Blog
TRS 6 at Ironworks
On Friday the 13th from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Berkeley Ironworks will be holding their TRS 6 comp. This will be one of the best comps in the Touchstone Rope Series. Pyramid Brewery will be there pouring a Hefeweizen, an Apricot Ale, Thunderhead IPA and the new Curve Ball Summer Blonde Ale. There will…
Pringle and the Eye of Odin
In late June, Ethan Pringle flew to Norway to compete with Dani Anrada and Magnus Midtobe for a purse of 15,000 Norwegian Kroner, roughly $2500. The three world class climbers went to a famous cave in the county of Flatanger. “If Jailhouse and Mickey’s Beach had a baby, and that offspring was artificially inseminated with…
4th of July Closures
All of the Touchstone climbing gyms will be closed for the 4th of July. Wednesday would be a great day to check out the climbing around Tahoe Lake. There’s excellent bouldering, top rope climbing, trad, and sport. Take the day to celebrate the United State’s Independence and head to the crag!
Touchstone Interview: Dave Altman
Every Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., a scraggly haired fellow helps climbers and exercisers in the weight section of Berkeley Ironworks. Dave Altman, a 60 year old climber, has been working for Touchstone since it began. Altman began helping people with their strength training technique in August of 1992 when the gym was…
East Bay Betas: Ben Young
“When can I take the lead test? When can I take the lead test? When can I take the lead test,” asked Ben Young. Everyday for almost a year, East Betas member Ben has bugged the GWPC teen team coaches to let him apply for a lead card. Earlier this month, Ben finally turned 14, the…
MetalMark Luau
On June 25th, MetalMark celebrate their one year anniversary with a Hawaiian themed luau. Over 100 members came to participate in the water balloon toss contest, the limbo contest, the hula hooping, and to enjoy the great appetizers. During the event, which ran from 5 to 8 p.m., exciting luau music was played and everyone…
Honnold and Florine at Touchstone
On June 19th, Sacramento climber, Alex Honnold and stopped by MetalMark to talk about his latest feat on Yosemite’s big stone. Just two days before, Honnold and Diablo Rock Gym Manager, Hans Florine shattered the speed record on the Nose of El Capitan, climbing the route in a blindingly fast time of 2:23:46. Honnold signed posters,…
Community Food Hub at Ironworks
Picture this: An amazing local market just opened up—inside Ironworks! Come for a workout and on your way home, pick up fresh bread, Four Barrel coffee, pickles, jams, organic seasonal produce, specialty meats, and delicious ready-to-eat meals, all in one place. We’re teaming up with our friends at Good Eggs to create a Community Food…
Climbing Tips from Sharma
Getting climbing tips from a pro are invaluable. World class climber, Chris Sharma offers some great in sight into how to climb better in his latest series of videos from the folks at Rock and Ice. Check out the great advice that Sharma has to offer.
The Secret to Climbing 5.15
Chris Sharma, Adam Ondra, Sasha Diguilian, the world’s elite climbers all manage to claw thier way up the hardest rock climbs in the world. They spend thousands of hours training, skipping out on dessert, and living just to climb. While it’d be amazing to be a world class climber, having the dedication and the work…
Rings with Alarcon
Are you looking to maximize your training? One of the best pieces of training equipment for climbing is a pair of gymnastic rings. “Watch an Olympic gymnast’s rings routine and you’ll see how much shoulder power and core stability can be developed training with rings,” said Touchstone trainer Jusin Alarcon. “The good news is that…
New Nose Speed Record
This morning, Alex Honnold and Diablo Rock Gym Manager, Hans Florine set a new speed record for the Nose of El Capitan. The 3,000 foot vertical granite cliff has been the home of the Grand Prix of Yosemite speed climbing. The pair started at 6:30 a.m. and topped out just before 9 a.m., setting a…