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Pipeworks Member Gabriel Patterson Featured on Melanin Base Camp

  Photo by Megan O’Connell. We know we sound like a broken record, but we have THE COOLEST members! Check out Sacramento Pipeworks member Gabriel Patterson’s feature “Growing Up Black and Outdoorsy” on Melanin Base Camp, a social media collective working to increase the visibility of adventurers of color. Interviewer Danielle Williams writes, [Gabe] knew […]

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Meet the Routesetters of Woman Up 2018

Header photo by Andrea Laue. One of the many, many things that make Woman Up such an incredible event is its all-female routesetting crew. This year, we’re flying our setters in from Singapore to San Francisco so we can create something truly unique. These ladies are the best of the best, and we wanted to […]

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2018 Tahoe Bouldering Competition and Festival

Former Bay Area resident and Touchstone employee Chris Bloch is organizing this year’s 7th annual Tahoe Bouldering Competition on Saturday September 15, 2018!  Formerly known as The Meyers Climbing Festival, this comp is now bigger and better than ever before. It’s got great sponsors, vendor booths, amazing prizes, and a cash purse—so don’t miss out on the fun! […]

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Third Wheel Coffee

By Henry Springall. In 2012 I was living in San Jose—the same town where I grew up, working at a coffee shop after a failed attempt at college, and my dad was my boss. For some, working at a coffee shop is just another paycheck. This can be true of any job; but the strong […]

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Member of the Month: Tony Lima

By Jason Bove. Like father, like son…like names? Our next installment features friends, family, adventures, and adult gymnastics! In our lives, we have many choices. Some of these help us carve out what is important to us as we try to figure out who we want to be, and what we need to do to […]

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Pasadena Gym Update

For those of you who have been patiently awaiting news about our upcoming rock climbing and fitness gym in Pasadena, we have some updates to share: We recently received feedback on our first round of plans from The City of Pasadena! ?? Our second round of plans will be sent early next week. After approval, we […]

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2018 USAC Nationals and the Kids Who Will Crush Them: Team Touchstone Profiles

  Each year, young climbers from around the country compete in the USA Climbing competitive youth circuit, which features both a bouldering season (September–February) and a sport/speed season (March–July). Each season culminates in a National Championship where the top climbers in the U.S. gather to test their climbing at the highest level of competition in […]

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Queer Crush, Pride Parties, and Lots of Love: Pride 2018 at Touchstone

  June is one of our favorite months of the year, because it’s PRIDE MONTH! We love taking this time to celebrate our beautiful, diverse community and to honor the lives of those who made this month possible. This year, we are celebrating with new Pride stickers and Pride shirts, 100% of the proceeds of […]

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The 8B Challenge Report

By Spenser Tang-Smith. Spenser is one half of The RV Project‘s dynamic duo. Along with his partner Vikki Glinskii, The RV Project is their adventure across America in search of the country’s best climbing and most interesting people. All photos courtesy of RV Proj, with the exception of Spenser’s John Sherman tribute. People often associate me with […]

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Hans Florine on Epics, El Cap, and One-Arm Pull-Ups

Speed climbing extraordinaire and Diablo Rock Gym manager Hans Florine took a nasty fall on El Capitan on May 3rd. We caught up with him to hear more about his death-defying experience and learn how to get back up from the best. You’re something of a legend in the climbing world! Can you tell us […]

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