Fall Flash Fest Route-Setting Frenzy

Get pumped folks! ClimbMax's premier climbing competition, Fall Flash Fest (FFF), is coming right up! It'll be on Saturday, October 15 - which means there's now less than two weeks left before this event. Keep in mind that pre-registration ends this Sunday, October 9. Pre-registering gives you a five dollar discount off the registration cost, and assures you'll get a FFF t-shirt. The entire gym will be reset for this comp, and there may even be a little surprise addition for it... Register early here!

All those new routes mean that we've already begun setting like mad. But, you might ask, how do we reset the gym over a period of weeks and still keep it climbable in the meantime, without giving away the problems that will be put up for the competition?

Well, the process begins with setting a great route. This includes "forerunning" the route - when a bunch of folks (who will not be competing) climb it, and make any suggestions to the setter. Then, the route is taped and a map of it is made that shows which holds go where. Finally, the holds and bolts get taken down, get boxed up, and set aside in temporary storage. There the pre-set, boxed climbs will rest until the time comes to use the maps to re-set the routes (exactly as they were originally set!). In the meantime, the rest of the climbs in the gym are left up, until the time comes to strip down everything unrelated to Fall Flash Fest!

Keep your eyes peeled for the signs of pre-set FFF routes! Also, look out for any surprise additions in the next few days...