You’ve seen him flagging on gym walls, doing laps on the crack or maybe unicycling up Mt. Diablo. Long-time DRG member, David “Em” Emrich is our October Member Spotlight! When did you first discover climbing? When I was little I saw a photo in a book of a guy chimneying. I knew then I wanted […]
A stunning photo by long time Mission Cliffs member Jeff Rueppel has been selected for the final round in the 8th Annual Rock and Ice / Mammut Photo Contest. Deep in the Valley of the Kings, the Arrowhead, a massive detached flake leaning against the main wall, hides the wide beauty of Firewater Chimney (5.10b), […]
We’re celebrating our 20th Anniversary on Friday, October 2nd. We caught up with long time member Natasha Barnes and she shared her favorite Touchstone Climbing memories. I started climbing in 1999 and competing seriously in 2001 in Southern California. I would travel all over California and Arizona just to find new gyms to climb and compete at. […]
When did you work at DRG? Officially, I started working at Touchstone Concord (now Diablo Rock Gym) when they opened in September of 2002. There was a wonderful grand opening party! Prior to that, I would occasionally work as a trade staff at Berkeley Ironworks. I worked at DRG until September 2009. During my time […]
If you’ve been thinking about joining our community – here’s your chance to do it on the cheap! In honor of Touchstone Climbing’s 20th Anniversary, we’re offering a $20 initiation fee special. That’s right! Save beaucoup bucks this week at any Touchstone Climbing Gym, and get free addmision to our Anniversary Parties on Friday, October 2nd. Not […]
For the past twenty years, Touchstone has been at the forefront of the climbing gym industry. Berkeley Ironworks, one of the original gyms, had major advancements in the building, in the technology and most significantly in how people are taught to climb. One of the original Touchstone employees, Scott Frye has been working in the […]
Last week, Team Touchstone held its first ever team tryouts at Berkeley Ironworks. The event drew climbers of all ages and ability levels, testing their strength, technique, and ability to work as a team. Climbers who participated in tryouts were vying for spots on every level of the Berkeley Ironworks team, from the recreational level all the way […]
We sat down with Dogpatch Boulders member Jenny Lao to talk about why she’ll be swimming across the Bay this Saturday! How did you start climbing, and how long have you been climbing for? After I moved home from college, my best friend took me on one of my first hikes in Big Sur. We got lost […]
This September, Berkeley Ironworks and The Mountaineering and Nature Sports Club at Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) joined to make climbing a reality for students in the Mediterranean by donating climbing shoes to the program. Rose Wong, a BIW gym member for 13 years, and her friend Tugrul Ilter, Club Advisor and Professor at Eastern Mediterranean University, took […]
From routesetters to desk staff, climbers to pizza makers – SO much work goes into putting on a Touchstone Climbing Series Competition. This Richmond Youth Media helped us capture a bit of the chaos in this awesome video. Check it out!
