This week’s Homewall of the Week lives in Neenah, WI. With holds for practically every t-nut and a MoonBoard thrown in the mix, Joe M.’s home-gym hosts an endless amount of boulder problems. Check out past HWOW here.
When did you build your wall? Was it a COVID baby?
2017. We built the wall before COVID. We did have to cut back on the access to the wall and we require anyone climbing to wear a mask currently.
How long did it take you to build and what did that time look like?
On and off for 6 months. We framed 3/4 of the wall in a day with the help of a builder. The last 1/4 and sheeting of the wall was completed in bits and pieces over the next 2 months after that.
Not including holds and padding, how much did it cost you to build? Any surprises there?
I’d venture a guess of ~$2500 for materials (excluding holds). There have been roughly 25 sheets of 3/4” plywood, ~35-40 2×6 or 2×8 at 14’ or 16’, and 1600 t nuts. Holds are by far the largest cost for this wall. We’ve been thrifty by going second hand and foraging the online forums for holds. The goal is to create an epic spray wall in conjunction with a Moonboard.
What was your primary incentive for the wall? Did anything in particular inspire your wall design?
Consideration from friends. We knew we wanted a training space – not a rec wall. We knew there would be time to fill in the gaps and continue to add holds as funds and opportunity arose. We also wanted to maximize the 9.5ft of vertical.
What was the most difficult aspect of the design and build?
Working around piping on the ceiling while maximizing wall space.
What would you do differently?
I love board climbing but we started the wall before the boom. The Moonboard is a fixture – but the tension and kilter boards look awesome…maybe someday.=
Did you make any mistakes along the way or choose to re-do any aspects?
The slab and 10-degree section are the weak link of the wall. We will eventually redo that area to create space for the Moonboard moves on the right side.
What is your favorite aspect?
The community we have developed and the gains we can track. Using the spray wall and the Moonboard to see progress is gratifying and infuriating.
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 climbed on 3-4 times a week. I use it as much or more than I expected. I have 2 little kids and no gyms within 1.5hrs – I created my own gym to get by.
Any words of wisdom to aspiring homewallers?
Go for it. If you are on the fence – focus on what you want to use it for and develop a plan to have the wall help you achieve your goals. Also, varying angles and features make a huge difference. Building volumes isn’t hard and adds tons of variety to a wall.
Do you have any particular climbing goals that your gym will help you with?
When we built the wall, I’d been in a 3-4 year hiatus from climbing. When built, I was unable to climb any Moonboard problems for about 3 months. Now that I’ve been Climbing regularly for a few years, I’d love to tick a double-digit boulder outside – still a long way to go but it’s possible.
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):
The ongoing pandemic crisis has impacted sporting events around the world, climbing events included. But organizers are getting creative to continue competitions in a safer way. In August, USAC announced a new virtual format, and the IFSC held its first ever remote event which involved the Speed climbing discipline (pictured here). Photo by René Oberkirch / IFSC (IFSC Combined Qualifier Toulouse 2019)
The summer of 2020 was set to be an historical moment for the sport of climbing and a celebration for many of its insiders. Decades of hard work and growth at all levels of the industry―from gyms to grips―would culminate in one international event: the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. At the highest level of competition climbing, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC)―which formed in large part with the goal of permanent Olympic inclusion―would reach a milestone on its Olympic journey.
But that journey took a detour with the outbreak of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Olympic Games in Tokyo were postponed to 2021, and so too the Olympic dreams of the qualified athletes training for gold. This summer there will not be the historical moment that was hoped for, but there have been moments of ingenuity amid the hardships of the pandemic crisis. Solving “problems” is literally what we do in climbing, and event organizers have been getting creative to solve the latest ones.
This month, for example, the IFSC held its first ever remote competition. Titled the IFSC Connected Speed Knockout, the event brought together more than 50 athletes from seven countries for a virtual competition in the Speed climbing discipline. An unusual format, the international event involved almost no international traveling. Instead, competitors raced up the standard Speed route on a 15-meter Speed wall in their region. Times were still compared as in a normal Speed competition, except the athletes weren’t climbing side by side but instead at five locations, some thousands of miles apart.
Headquartered in Torino, Italy, for many people across the pond the IFSC and IFSC events can seem like distant global affairs―especially when North American athletes are not competing in them. The international competition season restarted this month with the IFSC Connected Speed Knockout and first stage of the IFSC World Cup Series in Briançon, and the ongoing pandemic in the United States prevented its familiar faces from competing. But just as people behind the desk and behind the wrench have powered our industry at the local level, so too have developments at the international level been made possible through the hard work of real people with raw ideas.
Like many gyms in North America, the IFSC office was temporarily closed during the two-month lockdown in Italy. Staff members continued to work from home, including Alessandro Di Cato, the IFSC Event Officer who works in the IFSC Sport Department. In fact, the IFSC Connected Speed Knockout was initially a brainchild of Di Cato. To learn more about organizing such a unique event, Climbing Business Journal reached out to Di Cato for an interview. Our conversation led to a welcome discussion on the essence of sport, connection in a COVID-19 world, and the future of international climbing events.
Alessandro Di Cato (right) beside Juan Martin Miranda (left), Sport Manager of Sport Climbing at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018. The event marked sport climbing’s first appearance at an Olympic-level event, and Di Cato assisted with the sport preparations.
CBJ: It was fascinating to see the IFSC Connected Speed Knockout take place on the first weekend of August. Prior to the event, IFSC President Marco Scolaris congratulated the Sport Department for coming up with the idea. Could you please tell me more about how the idea originated?
Di Cato: Everything started with the Coronavirus and the fact that there was a kind of depression in the world of sport. With no events taking place, I started to think more about the key aspects of our job. And one of the key aspects of my work as Event Officer at the IFSC is helping organize our international events. The mission of the IFSC is to promote the sport of climbing worldwide, and one of the major ways we do this is through international events. At the core, what do you need for an international event? Of course you need a location, but then you also need international travel.
In particular, we wanted to create something for our athletes. From May to October, elite sport climbing athletes from all over the world have gotten into a routine of competing at IFSC events, which increases their visibility. But without events, that exposure and so much more is lost. And then there’s the IFSC itself. We wanted to do something new during this period, something that was innovative in order to continue promoting the sport.
I was thinking about the limits on international travel, the importance of international events, and even the nature of the sport climbing disciplines. Boulder and Lead are the two disciplines which receive the most attention, but competitions in these disciplines use different holds and walls, so it was hard to start planning a remote event with them. But for Speed, the sport equipment is the same everywhere. There is an homologation process with certified timing systems, auto-belays, holds and walls. So the Speed discipline provides the perfect characteristics to organize an event in different locations because you can have the same infrastructure in different places around the world.
And that’s when I thought, “Why not organizing something in different locations?” International athletes would be able to compete again in a season that has had many events postponed or cancelled, and they wouldn’t have to travel internationally to do so.
CBJ: What was one of the core aspects of international sport that was preserved with a remote format?
Di Cato: One of the main aspects of international sport is the opportunity to measure your strengths against people of other countries. I think this is one of the core values of sport in general―certainly not the only one, but an important one. In many ways, you don’t have sport if you don’t have competition. And international athletes want to measure themselves against the best athletes from other countries and strive to be the best in their respective disciplines. Holding an international event across different locations at least preserves that value: the ability to compare.
Hosting international events is a team effort, involving constant coordination both prior to and during the event with National Federations, event organizers, routesetters, officials, athletes and more. Here, Di Cato discusses with IFSC Technical Delegate Christophe Billon at The World Games Wroclaw 2017. Photo by Szymon Aksienionek
CBJ: Marco Scolaris also mentioned that “National Federations embraced the project with enthusiasm.” It must have been so different for the participating NFs and athletes to organize and host, train for and compete in such a unique event. What strategies were helpful in communicating the idea and building enthusiasm for the event among NFs and athletes in different regions, everyone navigating COVID-19?
Di Cato: First, I have to say that I really felt unity during this period. Together with the National Federations, we have really been united and always thinking about what’s best for the sport.
In general, the really good thing about this project was that everybody was happy to try it. Obviously athletes want to compete, and National Federations want to give the opportunity to their athletes to compete. People were pleased to have a sporting event, especially in a lockdown period―I really enjoy football as well, and at the time this idea was proposed football in Italy had not yet restarted―people really wanted to watch some sport, to take their mind off things. In so many ways it was valuable to produce something during this period, even if it was something quite different.
I’m always in contact with National Federations for my work, and event organizers especially. So I started to call the people I work with, basically, to contact people and ask them, “What do you think about this idea? Do you think your athletes would be interested?” Because in the end the IFSC is an international body, and a body that lives through its parts. When I asked for feedback, the overwhelming response was positive. Of course some of the National Federations were not able to do it due to restrictions around the pandemic or their training centers being closed.
Also, I need to say, on more pragmatic terms, it’s not very expensive to host an event of this nature. It’s quite easy to organize because all the National Federations I contacted have a permanent Speed wall in their country. Then it’s just a matter of coordination, arranging the video shooting and gathering all the athletes, etc.
CBJ: With a remote format, I can imagine there were many hurdles that were overcome to prepare the event itself. On the sport side, what special considerations needed to be given to maintaining a safe environment for the people onsite, as well as a fair competition across different fields of play, venues and officiating?
Di Cato: I think we need to start with acknowledging it is different from a live competition where everybody competes in the same field of play. Because even if we have certified sport equipment on different fields of play, conditions like the venues, humidity, temperature, time of day, etc., will still be different. We knew that when we started the project.
But at the same time we tried to enforce rules and measures in order to be consistent and have as fair of a competition as possible. Firstly, we asked each National Federation to appoint an international judge from our pool of judges. A second thing, we asked all the National Federations that wanted to participate to comply with the specifications of the IFSC for the official sport equipment, including the timing systems, speed holds, auto-belays, etc. Finally, we asked for only one continuous video, with no breaks or interruptions. This was requested just to ensure there were no second attempts made.
The summer of 2020 has looked quite different for Tokyo qualified athletes, and athletes from North America have not competed on the IFSC circuit since February due to COVID-19. Photo by Daniel Gajda / IFSC (Tokyo qualified athlete Alannah Yip of Canada climbing at the IFSC PanAmerican Championships in Los Angeles earlier this year)
CBJ: On the communication side, what a challenge it must have been to promote an event taking place across different locations, as well as generate value for sponsors and interest from media. What special arrangements needed to be made to provide as-live streaming, and make the experience worthwhile for sponsors and media?
Di Cato: It required a lot of organization in advance, and in a short time frame. Because we launched this project around the middle of June. We were then in close contact with the event organizers so that everything would take place in a window of one week. All the climbing took place across one week, and then we gave ourselves another week to edit everything. The athletes wanted to know the results, since there is excitement around that.
So I have to say that the production team at Obsess Medias did a very good job. The event organizers send a two-hour video, and then you need to cut each single race and put it alongside another race that’s at a different minute in another video. So the production team was very involved, calling the local production crews and telling them exactly how they wanted it to feel.
In terms of media, we left this in the hands of the National Federations. Because, for example, the climbing in Innsbruck took place during the week of the Austria Summer Series. And during the Austria Summer Series there were already media onsite in Innsbruck.
CBJ: Aleksandra Kalucka of Poland, one of the winners of the competition, mentioned afterwards how strange it felt to compete in this format, since her “emotions were between competition and training mode.” Do you think this was one of the most challenging aspects for the athletes?
Di Cato: Yes, exactly. Because at the same time you practice with your colleagues in these settings and you are always comparing yourself with your team, but now you are also comparing your times at your national training center or climbing gym with athletes of other countries. So it is challenging for them in this way.
In addition, because the climbing took place at different times, for this event we also asked the athletes to make 1/8 final, ¼ final, ½ final and final runs―as if they were to make it―but they didn’t know if these runs would count. So they were always trying to do their best, but we weren’t able to show all the runs.
CBJ: Were there any other highlights around the event you can share that my questions didn’t cover?
Di Cato: I will say that for sure I was very happy when I saw the event was broadcast on Indonesian TV. They broadcast the full programme, and one of the winners of the competition, Rahmad Adi, climbs for Indonesia, so this was a nice story for their country.
Second story, obviously I asked feedback after the event from coaches and the people attending, and mostly they told me that the athletes were very happy and that it was a nice way to restart the season. For me this was the best part, because if the athletes are happy, everybody should be happy.
Di Cato says remote Boulder and Lead events have been considered, but the holds and walls present a unique challenge for maintaining a level field of play for elite athletes. Image by René Oberkirch / IFSC (Tokyo qualified athlete Nathaniel Coleman of the United States climbing at IFSC Combined Qualifier Toulouse 2019)
CBJ: In a few words, what should event organizers keep in mind when considering remote Speed events?
Di Cato: There is so much coordination that needs to be done prior to holding an event like this. All the National Federations need to arrange the perfect day, call the athletes, send you the start list and tell you who is going to compete. You find a date, you validate the sport equipment, you nominate a judge, you brief the judge, etc. So it requires a lot of coordination in advance.
CBJ: Looking into the future, are there other remote IFSC Connected Speed events in the works, and what would need to happen for an IFSC Connected Boulder or Lead event to be possible?
Di Cato: The Speed Knockout was a first test, which proved successful. At the moment we still need to have further discussions about whether we will be having other events like that for Speed. Then obviously we had the idea for Boulder and Lead, but it was definitely a further step. Because a little twist of one hold, just the slightest change, this is exactly the difference that can make one elite athlete winning over another at this level. But we are always keeping an eye on alternative models and events.
CBJ: Thank you Alessandro!
Construction and funding for Crux’s second location in Austin stayed on track through the pandemic crisis, and the Central Austin gym opened last weekend with free climbing around Global Climbing Day. All photos courtesy of Crux Climbing Center
Crux CentralAustin, Texas
Specs: Crux Climbing Center has opened the doors to its second climbing gym in Austin, Texas. Located more centrally in Austin than its Crux South location, the 20,000-square-foot bouldering facility includes a mezzanine and features a yoga room, fitness area, kids’ area, lounge area and locker rooms with saunas. The gym area also boasts a coffee shop (Spokesman Coffee), and the building is shared with a brewery (Brewtorium). Construction and funding for the bouldering gym stayed on track during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The opening of the new gym coincided with The North Face’s Global Climbing Day. Crux offered free climbing at Crux Central from Friday to Sunday, as well as free climbing on Saturday—the day of the event—at its Crux South gym.
A third Crux location is also in the works, a 55,000-square-foot facility with 65-foot climbing walls. This gym will be located just north of Austin in Round Rock, Texas, and is scheduled to open late 2021 or early 2022. In just over two years since Crux first announced the Central expansion last year, the Crux brand will have expanded from one to three gyms.
Crux Central, announced end of May 2019, navigated the COVID-19 challenges and opened in under 15 months.Walls and Flooring: Vertical Solutions
Website: cruxclimbingcenter.comInstagram: @cruxcc
In Their Words: “Our Crux community has been reaching out for years about building a location further north, and we are so excited to find a spot perfect for them. It’s central, has a coffee shop, a brewery next door, and the space is unlike any gym you’ve seen. We’re eager to keep expanding Crux’s community all over the broader Austin area.”
—Grace Nicholas, co-owner, COO and CMO of Crux
Image: USA Climbing logo[The following is a message from USA Climbing introducing the diversity, equity and inclusion survey which launched on August 26, 2020, created by its DEI Task Force.]
Dear member of the climbing community,
On behalf of the USA Climbing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force, we would like your help and ask that you take a few minutes to complete the following survey on the state of diversity, equity and inclusion within the climbing community.
This survey has been created by volunteer members serving on the Task Force in order to obtain baseline data and the information collected will be used for the purposes of research and planning. All responses are anonymous. The results will be used to identify additional areas of need and propose further action steps to the USA Climbing Board of Directors.
It is our hope to hear from everyone who participates in USA Climbing. If there are multiple people in your household, please have each person who would like their interests and experiences collected fill out a separate survey by using the same link that brought you to this greeting.
Thank you in advance for your participation. Your contribution will help us shape a more diverse, equitable and inclusive sport.
Thank you.
This year’s edition of The North Face’s Global Climbing Day took place on Saturday, August 22. Due to the challenges of this period, The North Face hosted a digital version of the annual celebration. For the main event, The North Face brought together leaders from around the industry for a series of conversations on inclusion, equity and access that were live streamed on YouTube, and The North Face committed to donating over $80,000 to the participating groups.
The video―moderated by The North Face athlete Sam Elias―began with a discussion on climbing and community impact with Jon Hawk and Malik Martin of Memphis Rox and Tyler Algeo and Ed Nhlane of Climb Malawi. Later, Summer Winston of The Brown Ascenders and Erynne Gilpin of Indigenous Womxn Climb dived into a conversation related to community organizing. The video concluded with thoughts on making gyms more accessible and inclusive from Maureen Beck of Paradox Sports and Abby Dione of Coral Cliffs. In between these conversations, spotlight videos highlighted the impact of Memphis Rox on its community, the work of Paraclimbing London and the new experimental program ALL RISE.
Below, we highlight 6 topics from these conversations that stood out to us here at Climbing Business Journal. The full video can be watched on YouTube here.
1.Keeping it Real, Keeping it Local
Jon Hawk pointed out in the first conversation the impact of establishing this mission early on in the life of a climbing gym project―even before a gym is built. As this article on summer youth programs points out, transportation can be a barrier to access when someone can’t afford a car or public transportation is scarce. Instead, Memphis Rox situated its pay-as-you-can gym in the heart of its Soulsville community.
“A lot of the underserved communities don’t have the resources to even have a car, so how are they going to make it to the other side of the town?” said Jon Hawk, Director of Operations at Memphis Rox. “We were very intentional on building it in their neighborhood so they can walk here, they can get here, they can eat here, they can do everything that they want right here, and not have to have any other barriers or stress.”
That local focus and desire to be a neighborhood resource permeates multiple levels of operations at Memphis Rox, which has distributed supplies during COVID-19. Malik Martin, born and raised in South Memphis and working at the gym since 2018, emphasized the impact of conducting interpersonal outreach and recruiting and hiring local staff from within its community.
“If you walk into Memphis Rox, the vast majority of our staff comes from South Memphis and walks to work. That means we literally, intentionally set out to hire from the community,” said Martin. “A lot of times, doors are closed when you’re from my neighborhood. You don’t have a lot of opportunity…I started at the front desk at Memphis Rox and worked my way up [sic] and now I’m Director of Social Media. And none of that would have happened if it wasn’t for people like Jon who gave me a chance to even work there.”
Climb Malawi, a climbing facility in Lilongwe, Malawi―which like Memphis Rox aims to not turn anyone away based on ability to pay―takes a similar approach to expanding its reach. The organization arranges carpooling and minibus reimbursement through its Kuyenda Volunteer Program, and with the donation of The North Face plans to operate a shuttle bus to further reduce the barrier of transportation.
Tyler Algeo, a Canadian climber who founded Climb Malawi and lives in Malawi, mentioned other intentional ways the organization seeks to expand its reach: handing out flyers in the local community; bringing a portable wall to festivals; sharing climbing shoes with local youth when at the crags; and building a strong cohort of ambassadors from the local community to bridge other gaps like language.
Ed Nhlane, a Program Director at Climb Malawai, is one of those ambassadors that joined the live stream with pre-recorded video. Nhlane described some of the ways those intentional, interpersonal efforts have impacted the surrounding community, both people local to Malawi as well as foreigners.
“These interactions have transformed our community by breaking barriers and shaping our ideals: more learning and understanding for the local climber who is less traveled; more exposure and recreation for our host communities; and more culture and indigenous knowledge for the expert who is working in Malawi or is just visiting,” said Nhlane.
“It’s when you mix all these different people together that these ideas for new businesses, for new ways of viewing life and new ways of approaching challenges can really transform communities,” added Algeo.
3.Seeking Long-Term Solutions for Long-Term Struggles
Earlier this year, a wave of gyms, brands and athletes in the climbing industry took to social media to speak out against systemic racism and started tough conversations. In parallel, many businesses began or amplified efforts within their spheres of influence and reached out to organizations doing related work in the industry for help.
Summer Winston, co-founder of The Brown Ascenders―which works to “increase access, inclusion, and equity within the outdoor industry for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities,” according to its Instagram bio―described in the video how this response has been a double-edged sword.
“On some level it’s like, great, finally you’re saying something and bringing your voice to this conversation within your own communities. But on the other levels it’s incredibly frustrating…I get so angry because there’s been so much that has happened, just horrible things that have happened just in our generation of being alive and it’s been silence, silence, silence,” said Winston.
Erynne Gilpin, founder of Indigenous Womxn Climb―the Instagram bio of which reads, “To inspire. To Transform. To decolonize.”―also pointed out that these efforts can often wax and wane with the times.
“I see corporate, institutional social media responses as being quite sporadic. It kind of goes along with the trends,” said Gilpin. “I definitely had an increase of emails in my inbox throughout these past few months, and I kind of just sat back and watched them correlate with the hashtags.”
Instead, Gilpin emphasized a long-term approach to solving long-term struggles which span generations.
“We’ve experienced structural and systemic violence and oppression in ways that other communities have not had to hurdle over, again and again, intergenerationally,” said Gilpin. “It’s going to be about doing that real work to unpack what this means in terms of our institutions’ long-term commitment to unpacking our own internalized racism. And then we can allow that work to expand beyond, in a more meaningful, slower and intentional, and I think long-term (hopefully) and regenerative way.”
“By understanding the historical context as far back as you can, you almost gain a perspective and a vision into the future for how long it’s going to take to potentially heal that. That this isn’t just a moment in time or a single lifetime of work in any direction,” summarized Sam Elias, the moderator.
In addition, according to Winston some asks from businesses do not always have the best intentions behind them. Winston gave the example of requests which tokenize for the sake of showing diversity.
“We have no interest in being a brand token…We don’t just want to be one profiled story and some photos on their social media page,” said Winston. “We want to work with companies and brands, create relationships with the different entities that are willing to do the work in a real, sustainable way.”
That motif of relationship building was a common thread throughout the conversation. Whether at the crags or at the gyms, Winston and Gilpin identified a need for restoring relationships and systems.
“Without real relationship building, this work can’t really happen. And I think that’s why this work is so community-driven and community-based,” said Gilpin. “Because I would say diversity to what, and inclusion to where? I’m more interested in thinking about supporting spaces that are made by us and for us and that reflect and have our knowledge systems built into it and our value systems built into it.”
During the conversation, both Gilpin and Winston highlighted some of the benefits of this long-term work in the climbing industry.
“I think for a lot of people out there, they’re like, “Oh, it’s just climbing…” But that’s not how I see it, and it’s not how a lot of our community members see it. Climbing isn’t just climbing, said Winston. “It’s making an inlet for our community to have access to this sport that’s physically beneficial, mentally beneficial, emotionally beneficial. And then it also gives us a way to get back in touch with the land.”
In the final conversation on making gyms more accessible and inclusive, Paradox Sports Ambassador Maureen Beck discussed the need for welcoming gym environments in addition to physical accessibility. This is one of the things that Paradox Sports instructors work on with gyms.
“You can take a walk around your gym and know you could use a ramp there, or that it’s hard to fit a wheelchair through that space, or maybe somebody who’s blind would have a hard time navigating the bathroom on their own. It’s the welcoming part that really takes more intent and kind of more dedication and purpose. You can’t just check a box on a checklist and have a welcoming facility.”
However, there’s a balance to keep in mind when creating a welcoming space. Early in the conversation, Beck described how being over-the-top welcoming could have an opposite effect.
“I think what people don’t realize is that when they’re over-the-top welcoming, it’s almost pointing out the fact that you don’t belong there,” said Beck. “I always try to coach people, when working with people with disabilities, that if you’re cheering them on, make sure you’re not doing it in a way that’s any different than you would cheer on your buddy…We’re kind of trying to normalize the abnormal.”
When trying to strike the right balance, Beck showed how coming back to relationships and taking a human approach first can help.
“It wasn’t until I started hanging out with Paradox who’s irreverent, they make stump jokes, they laugh at each other when they fall off their wheelchairs, and they drink a lot of beer at the end of the day when it’s all done…It’s like we’re all humans first, and whatever other stuff we bring with us is there, that doesn’t just disappear, but taking that human approach first.”
Abby Dione, owner of Coral Cliffs in Florida, echoed many of these thoughts in the conversation with Beck and Elias, and attributed putting people first to literally enabling the gym to survive through this period. A recent Go Fund Me campaign raised $120,000 for the gym, with an average donation of $20.
“I think like with all things it’s in the doing, and it’s by leading by example…There are conversations that are had. However, modeling the behavior I would like my staff to engage in when someone walks through the door I have found to be the most effective,” said Dione. “Putting people first is the way to go. It might be the slow way, it might not have immediate returns, but that’s the way to go.”
Dione pointed out as well how diversifying the sport is not only needed in terms of numbers of climbers but at all levels of the industry―reiterating the need for long-term solutions and a human approach.
“I think that one of the ways that I see success taking shape is that I’m not the only black, queer woman in the United States to own a climbing gym. I would love to see more of me everywhere and at a variety of levels…There needs to be a certain level of consistency and humanity in this process. Numbers are important, they serve a purpose. But without the injection of that humanity, it doesn’t work long-term.
Finally, Dione noted how these principles can be applied to ourselves when undertaking this work.
“Do your best to try to do better, essentially. And in that process, my hope is that you learn. And when you will fall, because you will…that you get up and try again. Because that to me is what being a human is. And so if you are in a position of power in an organization, my hope is that you commit to that kind of process. I think it will be transformative for the climbing community on multiple levels.”
And no one is alone in this work. Despite the distancing and masks of this period, climbing gyms, brands, climbers and insiders from all over the world participated in Global Climbing Day again this year.
“Even though we weren’t able to connect physically, the goal still remains the same. Which is to celebrate the community we love, and the ways in which climbing can be a tool to create a more inclusive and equitable world,” concluded Elias.
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?
Natalie – athlete for Mad Rock Climbing
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 WeetleyIntro and Interview by Jackie HueftleName: Camielle Weetly
Home Gym: Touchstone Cliffs of IdLocation: Los Angeles, California
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):
This year’s edition of 
