support from the scientists and professionals listed on the CICC website, the coalition won a victory towards its goal on October 20 on a familiar field of play.
The Classical Issue of Classification
There is a long history of indoor climbing and its risks being misunderstood by policy makers, from facility licensure to insurance. Last summer, for instance, the CWA announced an urgent regulatory challenge to a Senate bill in California which lumped youth climbing programs with all recreation camps.
Most recently, when the state of California released the new tiered reopening system, indoor climbing centers were not given their own classification. As a result, different local jurisdictions applied the state guidelines differently, with some counties grouping climbing facilities with fitness centers and other counties grouping them with family entertainment centers―despite their facility licensure status.
That distinction impacted climbing centers in the red tier the most, since fitness centers have been allowed to open indoor activities at 10% capacity in the red tier, while family entertainment centers cannot. Planet Granite Santa Clara, for example, announced on October 6 the closing of its climbing walls when the county of Santa Clara notified the operators that they were considered a family entertainment center.
Other local jurisdictions have applied stricter policies than the state guidelines. The city of San Francisco has reportedly operated one tier back and, on September 14, specifically called out climbing walls to remain closed. According to Jeffery Bowling, Creative + Business Development Director of Touchstone Climbing, Touchstone’s Dogpatch Boulders and Mission Cliffs facilities had already reopened alongside fitness centers when the city district attorney came in and had them reclosed. Bowling cited the inability to sanitize climbing holds as the initial reason given, and only later did classification come into play.
Like San Francisco, Bowling says California counties Oakland and Berkeley―the location of the Team Touchstone Training Center pictured here―have also applied stricter COVID-19 policies than the state’s tiered reopening guidelines. Image courtesy of Touchstone (Touchstone staff Ryan Moon and Heather Bellgreen pictured)
“We’re one of the biggest climbing gym companies in the state and we’ve heard nothing. We’ve tried to engage. We’ve tried to discuss…There’s no dialogue. And that’s been pretty frustrating, especially for an industry that clearly people at the state level are pretty ignorant about, just based on the decisions they’re making,” said Bowling.
After weeks of coalition building and lobbying, the coalition finally opened conversations with the Director of Go Biz and a Senior Advisor to Newsom. One week later, on October 20, the state of California adjusted its reopening guidelines to explicitly place indoor climbing centers within the fitness center category.
“We still have a long way to go―we’re looking at 25% capacity in Purple, not closure,” reads the CICC statement announcing the update. “But we’re so glad that the policy makers of California are doing what they can on such short notice to give our indoor climbing centers a chance.”
“A Nightmare” for Big Gym Chains
Still, climbing center operators noted more dynamics to California’s tiered reopening system as challenging to navigate―especially for multi-gym chains. One of those issues has been timing. The adjusted case rate and positive test rate are based on seven-day averages, and every Tuesday the state announces tier updates. For operators of facilities in different counties (and sometimes even different states), reacting to a reopening announcement with one-day notice was described as nothing short of a nightmare.
“For me personally, the most frustrating part is that we don’t know that we’re going to be allowed to reopen until the California governor [Gavin Newsom] does his press conferences―or right before the press conferences, when the numbers come out,” said Ethan Wright, Chief Managing Director of Hangar 18. “That’s awesome, except it’s tough finding out at 11:30am on a Tuesday that you’ll finally be allowed to open on Wednesday. I think that puts a lot of gyms in sort of a ‘stand-by’ mode, where they want to have everything ready and prepped for reopening, but they just don’t know if it will happen.”
Hangar 18 operates 11 facilities across four counties in Southern California, and according to Wright each of those counties has had a separate reopening date. Of course, operators can follow the figures online to try and anticipate tier changes. But there’s reportedly not always consistency in the trends, making it difficult to take business decisions with confidence. Wright recounts a recent situation where cases were dropping in San Bernardino county, so Hangar 18 did full cleanings of its facilities there. Before the announcement on Tuesday, cases suddenly spiked and the facilities had to remain closed.
Climbing center operators in California are not “against” tiered reopening. Instead, it’s the details of the structure and rollout that have made managing the system more difficult. Image courtesy of Touchstone (Verdigo Boulders)
The stand-by mode has also been difficult for indoor climbing center employees. Touchstone operates over 12 facilities in California, from Sacramento to Los Angeles. At the end of October, four locations were open at 25 percent capacity (orange tier), four at ten (red), and four were still temporarily closed (purple). For many staff that’s meant continued furlough status, and it’s been challenging to recall staff on short notice.
“We kept everyone on payroll for the first couple months because we thought this was going to be short-term and we didn’t want to lose people, we just wanted to take care of our employees…We ended up having to furlough most of our staff…So we try to recall staff and then they shut us back down again. I mean, it’s just a nightmare for everyone involved, to be honest,” said Bowling. “And not to mention our membership. For a lot of our members, climbing is an essential part of their lives.”
Pivoting to Meet Member Demand
As the pandemic crisis drags on, climbing facilities have been getting creative to continue providing jobs to their staff and climbing to their customers in what they believe to be a safe environment to do so. Even in the purple tier, the state of California allows limited outdoor programming with modifications for businesses classified as fitness centers. Fixed climbing walls can’t be moved outside, but climbing facilities with customers interested in fitness offerings have found ways to pivot to meet the demand.
Bridges Rock Gym in Contra Costa county, for example, has continued offering some of the outdoor and virtual programming it relied on to engage members over the summer closure. Recently moved from the red tier (10 percent capacity) to the orange (25 percent), Bridges has been holding yoga classes in nearby parks.
“We are allowed to run indoor fitness classes, but we’re actually making the choice to keep most of our classes outdoors right now,” said Kenneth Pack, General Manager of Bridges. “We take our yoga and fitness programs seriously, it’s not just a side project for us.”
Bridges is not alone in the idea. Neighboring yoga studios have held outdoor classes as well, leaving outdoor parks crowded sometimes. The other challenge has been serving new visitors. Due to restricted capacity levels, many gyms have limited their offerings to members only on a reservation basis. Day pass, 10-punch pass and member guests are now welcomed back at Bridges as of November 1, but programs designed to welcome new visitors are not in full swing everywhere.
“I think at 25 or 50 percent, it is still difficult to run the kind of programming that we like to focus on that helps us create lifelong climbers,” said Pack. “Because time and space is at such a premium, it’s hard to hold our introductory classes, for example.”
Fortunately, climbing centers in California (and around the country) continue to be buoyed throughout this period by the gratitude of their members who choose to keep their memberships going.
“From the bottom of our hearts, we’re so incredibly grateful to our members for sticking with us through this closure. I think that’s the number one thing that I would say to anyone who’s having a hard time right now is just to look to your membership. Treat them as well as you can because they’re going to treat you well in return,” concluded Pack.
New Solutions to New Challenges
One of the ways California climbing centers have been trying to treat their members well in the tiered reopening system is by offering discounts for financially impacted individuals. Touchstone offers a 34% discount for unemployed members, and Sender One chose a similar discount level based on the unemployment rate in California.
Dubbed the CARE membership, over 200 members of Sender One have already enrolled in the plan. So as to avoid any stigma around signing up, all communication is done under confidence so that members don’t have to share proof of unemployment at the counter.
The COOL camp is just one example of how climbing centers have pivoted during tiered reopening in California. Extra safety measures have allowed students to do their distance learning and climb. Image courtesy of Crystal Tan
Sender One is applying a similar discount to scholarships for its new COOL camp. Like outdoor programming, camps in California are also allowed with modifications in the purple tier. Anticipating extended temporary closure of its LAX facility in the hard-hit county of Los Angeles, Sender One shifted its business model during the pandemic to hold even more camps. In addition to its regular summer camps, Sender One recently held a unique routesetting camp geared towards its team climbers. And since some schools have been holding virtual classes or a hybrid version, Sender One has been offering a distance learning option to support working parents searching for a place for their children to study.
“We did not focus on making money during the pandemic. We created these programs to build jobs, cover payroll and whatever expenses needed to establish said programs…We wanted to make sure the camp was available for families that need the distance learning support but may not be able to afford the full price,” said Crystal Tan, Brand Marketing Manager of Sender One.
There were rules to follow for COOL camp to be considered a camp in the tiered reopening system in California. The counselors aren’t teaching subjects or tutoring, for instance, but instead providing tech support and helping the students stay on track. Risk was also a focus. Sender One applied strict safety protocols, from health checks to pick-up/drop-off outside. But the camp has served the dual purpose of providing jobs for staff and a solution for working parents. And of course, the camp includes P.E. climbing breaks for the children.
“Sender One is not alone when developing these types of offerings and programs, because I think a lot of other climbing gyms have put in work to come up with ways to utilize their business while closed,” said Tan. “I reached out wanting to share about our program to provide the possibility of what our climbing gyms can offer back to our communities.”
To read more about Sender One’s COOL camp and CARE membership, check out the full interview with Crystal Tan here.
The COOL camp (Climb Onward with Online Learning) at Sender One serves the dual purpose of providing jobs for staff and a space for students to complete their distance learning and climb. Image courtesy of Crystal Tan
As the pandemic crisis drags on, climbers have continued to get creative in navigating the challenges of this period. Virtual USAC competitions are starting this month, and gyms have been getting creative with non-competitive programs too.
The start of a new school year has looked quite different for parents and students this fall. Some school districts have reopened with remote classes only, some with socially distanced in-person classes, and still others with a hybrid version of these options.
In response, at least one climbing gym has pivoted to meet the demand of working parents looking for a place for their students to study. With their LAX facility still temporarily closed in California’s new tiered system, Sender One shifted its business model to put the facility to good use.
Called the COOL camp (Climb Onward with Online Learning), the camp has been open for 2nd-6th graders since September and includes full-day and partial day options. Registration for the camp even includes a scholarship application for qualifying families financially impacted by this period.
At the same time, Sender One is offering a similar discount on its memberships called the CARE membership (Climbers Aid & Relief Effort). Crystal Tan, Brand Marketing Manager of Sender One, reached out to CBJ about the unique programs and dives into the details below.
CBJ: Thank you for reaching out to CBJ about the COOL camp at LAX. Could you tell me more about how Sender One has shifted its business model in this way, and where the need and idea came from?
TAN: Of course. Sender One has always been pretty focused on and successful with our youth offerings. Our owners are parents and a lot of our employees and members have kids, so we cater pretty fairly to families. Especially with our Sender City area, there’s not really a lot of gyms around here that have that. Our youth program is pretty extensive.When we closed, the state [of California] allowed camps to operate under certain camp-specific guidelines. We were just trying to pivot as much as we could for a couple reasons: one, to create jobs for our employees and two, to provide a space for family support. A lot of parents were working at home and they needed an option for their kids during summer. And then once school came back into session, there was a need to find something for kids to do. It was impacting the work-at-home situation for many parents.Our CEO [Alice Kao], is actually in a lot of parent groups and communicates with a lot of other pods. She learned that the YMCA was doing a distance learning program. So we threw the idea out there―and this was at the time when Sender One’s Santa Ana facility was also closed―about how we could use our empty facilities as distance learning centers. A place where kids can come in and we’d basically help them get set up in their daily online classes while helping with homework and then they get to climb afterwards―kind of like a P.E. session. So that’s how that came about.Sender One caters to climbers of all levels and ages and their families, and Sender City has played a role in that. Now, the COOL camp is filling an empty LAX facility with children of working parents. Image courtesy of Crystal Tan
CBJ: There are a lot of details about COOL camp on the Sender One website. What have been the most challenging parts to setting up and running all the logistics and marketing for the camp?
TAN: We actually got a lot of interest for the program once we started marketing. A lot of just “yes I’m interested, send me more information” kind of thing. Then once sign-ups went live and we started accepting applications for enrollment, we didn’t get a ton from Orange County. We were actually surprised and nervous that the program wouldn’t take off after the work we put into developing it. We quickly realized parents just didn’t know what was going on with their child’s school. They were given school schedules like a week before school was supposed to start. They couldn’t actually commit to something when they didn’t know if school was returning in person or online.I don’t know if you remember hearing that on the news, but there was a lot of talk about whether school was coming back in person, or whether there would be a hybrid version or distance learning. Orange County ended up opening up their schools again and doing in-person classes, and some school districts had hybrid classes. We figured, well with school back in session they don’t really need this program. So we didn’t end up doing it at our SNA facility in Santa Ana, but in Los Angeles the school districts decided on distant learning so we were able to offer COOL camp at our LAX facility.
CBJ: What extra safety measures did you need to put in place around the CA Public Health guidelines?
TAN: Risk was a big factor. Even with our regular rock climbing camps, we had to change the curriculum to be more Covid-friendly. We made sure to enforce the right protocols to meet health standards and follow county and state guidelines. Even though the gym was still empty, we required pick-up and drop-offs outside. We still did health checks every time the kids came in. We continued to take into consideration the cohorts, et cetera et cetera. The guidelines in California requested that the same kids stay with the same counselors during each camp session to avoid mixing cohorts. Another benefit to that is that the kids get to know the counselors, so they can become more comfortable around them and it really creates a better experience. Major shout out to our camp counselors for their hard work! There were so many different things that we just had to learn about and adapt to, which I think everybody has been doing this year.
CBJ: I imagine operating a youth program during the workday could be considered day care in the eyes of the state. Plus there must be meals throughout the day. How did you navigate these requirements?
TAN: Let’s be clear, we are not a daycare. We run day camps and focus on the state’s camp specifications versus operating as a daycare. There’s way more required to be considered a daycare. In terms of what the kids were learning through their online classes, we were not responsible for teaching them the subject(s). Our goal was to be support for distant learning and offering a space for kids to study and climb in a day camp format.We normally provide snacks for our campers, but given new regulations, we asked campers to bring their own snacks. We set up ez-ups, tables, and chairs for the kids to take breaks and eat their snacks in an open-air setting outside. We learned what was acceptable and adapted while making sure all our camps continued to provide great experiences for the kiddos.Extra safety measures like these socially distanced cubicles have been important to creating as safe an environment as possible for participating COOL camp students. Image courtesy of Crystal Tan
CBJ: I saw on the Sender One website that a scholarship application can be filled out. Where did the idea and funds for that come from?
TAN:We did not focus on making money during the pandemic. We created these programs to build jobs, cover payroll and whatever expenses needed to establish said programs. For the scholarship―and actually this is a good segue into the CARE membership―we looked at the average unemployment rate in California at the time and made a decision based on that. The unemployment rate was continuing to rise so we made sure it would apply to those who qualify for unemployment or are currently on unemployment. We wanted to make sure the camp was available for families that need the distance learning support but may not be able to afford the full price.
CBJ: Before I let you go, I just wanted to talk briefly about the CARE membership at the SNA gym. How have you been able financially to offer discounts for unemployed individuals?
TAN:I was reading an article—maybe it was a Wall Street journal article—saying businesses are going to have to alter their pricing model and possibly change some of their offerings. Many companies may operate differently if they survive through this economic downfall. So we just put it on the table, questioning what we need to do. We decided to create an option for those who have been financially impacted and made it ~30% off our monthly rate. So far, we’ve had a positive response to it and have had a good amount of people who have signed up through the CARE Membership. It’s something we want to offer now and reevaluate later to see if we want to extend it, in relation to how the trends are going with unemployment. We’re still working on what we’re going to do with our pricing plan, but in terms of the CARE membership, it’s going to serve who it needs to serve within our community and we hope it can help even a little bit.
CBJ: Would you consider offering the CARE membership even after the pandemic?
TAN:I think we’ll definitely consider extending it. However, we have two really large sales every year. We do a Black Friday sale and we do an anniversary sale, which heavily discounts our membership as is. We offer a lot of opportunities at discounted rates for our membership as alternatives, so it’s hard to say. But we will consider it for sure.
CBJ: I can imagine it’s tough for folks to talk about unemployment. How have you navigated that?
TAN:It hasn’t been an issue because we do it under confidence and never, ever share the information provided. Anybody who is on the CARE membership is asked for proof in a way where it does not become public information as to respect the privacy and confidentiality of the individual.One of the cool things about COOL camp is breaking up the studying with some P.E. climbing sessions. The CARE membership has been giving financially impacted members the chance to keep climbing as well―with extra safety guidelines like wearing masks in place. Image courtesy of Crystal Tan
CBJ: Are there any other unique things you all have been doing after reopening you want to mention?
TAN: Um, we’ve just been running a ton of camps. We ran our regular summer camps, and now we’re rolling into our fall and winter camps, which we just recently launched and we’re already getting sign-ups for. We did a really cool camp―well, it’s not THE COOL camp, but it’s another cool camp [laughs]. We hosted a routesetting camp for kids. It catered to our competitive team and other youth who climb at neighboring climbing centers. We felt it was a way for them to have an outlet, to get back into a rhythm and also learn a little bit about routesetting. The kids got to learn about competition routesetting and a bit about commercial routesetting while setting their own climbs. We thought that was a really neat thing to do.And now we’re doing a competition camp, which is strictly focused on competitive climbing for youth who are participating in 2020-2021 USAC competitions. So that’s happening in November and January. That information can be found on our LAX website under camps. That’s where we’re doing a lot of our primary camps because we’re still closed there. For the specific camps―COOL camp, routesetting camp, comp camp―those are all happening at LAX. Our general climbing camps that we would normally run year-round are happening at both [LAX and SNA].Additionally, we’re still offering daily virtual yoga classes and have even been able to do some in-person, outdoor yoga and fitness classes at SNA.
CBJ: Do you have anything else to add that my questions didn’t cover?
TAN: I think just that Sender One is not alone when developing these types of offerings and programs, because I think a lot of other climbing gyms have put in work to come up with ways to utilize their business while closed. For example, we opened an online shop, and I know some other gyms did the same. A lot of people have had to maneuver their business model to be virtual. We also got to learn about what other climbing gyms have been doing during CWA’s Survive & Thrive workshop.I can only speak for California, but the reason I reached out is because I haven’t heard of another gym doing a distance learning camp in the state. I had this thought while we were developing it, “What if all the climbing gyms came together and provided some distance learning thing?” — or really any sort of support camp to help our communities because the whole state is going through this. I reached out wanting to share about our program to provide the possibility of what our climbing gyms can offer back to our communities. It’s our members and the people who are coming back to us after we’ve reopened, those are the people that are sticking with us and going to support us until the end. And hopefully that end doesn’t come, but I was just hoping these ideas would give people inspiration and to see what things are possible.
With so much going virtual lately, there’s no shortage of valuable articles, videos and podcasts being published online around the climbing industry. We highlight some of the major storylines from last week below. To get all the latest news in your inbox and before this roundup hits the web, sign-up for our weekly Insider newsletter here.
Photo by Jesse Sklut (courtesy of The Spot)
Just a few thoughts.
It can be hard to slow down. Especially with Halloween behind us, the holidays ahead and planning for 2021 on our agendas. Plus, between an election and the pandemic, there’s plenty to grab out attention right now. Even if breaks don’t feel quite like they used to, give yourself permission to rest. You might just find you get more done. And if not, you’ll at least be reminded that we’re more than what we produce.
Content for Climbing Insiders
An ‘Evolutionary’ Extra Forearm Artery – Does it Benefit Climbers? (Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
“In short, there’s a lot more happening at metabolic and cellular levels in the muscles during physical exercise than a simple ‘more blood in = more energy for working muscles’ equation.” – Natalie Berry
Sport Climbing Athletes in Limbo ahead of Final Tokyo 2020 Selections(Natalie Berry, UK Climbing)
“With eight Tokyo 2020 quota places still up for grabs and the status of four continental selection events being at the mercy of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sport Climbing athletes are balancing their physical training with immense psychological stress, all while keeping one eye on the news.” – Natalie Berry
Overcrowding Creates Tipping Point on Climbing Restrictions(Access Fund)
“We can’t blame new climbers for wanting to share in the experiences we love…We all need to be kind to each other at the crags. We feel the profound, transformative impact that climbing can have on our lives, and that experience doesn’t belong to us alone.” – Chris Winter
Fun: Sometimes you need a little help from your friends (BLOCS climbing gym)
How to Throw the Best Member Appreciation Events (Emma Walker, CWA)
“Trying out new ideas and having events flop is an important step in finding the great ones to repeat.” – Nick Muffet
The COVID-19 Pandemic and its Impact on Mountain Sports – A Study (Simon Richardson, UK Climbing)
“Our research has found that the risk of contracting or transmitting SARS-CoV-2 appears to be very low while participating in outdoor mountain sports. Given our ever-increasing knowledge and understanding of the virus and its modes of transmission, we can identify high and low risk situations, and apply simple procedures to minimise the risk even when virus prevalence in the community as a whole may be high.” – Roger Everett
Pre-Order Route Setter Magazine #3 (Vertical Life)
Homewall of the Week 29: Recycled Upstairs Bouldering Room (CBJ)
“I have definitely made an effort to reclaim or reuse as many materials as possible. I’m still making volumes out of the scraps from the original panels.” – Kevin S.
Video: Home Climbing For Less Than €200? (EpicTV)
“With climbing walls across Europe closing down again it’s time to find another training solution. We look at the products you can buy to get the perfect home set up.” – EpicTV
Video: How To Improve Your Upper Body Stability (The Climbing Doctor, EpicTV)
Video: The Flow Formula – How to Climb Faster (Movement for Climbers)
“There’s a consistent formula across all sports that any good instructor will teach a newcomer. It goes by the acronym TAPS. It stands for technique, accuracy, power, speed. This is the order of things to work on if one wants to maximize their potential.” – Movement for Climbers
Video: Improve Your Climbing Technique – No Hands Climbing!(Lattice Training)
“No hands climbing! Yup, this often feels like a bit of a party trick, but underneath all the silliness, it’s actually one of the best “secret” exercises or tools to great climbing technique. The reason why, is that by eliminating the use of hands on the wall, you have to really learn how to use your hips, centre of gravity, momentum and feet in a very efficient and effective manner.” – Lattice Training
Kevin S. made the most of his upstairs space by utilizing the rafters and roof joists to support his multi-angle homewall. By using recycled materials, Kevin was able to keep his budget down while creating his ideal home training dojo in Lowell, MA. Check out past HWOW here.
When did you build your wall? Was it a COVID baby?
This wall started in Feburary 2019 when I reclaimed about 20 4×8 used wall panels from Boston Rock Gym, which was closing and in the process of demolition. I started building in July 2019.
How long did it take you to build and what did that time look like?
About 5 months. I built mostly nights and weekends from about mid-July (2019) to late November. I transformed it from a bare unfinished room to an insulated room, covered in panels and lights with a stereo and set routes. I’m still working on minor projects like the crack machine and some volumes.
Not including holds and padding, how much did it cost you to build? Any surprises there? Most/Least expensive part?
$850? Since a lot of the panels were free and came with T-Nuts, most of the cost came from buying insulation, screws, lights, wiring, and a few new tools. I have definitely made an effort to reclaim or reuse as many materials as possible. I’m still making volumes out of the scraps from the original panels.
What was your primary incentive for the wall? Did anything in particular inspire your wall design?
We built the wall based off the framing of the house. When my wife and I bought our house, the upstairs room was completely unfinished and we both had grand ideas for the space. All of the panels are fixed directly to the wall studs, rafters and roof joists. There were a few obvious cracks we made out of some close together rafters and gaps. Those were a bonus when the panels started going up!
What was the most difficult aspect of the design and build?
Probably budgeting out all of the reclaimed panels to cover all the space. Some of the panels were damaged and some of the spaces were funky. In the end though, it all fit together perfectly (with only a few small gaps left).
What would you do differently?
If I were to do this differently, I would build in a 25 or 30-degree wall. As it stands, there is a long 45-degree wall with a 42″ kicker, a shorter similar 45 section, and a long 45 with a 18″ kicker, two vertical sections and a roof. It would be nice to have a less steep overhung option.
What is your favorite aspect?
Having a home wall is fantastic! Most sessions happen between 9pm and midnight when the kids are in bed and commercial gyms are closed. It’s awesome for the kids to climb on too. We put swings on bolts from the ceiling and sometimes even do a movie night with a projector and the speakers built in the ceiling.
Any words of wisdom to aspiring homewallers?
Build it!… But beware it starts to take over your life! I’m always looking for new and used holds, so budget about half or more of your wall $$$ for these ongoing. Reclaim and reuse as much as you can from your local gyms and other sources.
Do you have any connection to climbing brands or gyms?
Yes, before COVID I would regularly go to 3 local gyms; Central Rock Gym Stoneham, Metrorock Littleton, and Vertical Dreams in Nashua, NH. It’s definitely important to still support your local gym when possible. That’s where the community is. The biggest thing my home gym doesn’t have right now is community.
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):
Image courtesy of the Climbing Wall Association
The Climbing Wall Association (CWA) is currently looking for a Marketing Coordinator to “[assist] the Marketing & Communications Manager in the coordination of marketing programs and initiatives.” The job is based at CWA headquarters in Boulder, Colorado.
Responsibilities include coordinating a variety of marketing efforts, from the CWA blog to member and event campaigns. This person will also manage CWA social media platforms, according to the job listing on the CWA website. “Copywriting, one-off communications, website maintenance, market research, brand strategy, campaign strategy” were also mentioned in the job description.
The desired qualifications listed in the description include 1-3 years of experience in a related role, as well as excellent writing, marketing and communication skills. Applicants from a variety of backgrounds were encouraged to apply:
“We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, national origin, religion or creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, genetics, disability, age, veteran status or any other legally protected characteristic or class.”
The complete job description can be found on the CWA website here, along with instructions to apply. Businesses in the indoor climbing industry with a job to share may post a listing on the CBJ job board at any time. And those looking for a job who would like to share their resume can submit a listing in the CBJ marketplace.
Image courtesy of Edgeworks Climbing + Fitness / Stone Gardens
It was recently announced that Stone Gardens, a mainstay in the climbing gym scene in Washington’s Puget Sound area, has joined Edgeworks Climbing + Fitness. Altogether, the gyms offer more than 56,000 square feet of climbing surface at three locations and form what is reportedly “the largest single footprint of climbing gyms in the Puget Sound,” according to the announcement on the Stone Gardens and Edgeworks websites. Starting in November, a membership will grant climbers access to all three gyms.
Founded in 1995 by Keith Magnuson, Stone Gardens is among the earliest climbing gyms to open in the Pacific Northwest. After opening its first facility in Ballard (North Seattle)―which features over 17,500 square feet of climbing surface, a 45-foot lead roof and 40-foot outdoor wall―Stone Gardens added a second location in nearby Bellevue in 2011 with over 21,000 square feet of climbing terrain. After 25 years, Magnuson decided the time was right to sell the gyms and started looking for potential buyers.
“We started Stone Gardens in 1995 with help from the local climbing community and it grew from there,” said Magnuson. ”In 2011 we opened our second gym with the first Walltopia walls on the West Coast and one of the first to locate in a mall. We were in the process of starting our third gym when the virus hit, so we bailed on that after spending a substantial sum of money and I decided it was time for me to retire. Stone Gardens is now in the capable hands of Tod Bloxham and the Edgeworks Climbing + Fitness crew. I look forward to seeing this combination grow. As for me: It’s been a great ride and now all I have to do is avoid the old folks home.”
Edgeworks is located in Tacoma and was reportedly the first indoor climbing gym to open in the city when it was founded by Bloxham in 2004. Himself an AMGA/IFMGA Licensed Mountain Guide, Bloxham’s first location offers a wide array of outdoor climbing, guiding services, instruction, youth programs and fitness classes in addition to 17,000 square feet of indoor climbing. Also the former CEO of Rock Gym Pro before the key departures last Spring, as owner Bloxham will oversee all three gyms.
“At the start of the COVID pandemic, we had an intent of coming out of the pandemic stronger than we entered,” Bloxham told CBJ. “We have always looked to reinvest our efforts, growing and creating opportunities for our community and staff―this included commitments to our staff during our COVID closure, facility improvements and expansion, to program growth and development. The opportunity to acquire Stone Gardens definitely fits this category of growth that will put Edgeworks and Stone Gardens, our employees, and our community in a stronger position than we were before.”
A fixture for comps and climbers of all levels and ages, Kumiki’s EverActive wall is “probably the best thing in the gym” at Nature of the North, says climbing director Chris Deal.[Branded Content]
In mid-2019, the outdoor company Nature of the North was planning to open their first brick and mortar location with an indoor climbing wall. It would be the first commercial bouldering gym in the Fargo, ND-Moorhead, MN area. They didn’t have much space for a huge wall, but they wanted to create a place where climbers of all levels would have the chance to try out indoor climbing. They also wanted a wall that climbers could train on and customize the difficulty level to prepare for outdoor climbing. With typical bouldering walls, gym owners can design the wall with different angles and change the setting, but they can only put up so many routes until the wall is over-saturated and they can’t adjust the angle. Enter Kumiki Climbing’s EverActive® adjustable climbing wall.
Meet the EverActive Adjustable Climbing Wall
The EverActive climbing wall was the perfect complement to Nature of the North’s primary 800-square-foot Kumiki bouldering wall because it doesn’t take up too much extra space, but adds many more route possibilities. On the EverActive wall, Nature of the North installed the Kilter training board with LED light-up holds which now provides thousands of route combinations. Nature of the North could have also chosen a Moon Board or Tension Board, as they are also compatible with the EverActive climbing wall.
Kumiki’s EverActive wall is available in three different widths―8’, 12’, and 16’―and allows climbers to adjust the angle of the wall from 0 to 65 degrees so they can make the route as challenging or as beginner-friendly as they want. Nature of the North chose the 8-foot wall. “Having the EverActive Wall with the adjustable angle makes it feel like we have thousands of routes,” said Nature of the North climbing director Chris Deal.
Bouldering at Nature of the North, with the Kilter training board on Kumiki’s EverActive wall in the background.
The wall went up in early 2020. Deal said the installation process for the wall took all of a few hours and it was ready for holds. Now, according to Nature of the North, the gym has the only public Kilter board in all of Minnesota and North Dakota.
A Climbing Wall for All Levels and Ages
Since the EverActive wall went up at Nature of the North, it’s been dazzling everyone from experienced climbers to beginners and kids. The wall shifts to different angles smoothly and safely which makes using the training board a fun and accessible experience.
So far, Deal noted the main groups that use the wall are experienced climbers looking for a tough training session and kids or brand-new climbers who want to try something new. “[Kids] like to make their own routes on it. They like to set it [and] challenge each other at different angles,” said Deal. It’s also been a great way to help parents keep their kids interested in climbing because it offers an endless supply of new routes to try.
Climbing Competitions with the EverActive Wall
Along with training and everyday use, Nature of the North has been able to use the EverActive adjustable wall to help strengthen their community by hosting socially distanced climbing competitions on the board. On September 16, the gym had their first climbing competition in which they were able to use the EverActive wall.
Professional climber and St. Paul native Kyra Condie―one of the four American athletes qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games―training on Kumiki’s EverActive wall.
Every participant chose their own routes to try at 0, 10, and 20 degrees and they recorded the top three completed routes at each angle. At that competition, the community welcomed and cheered on all the climbers at every level including two women climbing for the first time. Given COVID-19 restrictions, the gym didn’t allow any in-person spectators, but it live-streamed the event on Facebook so supporters could comment encouragements for competitors.
Bringing Climbing to Everyone
As the only commercial bouldering gym in the Fargo-Moorhead area, Nature of the North is able to introduce the joy of climbing to people who might have never tried it otherwise. Once in the door, the EverActive adjustable wall then ensures everyone can find routes that are fun and challenging regardless of skill level.
After seeing the EverActive wall in action and climbing on it over the past six months, Deal concluded it’s “probably the best thing in the gym.”
To add the next best thing to your climbing gym, check out Kumiki Climbing’s EverActive Walls.
This story was paid for and produced by the sponsor and does not necessarily represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.
