In the past few years, Yosemite has become a mecca, not for the enormous walls, but for the immaculate granite boulders. Midnight Lighting, Thriller, and Dominator are names thrown around any crashpad-filled campfire in the world. And while these classics were established in the late seventies to early nineties, the history of Yosemite bouldering extends […]
“Morocco is winning,” JT said, examining his stubbed toe. We had spent nearly two weeks climbing in Morocco’s High Atlas mountains. Tired after climbing the technical eight hundred meter Oujdad, JT nailed his toe on the rocky descent, putting a large blood blister on his pinky toe. After twelve days of eating soup, living in […]
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 […]
For the past month, I trained heavily in the gym. I bouldered one day and went to yoga the next. My time in the gym was limited. At the end of my three week stint in the Bay Area, I went to thirteen yoga classes, bouldered fourteen days and ran nearly seventy miles. Over the […]
Nutrition for climbing can be a difficult subject. On one side of the spectrum there are climbers who eat a dozen donuts and then crush v13, on the other side there are climbers who gulp air for a light snack for their 5.14d sport sends. Finding the middle ground, of a healthy diet can be […]
I lowered into a herd of goats and sheep. A few minutes before I flaked my rope in a corral below Conde Dracula, a steep 8a limestone sport climb in Otinar, Spain. My partner, Blake wanted to climb the route as well. The land surrounding the cliff remains pasture for many animals. Their bells rang […]
January was National Mentoring Month, and Metalmark invited Bigs and Littles from the Big Brothers Big Sisters into the gym to honor the amazing mentors in their program. “We did many events during the month, but none were as exciting and unique as the climbing event at MetalMark Climbing Gym!” said a coordinator. More than 50 Bigs […]
ABS Season 16 Divisionals went down this weekend at Basecamp in Reno, Nevada. Youth climbers from all over Northern California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, the Western half of both Dakotas came together to compete for a chance to move onto Nationals. Two youth climbers from The East Beta’s, Great Western Power Company’s Teen […]
Recently, Andrew McAleavey sat down with the Touchstone blog to talk about his experience with climbing and Cerebral Palsy. The Berkeley Ironworks Kid’s Camp director will be at the American Physical Therapy Association’s pediatrics conference in St. Louis to discuss how cerebral palsy affects muscle development. Read a bit about his climbing experience. “I don’t…I […]
Summertime means many things. If you’re used to climbing at Mission Cliffs, it might means stocking up on puffy jackets and trying to remember what blue sky looks like. But for Diablo Rock Gym members in Concord, it means sweltering temps and an living life from one air conditioned room to the next. Diablo Rock […]
