Great Western Power Co
Climbing through Recovery: Bay Area Rescue Mission at Great Western Power Co.
Climbing may rank pretty low on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, but we’ve found that it can play an integral role in helping people rebuild after their lives have been shattered. Bay Area Rescue Mission is an organization dedicated to helping people experiencing homelessness, addiction, or folks who are otherwise down and out get back…
From Oakland to Patagonia: GWPC Donates to Centro Andino El Chaltén
The notion of community is rather nuanced. For most of us, we tend to think of our community as the people and places in close proximity to where we live and work. Another type of community might include friends and family, or others within our regular social circles. But Avram Pearlman and Marie Schwindler,…
Veteran’s PATH at Great Western Power Co.
The day that Veteran’s PATH visit us at Great Western Power Company was a day full of peace, support, and fun for both our staff and for the veterans. Veteran’s PATH (the acronym standing for “peace,” “acceptance,” “transformation,” and “honor”) is a non-profit organization that began in 2008 to enable returning veterans to rediscover meaning, purpose and…
Get ready Oakland!
It’s that time again! The Touchstone Competition Series, aka #TCS2016, comes to Great Western Power Co in Oakland this Friday! TCS has visited a Touchstone gym every month this year, and this week’s TCS2016 at GWPC will be a bouldering comp and climbers of all levels and all ages are welcome to come out and…
A Great Western Love Story
On a warm & breezy October evening in Muir Beach, two of Great Western Power Company’s favorite folks tied the knot! Marie Schwindler and Avram Pearlman have been a fixture on the GWPC scene for years, from members, to instructors, to grass-roots community builders. It was wonderful to share an evening with a handful of…
Going Tapeless at GWPC
We’re happy to announce that after years of pondering, preparation and planning, we’re ready to go tapeless at Great Western Power Company in Oakland. Why are we going tapeless? Here are the three biggies: Going tapeless saves time. Our talented full time routesetting team spends about 1/3 of their time dealing with tape. They take tape…
TCS2015 at Great Western Power Co
Last Friday the 2015 Touchstone Climbing Series at Great Western Power Company brought over 375 climbers and spectators to the gym, making it the largest turn out for a competition in Oakland to date! “Another year another record!” said GWPC manager Jeremy Yee. “We had a terrific turn out, and even though it as an…
Who Says You Can’t Climb in Bishop in June?
By Jon Kennedy When planning a bouldering trip in June, climbers usually place Bishop last on their list of potential destinations. For those unfamiliar with Bishop climbing, it is a fall or winter destination if you want those optimal sending temps. I love the look you get when you mention you’re going to the Buttermilks…
WOD on Memorial Day
By GWPC member Donna Ball If you are familiar with CrossFit you know that there are a number of workouts (WODs) named for heroes who have died in the line of duty. Most of these are named for military members who have lost their lives, but there are also hero WODs for firemen and policeman…
How to Climb 5.12 Clinic
Home of Partner Parties and On-sight Nights, The Studio Climbing staff can’t help but invent and host one-of-kind events and clinics tailored for its loyal climbers. The latest is a “How to Climb a 5.12” series brought to you by the legendary Charles “Swoll Chuck” Chang of Great Western Power Company. The first (and only…
Your Edge
By guest blogger and yoga instructor Avram Pearlman In yoga, there is a concept called the edge. Think of it as the limit of your practice in the present moment. Even if yoga is not part of your weekly routine, visualize a place between reaching a little farther and falling over while stretching. This place…
Oakland Tech and GWPC Making P.E. Fun Again
Under the guidance of GWPC member and Oakland Tech P.E. Instructor Carlos Bover (affectionately known as ‘Coach’ to his students), students are redefining what’s possible in a P.E. class by pushing their limits on the climbing wall! This is the programs 4th year running, so we decided to turn over control of our monthly outreach…