Archive
Awesome and Creative New Volumes
Found this via reddit. Some new volumes were up in this gym (not sure which one) and they took some pictures.
Looks legit? Except for that spinner.
They move around on the walls, which is weird.
Cause there’re people in ‘em!
Best Costumes Ever?
Sweet!
See the rest of it :: Climbing Mutant Ninja Turtles – Imgur
The Spot – Early May Setting Update + Spring in Review
It’s been a long period of short updates (besides comp coverage) and so here is a little review of what we’ve been up to lately:
fig 1. Connor’s ‘stache.
1) Connor rocked a mustache for a few weeks (fig 1). You might call it a bit of a social experiment, as he learned some things. Most women liked it. Most men either thought it was awesome or thought it was creepy. Awesome = comfortable with their manhood, creepy = they were threatened by it. Connor looked pretty amazing, obviously, and when he felt like it could deadpan creep out stare like nobody’s business.
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2&3) We got a new setting closet. We moved from behind the River (fig 2) to the room that makes up the front half of the hold washing room. There are some things we will miss about the old room though (fig 3).
fig 2. The Old Closet
fig 3. awwww
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fig 4. Ian cleanin’
4) Ian Dory and I built some shelves in the new closet.
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fig 5. Progress?
5) Jay Jay started collecting tape for “the world’s biggest tape ball”. She’s convinced she’ll easily beat the current world record. We told her she can but she has to keep the tape ball somewhere else, and it can’t interfere with work.
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fig. 6
6) Danny put up the lunch rope and got carried away.
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fig 7.
7) The best block ever? Yeah, I did this.
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fig 8. New Floor under the Beach
8. We got our new flooring in under The Beach! More new floor, in the whole gym, coming mid-July!
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fig 9.
9. Jonny went all yacht club for the day in his Adidas Routesetter shirt, his fancy Verve pants, and his USAC Setter Sweatshirt.
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fig 10.
10. The septuplet tape job on the new Dojo.
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fig 11.
11) And finally, last week we reset the LEFT DOJO! Tons of new problems on the left bulge and the right side of the mid-Dojo overhanging arete. We’ve set more 2s and 3s than ever before on the left Dojo, so if you’ve never climbed on the Dojo might be a good time to try it. We’ve also got a bunch of everything else, so everyone should find something to send and project.
Enjoy!
Blog Updates
Chris Schulte and Jon Glassberg filming in Independence Pass last summer. For the video (if you haven’t seen it already) check Chris’ Guest Setter page.
We made a few quick updates to the site.
First of all, we’ve updated the bios for setters:
Connor Griffith | The Spot Route Setting Blog
and
Ian Dory | The Spot Route Setting Blog
and added a little page for guest setter:
Chris Schulte | The Spot Route Setting Blog
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We added this useful page to the sidebar of “Useful Info” links: Lincoln Lake Bouldering | An illustrative compilation of information about bouldering at Lincoln Lake
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We also added a link to iandory on Instagram.
To see the rest of our Instagram pages, scroll down and use the links on the right menu bar.
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I’m back in town again and will have some reviews up soon for Prinz, Redpoint, and G-Strings.
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Perhaps most excitingly, THE BEACH IS GETTING A NEW FLOOR NEXT WEEKEND!!!
Goodbye red pads. Hello Futurist flooring. Learn more:
Hueco Update! + 2013′s lookin’ buff!
The view from North Mountain at Hueco!
Well, I’m still in Hueco. Namesake of our Hueco boulder. The weather has been pretty good, sometimes sunny, sometimes windy, sometimes overcast, and lately quite cold!
Back in Boulder, Danny, Jonny, Jay Jay, Connor, and sometimes Ian and Jon are still keeping things fresh for everyone at The Spot while I’m gone. In fact, I heard Santa even stopped over on Christmas and set some extra routes!
For those who are interested, here are some pictures of my trip so far:
Sweet hold on South Mountain. Mammoth rubbing???
Trailer lyfe. Not a bad view.
Visiting Japanese climber Yuiko sending her first V5 with the classic Dragonfly. She went on the same day to send her first V7, Ides of March, also in a couple of tries, and to nearly flash Mangum (V9). Not a bad day!
Yuiko’s husband Yuta flashing Mangum (V9) via the lock-off-every-move method.
Chris on a last call attempt to top out the new line The Owl Charmer on East Mountain.
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I’ve spent some rest days taking showers, Internet-ting, and generally hanging out with my friends Rocco and Mary at the Hueco Hacienda.
Christmas at The Hacienda
The Hacienda is a sweet old adobe that used to be a religious retreat, meaning it has some amazing wooden front doors and lots of heavy woodwork. Inside it’s fairly well restored and Rocco and Mary are constantly working to make it even awesomer. One of the updates is new headboards for the beds that Rocco built. For the headboards our artist friend Nikias has been woodburning each mountain into an oval, then Rocco stains the outside of the board. Here are a few pictures of the process:
Nikias hard at work.
Woodburning done.
Stain part 1. A nearly finished product.
If you are thinking of coming down to Hueco, there are a few steps you’ll need to take. First of all, you should have a place to stay. You can camp at the Hueco Rock Ranch or at Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site. You can also stay inside at the Rock Ranch and at The Hacienda. For climbing you’ll need to have North Mountain Reservations or tours scheduled. Learn more at these links:
Hueco Rock Ranch – American Alpine Club (camping, house stays, tours, pads)
Wagon Wheel Coopt – Welcome (request commercial tours)
PARK ACCESS – The Hueco Hacienda (tours, rental pads, chalk, tape, brushes, links, phone numbers, and other info)
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And finally…
Found this on Facebook. The photo looks old, but it’s definitely Baby 2013, clearly he has been in training to be a strong year! Time to crush!
Happy New Years Everyone!
A Slovenian Perspective
Slovenian Klemen Becan at the Chonqing World Cup in April 2012
Because of the World Cup in Vail, many strong climbers from around the world descend on Boulder in late May and early June and can be seen in The Spot getting used to the altitude and ready for the comp. If these climbers are lucky (and if the series schedule allows it) they get to stick around Colorado for a bit after and sample some of our outdoor climbing and bouldering.
Jernej Kruder at a local comp in Slovenia, October 2013
Over the last couple of years several members of Team Slovenia have gotten to spend several days climbing outside here, in Clear Creek Canyon, The Flatirons, RMNP, and, their favorite area, Mount Evans (A, B, and Lincoln Lake). One thing that surprised me when hanging out with the Slovenians was their attitude–they were just psyched to climb, and climbed on whatever we pointed them at. Problems and routes of all sizes and heights, they didn’t even ask how hard they were meant to be, they’d just jump on and give their best shot. Obviously, since they’re on the World Cup team, their best shot is a pretty good one. In any case, recently I was checking out the blog reader and saw that both Klemen Becan and Jernej Kruder had written surprisingly similar blog updates. I wrote a little post about it on another site I write for, check it out and see if you see what I noticed: Climbfind Heroes – A Different Perspective from Slovenia. What do you think?
Quick Setting Update! + Cool Flying Trailer Pic
Cool.
I didn’t have any pics of the walls, so you’re getting this cool flying caravan instead.
Today, Tuesday, October 30th we added a bunch of problems to the River and Font boulders. We got even more new holds, so prepare for some awesomeness. We will add more to those two walls tomorrow, and I’ll update if there’s anything extra to note. Also, the setting board has an accurate graph of the problems in the gym again, as I think we’ve got the computer problem sorted out. Next week we’re on to the Dojo!
See you at The Spot!
Dark Horse Video with Connor and Danny
Recently setters Connor and Danny helped Jon make a promo video for the Dark Horse comps–a series out of the Metrorock gyms Boston. Dave Wetmore, who as you know is setting at The Spot when he’s in Boulder, is the head setter at Metrorock and he even though he’s on sabbatical, he goes home to Boston to set for these comps. The video is to motivate and inspire–especially for those who don’t have access to amenities like The Spot. How are you training?
And check out the comp series here: 2012-2013 Dates | The Dark Horse Series
Psychedelia 2012 Pro Final Results
Setter Jon Glassberg and Matt Wilder as Seigfried and Roy, Paige Claassen and Sandy Wilder as the tigers at the 2012 Psychedelia Costume Contest
Full results coming soon, but here are a few photos and the results of the open final. Finalists were the top 6 men and women from the youth and adult session combined scores, they got preview, then 4 minutes each for attempts on the final, if you got on the wall at 4 minutes you got to finish your attempt, onsight format so competitors couldn’t watch until they’d climbed.
Men’s Final
Men’s final was on the mega volumes on the Font boulder and was set mostly by Jonny and Jon, with some help from Danny. The finalists order was a little off as we misplaced a scorecard and there was some confusion about Greg Seitz. Greg ended up running first in finals (meaning he qualified last) though he really qualified 2nd or 3rd overall. Greg gave an amazing attempt, nearly flashing the boulder, but he fell off touching hold 13 and wasn’t able to get back up there.
Second out was Owen Graham. Owen is Team Texas alumni and has spent the last couple of years attending college in Fort Collins. He is a strong young lad and did well on the final, working his way up the volumes to a score of hold 10 on his 3rd go.
Third out was Matt Lubar. Lubar was a long-time Spot Team Member who for the last couple of years has been with Team ABC. He’s an awesome guy and we were really psyched to see him in finals. He gave an astounding performance, sending the problem on his 2nd go to the screams of the crowd. Nice job Lubar!!!
Fourth out was Matt Wilder. Wilder is a famous rock climber, guidebook author, and underground genius with many hard first ascents of boulder problems and scary trad climbs to his name. He’s also a regular fixture at Spot Series events and has been in pro finals many, many times. Above you’ll see a photo of him winning the costume contest. In finals he gave a good show, using his trad skills to static through a dynamic move near the top. Unfortunately his feet slipped and the next go was the same, giving him a score of hold 10, 2nd go.
Fifth out was Sergei Kiefel, also a long-time Spot Team Member who moved teams a bit in his teens before setting out on his own. He’s a great climber who is just getting stronger and stronger, and he came into the final looking very fit before he spun a hold, taking a technical as it immediately dropped him to the ground. The next two goes weren’t great but last go he worked his way up to hold 10.
Finally Gun Show 2012 Winner and top qualifier Ben Hoberg came out. He slipped his first go, but 2nd go he crushed the problem and topped out the boulder. The crowd went wild. Nice job Ben!
Men’s Final Scores
1. Ben Hoberg (top 2nd go, 1st place qualifier)
2. Matt Lubar (top 2nd go, qualified lower)
3. Greg Seitz (hold 13-)
4. Matt Wilder (hold 10, 2nd go)
5. Sergei Kiefel (hold 10, 3rd go)
6. Owen Graham (hold 10, 3rd go, qualified lower)
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Team ABC member during the Youth Session of Psychedelia
Women’s Final
Women’s final involved two hanging dog bones and a rotating pipe on the Hueco Boulder. There were a few rules (don’t get stuck in the ropes, don’t crawl over the top of the pipe, don’t hit your head on the bones, and don’t forget to pat the bat!).
ABC climber Isabelle Goodacre came out first. Isabelle has done pro finals at the Spot before but not yet this season. She did well, managing the bones and the transition to the pipe before falling off grabbing hold 10. She did the same thing twice more, nearly holding the usable portion of hold 10 for a score of 10-.
ABC climber Laurel Todd was next and gave a dominating performance on the bones and the rotating pipe, falling as Isabelle did trying to stick the swing on hold 10. Score: 10-.
Hailey Bridgewater was next. I’d never met Hailey before but she is a strong young woman from Iowa who is now going to school in Fort Collins. Hailey climbed well, but she said she’d never encountered features like the bones and rotating pipe before and she had a little trouble working them out. She figured it out 2nd go, then fell moving toward hold 10 but not sticking it. Score: 9+.
ABC climber and Gun Show 3rd place winner Margo Hayes was up next. Margo came out, got set on the start holds, then promptly misjudged the move to the swinging bones and fell. She looked a little surprised to have fallen, and with renewed determination jumped back on the problem, got through the bones and across the pipe, stuck hold 10, hung the difficult swing, then hiked her way to the top. The crowd went crazy. Nice job Margo!
Spot Coach Tiffany Hensley was next and she gave a great performance, moving left hand to hold 10 instead of her right. She then matched, then hit hold 11 and nearly hold 12 but she was in a weird body position and fell. Next go she looked similarly strong but again got a bit backwards, moving solidly to hold 12 with her right hand, but she was unable to unfold herself. Score: 12.
Finally Gun Show winner Nina Williams came out. Nina has been looking stronger and stronger in competition for the last two years and she’s been doing quite well. Here she looked ready to flash, but fell as everyone else but Margo did on the move to hold 10. Next go Nina stuck it and finished the problem to secure first place as she qualified higher than Margo and they climbed the final in the same number of tries.
Women’s Pro Final Results
1. Nina Williams (top 2nd go)
2. Margo Hayes (top 2nd go, qualified lower)
3. Tiffany Hensley (hold 12)
4. Laurel Todd (hold 10-. 1st go)
5. Isabelle Goodacre (hold 10-, 1st go, qualified lower)
6. Hailey Bridgewater (hold 9+)
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Some little aliens crawling out a busted ship. Part of the elaborate tape art that makes up Psychedelia!
Stay tuned for full comp results and more photos soon!
Thanks for coming out and we hope you had a great time at Psychedelia!!!
Setting Update for Aug 14/15 & 21/22 + Yay Dave! + Yay Connor! + GATOR!!!
Setting Update for August 14th & 15th
Sorry I didn’t update last week, but here are pictures of the new Hueco Frontside if you haven’t seen it yet:
The new right front Hueco
The new front Hueco
New left Hueco
We set several problems specifically for the Youth Team Tryouts, including several harder problems set specifically for much smaller folks and 3 sets of dynos on the right front Hueco. Enjoy!
Setting Update for August 21st & 22nd
Here is a picture of this week’s wall, the River:
The only picture I took of the River wall. Sorry. You’ll just have to go in and see it!
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Yay Dave!
Dave is staying! He will keep setting Tuesdays at the Spot through the fall though intermittently he’ll be returning to Boston to set The Dark Horse Series Comps. We are glad to give you the chance to climb his problems while he is in town.
Hey Dave! “What?” Snap.
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Yay Connor!
We are also glad to announce that our buddy Connor Griffith will begin setting regularly at The Spot once he returns from his family vacation. Connor has been helping us out at comps and random other times for the past several years.
Connor also climbs on real rock!
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Gator!!!
Also this week Jon got eaten. He will be missed.
Queue scary jaws-like music
See you next Wednesday at the Welcome Back Bash!
Strange Hold Placement and Alternative Taping – Why and Why Not?
We have many many ongoing jokes in the setting crew, and a few of them revolve around proper hold placement and taping practices. We have had sort of an informal competition going on for a while now. Here are a couple of examples from this week.
Strange Hold Placement
From Jon comes this new standard for a low foothold at The Spot. We’re calling it the Colorado Start Foot after some commonly-used, questionably attached low start feet on certain problems in the <cough> Poudre Canyon and <cough> RMNP.
So low it is pressing the pad down.
It actually works pretty well on the problems it’s on though. And it is on two, Black and Neon Green. The Neon Green tape is on the other side of the hold because Jay Jay couldn’t fit it under this side.
Alternative Taping
On Tuesday of this week, while Jonny (who has been the taping guru) was at his other job, Danny and Jon set this little present for him:
Danny and Jon’s little masterpiece
All the holds on one piece of tape. It actually climbs quite well too. But on Wednesday after Jonny saw it and we all laughed, we took it down. So why did we take it down? Why won’t something like this work in the gym regularly? There are a few reasons.
1) It is a waste of tape. And tape is not cheap.
2) Scuffing. This is what happens when the tape begins to roll off the wall. When people slide their feet down the wall and hit the tape it can start to roll, tear, or pull off entirely. With a long piece of tape like this there is a lot of opportunity for scuffing the tape off, and, as we all know, scuffed tape looks bad. Also if the tape comes off it makes it harder to climb the problems since it’s hard to figure out where they’re supposed to go. On this topic, please pay attention to your footwork! : )
3) Can interfere with other problems on the wall.
4) Most problems have holds outside the line, and we don’t want to tape spider webs for each problem.
At Psychedelia we set many interesting tape jobs, but for the rest of the year the simple 45 degree right rule seems to keep the gym looking its best.
See you at The Spot!
