Archive
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!
Jon Glassberg Goes Guest
Jon at his “other” job
As you probably know, longtime Spot setter Jon Glassberg is 1/2 of the media and production company Louder Than 11. In addition to their many free videos, LT11 has been doing more and more production work, both in the climbing industry and in other industries. Perhaps you’ve watched a comp live feed recently, something like ABS Nationals or SCS Nationals? Both were Louder Than 11.
Jon and Jordan of LT11 holding down ABS Nationals 2013
This bout of more professional work means that Jon has been traveling a lot lately, and therefore not setting as much. The trend is only continuing, so Jon will continue setting at The Spot on more of a guest setter basis, as he just isn’t able to come in most weeks. If you want to read more about Jon and see some videos and links, we’ve updated his setting profile and moved it to the Guest Setters section. You can read it here: Jon Glassberg | The Spot Route Setting Blog
We are proud that Jon and LT11 are seeing so much success, and though we’ll miss him on the regular setting crew, we are happy to support him as he transitions to more full-time media production work. Congrats Jon!
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:
ABS Nationals Highlights Videos
We set on the Dojo today. Much more tomorrow. Enjoy!
IAN DORY ROCKS!
Ian crushing on Men’s Final 4
We are still really excited for our setter Ian Dory and his 2nd place finish (1 point from first!) at ABS Nationals last weekend.
Ian nearly finishing Men’s Final 2. Just as he went to match his heel slipped off!
Great job Ian!!!
ABS 14 National Championship Final Results!!!
The podiums. By Nina Williams
IAN DORY GOT 2nd!!!!!
Ian is a setter and coach at The Spot and he’s rapidly become a close member of our community. Ian is a great guy, a truly kind person, hard worker, and fantastic competitor. The first hint we had that he might have something to say at Nationals this year was when he crushed all the problems forerunning for the SBS 8 Gladiator Final a couple of weeks ago. We figured the problems were just a tad easy until the actual comp when we watched some of the best on them and realized how hard they actually were. Since then Ian hasn’t slowed down, and we were so proud and happy to see him climb so strong throughout the comp and earn his 2nd place finish. He rocked a headband the whole comp (it is his wife’s, Ian has been saying he needs a haircut for a few weeks now, but apparently he failed to get one and needed a way to keep his hair out of his face). We think the headband was good luck, and The Spot team members who traveled down to support Ian in finals made signs to wave that said as much.
Great job Ian!!!
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Final Results
ABS 14 Finals were an extremely exciting round with all sorts of highs and lows, near misses and near saves. The competitors moved through the problems in world cup style, 1 problem at a time per gender and no-one moved on till everyone had climbed. Competitors had 4 minutes to try and finish the boulder. Scoring was: tops, points (1 pt per hold), attempts to top, attempts to points. This means that topping is the most important thing to win. Doing well on the other problems was the 2nd most important thing.
LT11 provided a live feed with live commentary by Pete Ward and Brian Runnels (the Climbing Narc) and it was fantastic. You can watch Qualis and Semis online here - TV | Louder Than 11
Replays and highlights will be coming soon.
Here are final results. I may give a short rundown later today as well for those who missed the feed and can’t wait for the replays to be available. It is snowing hard in Boulder so it’s a good day to stay inside.
Nice job to everyone on running the comp and nice job to all the competitors.
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Women
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Men
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Clicking the photos will take you to the ABS final scoresheets at absnationals.org.
More on the comp coming soon!
Ian is in finals!!!
Men’s Semifinal Results
Yeah IAN!!! He just barely missed finishing problem 3 but flashed all 3 other finals and is in 3rd place going into finals! We are super proud of his performance and super excited to watch him compete in finals tonight alongside Carlo, Daniel, Garrett, Peter Dixon, and Vasya.
Ian Dory trying to finish Men’s 3. Those pinches proved too slick for almost everyone. Only Carlo and Daniel stuck them, and both went right foot up, right hand first.
Want to watch finals? Either come on down to Colorado Springs, or watch live on Louder Than 11 TV
Schedule: ABS Nationals
Quick Setting Update + ABS Nationals + Red Point Holds!
The New Left River. Notice Carlo trying some of our new problems on the left side of the photo. He’s been on the road since June, but due to upcoming ABS Nationals, a bunch of America’s best climbers are in town to earn their place on the World Cup team for Vail this summer, and many have come into the Spot to get that last bit of climbing in before qualifiers on Friday.
Speaking of ABS Nationals, it is in Colorado Springs (fairly close) and USA Climbing has been making a big effort to put on a really good show. It is definitely worth driving down to watch or, if you have time and want to really experience what it takes to put on our National Climbing Team Selection event, volunteer! Register to compete, see the running order, find a hotel, sign up to volunteer, see the schedule, and more: ABS Nationals Homepage
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Reset Update + Red Point Holds!
Today Connor, Jay Jay, Ian Powell, and I added a bunch of problems to the River. Pic of the Left River above, here are the new Middle and Right River:
I have no idea what that flare is. Check out the cool new blue/tan line up the arete!
The climber on the far right is actually on the problem I am about to tell you about.
On our River fill-in today we got two bunches of exciting new holds for you to check out. One set I’ll tell you about tomorrow, but for today, check out the:
Two purple screw-ons from the Golf Ball Mini-Jugs set that we haven’t tried yet, two green mini crimp/pinches called Commudum Pinches, two cool green angled pinch/slopers from the Tusk set, and three orange rounded jugs that they call Ergo Jugs but that I’m dubbing “Big Paws”
Another angle
We got our tester box of these around one and immediately put them on the wall. You can find them on the purple problem on the far right river. We will do a blog review of these, so climb on ‘em and let us know what you think!
A few of the new Red Point Holds
Check out Red Point’s Website - Red Point Climbing Holds Home
That’s all for now. Setting again tomorrow, probably adding to the Font. Enjoy!
Quick Setting Update
Today we put in our 3rd day on The Beach and it’s really, really full. There are some 50 boulder problems from 1 spot to 5+ spot, with a bunch in each grade range so everyone will have something to do. I’ll try to remember to take a picture of the whole thing in the next couple of days, or just go in and see it!
The Spot is throwing a Speed Dating event tonight for Valentine’s Day, and when we were forerunning Connor got decorated:
Come on down and check out the new problems!
Quick Setting Update + A Side Job + Ascendance Announcement + Yay Jon!
Yay Jon!
We would like to send congratulations to our friend Jon Cardwell who has sent The Game in Boulder Canyon. This is one of the hardest boulder problems in the world! Jon made the 3rd ascent. Nice job Jon!
Jon moments after sending The Game | Photo by Matty Hong
Setting Update
So after working through, and on, Christmas, the boys took New Year’s off to kick back and relax a little. Don’t panic! Setting will resume as usual tomorrow and Wednesday (River Wall first!), and will continue on the regular schedule until the next comp on February 2nd (sign up here - Gladiator Finals | The Spot Bouldering Gym & Climbing School | Boulder, CO). Thanks for understanding that the setters all have other jobs as well and sometimes need a mini-vacation around the holidays.
A Side Job
One of my second jobs is writing freelance for various online and print outlets. The newest of those is a gig reviewing gear for the Mountain Gear Mountain Blog. My first review, of the Arc’Teryx Atom Lt Jacket, is up now. Check it out - What’s to love about the Arc’Teryx Atom Lt Jacket? A lot. | The Mountain Blog
Ascendance
