GWPC
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…
CoachArt and Climbing at Great Western Power Company
“They were telling us everything they were going to do to Ella. Your whole life is turned upside down. You know, and it’s your kid so it’s not like, ‘Oh she’s lived a good life,’ No it’s like, ‘Oh she needs to have a life.’” – Gene Wade, Ella’s father. Cancer is terrible. There’s something…
Rainbow Costumes, Chiseled Biceps & Burpees; My First CrossFit Comp
Oakland’s Best CrossFit Gym is nestled within Great Western Power Company. CrossFit v16 members enjoy full access to GWPC and make up a wonderful community of athletes. Recently Sydney Mulkey competed in her first CrossFit comp and shared her experience with the Touchstone Climbing and Fitness blog. By Sydney Mulkey Many might shy away from…
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…
Learning to Crack Climb at Touchstone Climbing
Visiting a Touchstone Climbing Gym, you might have noticed climbers struggling up the practice cracks. Their hands covered in white tape, sometimes wincing in pain, as they jam their hands and feet into the cracks to move upwards. The cracks are not obvious, and these features, molded to varying widths, often go unnoticed unless someone…
Escalando Fronteras Slide Show and Donation Drive
This Thursday GWPC is cooking up something special! We’re happy to be hosting the Move Mountains Slide Show. The event is designed to raise awareness and support for Escalando Fronteras, a non-profit that brings the mountains to at-risk youth in the marginalized area of Monterey, Mexico. EF is currently launching a unique youth development project that will utilize…
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…
The Hidden Genius Project at GWPC
In July, Great Western Power Company hosted a group of incredibly smart and talented young men from The Hidden Genius Project. They quickly proved to to the staff that they have the brains and the brawn as they enjoyed both the mental and physical challenge of rock climbing! “The Hidden Genius Project is a training and mentoring program for black male youth…
Baking for Badegaun
Great Western Power Company is no stranger to Bake Sales. The Teen Team has put on hugely successful bake sales in the past, raising money to help the team buy t-shirts and sweatshirts. But this time around, the team has decided to raise money for a different cause. This year all Bake Sale proceeds will…
Climbing Summer Camp in Oakland
Summer is just around the corner, and what better way to spend it than learning to rock climb with your friends?! We sat down with Great Western Power Company’s Kids Camp Directors Carole Ryu and Jaclyn Clark to get the details on their plans for rock climbing summer camp in Oakland. “Summer vacations are such a memorable…
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…
Up-cycling Ropes with Summer Search
Ever wonder what happens to all of our retired top-ropes? While a small amount is reserved and repurposed by our gyms for things like belay practice/testing ropes & mock leading ropes; the majority of our retired ropes are donated to local non-profits, artists, and community organizations. Recently, Great Western Power Company donated several hundred feet of…