By Zoey Grinstead
With the gyms closed and everyone given the order to stay at home, we at Touchstone Climbing are doing everything we can to stay positive, motivated, and active. Our routesetters are not shy to that last one. Every day they’re up and down ropes and ladders, constantly moving piles of rocks around; it can kind of seem like a blur, but out of it, we get the climbs from our setters that we all come to know and love (or hate). Zoey, one of the setters down in SoCal, took a moment to have a quick interview with some of our routesetters to help everyone get to know who is behind that tag.
Megan O’Brien aka MKO
Pronouns: She/Her
Home Gym: MetalMark
How long have you been climbing and setting?
I’ve been climbing since spring 2012, so eight years now! And I’ve been routesetting since October 2018.
What inspired you to become a routesetter?
Before I started setting I found myself using random holds in the gym to make up my own problems a lot, trying to force specific movement. I had a lot of ideas for climbs that I thought would be fun!
What is your favorite style of climbing, and how does that translate into your setting?
I love climbing in overhangs/roofs, and the smaller the holds the better! I like climbing that requires a mix of finger strength and core tension, especially when bouldering. For route climbing, I always enjoy a good fingery, techy vert climb. I try to set in a variety of styles, even if I can’t necessarily even hold on to some of the holds I’m putting on the wall (hello big slopers and fat pinches) or do the big moves (dynos are hard!). I never want to set solely in the style that I am good at. That being said, I’m normally the one putting the smallest holds on the wall and using foot chips as hands, because that’s what I want to climb and I know I’m not the only one!
What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned setting at Touchstone Climbing?
The most valuable thing I’ve learned setting at Touchstone is probably that grades are even more subjective than you think. Everyone is so different, so you’re not always going to agree about the difficulty/grade of something. I’ve learned not to get so hung up on the grades, and to just focus on strengthening your weaknesses and to remember that we climb because it’s fun!
How are you staying active and motivated during these times?
I’ve been doing a lot of core, ring workouts, yoga, hang boarding, using our stationary bike, and Cole and I are finally building our own home wall! The online fitness classes from Touchstone are also super helpful right now to get myself to get through a full workout before I get distracted by my dog. I live in Oakhurst, and luckily we have access to some good trails in our neighborhood, so going for walks has been a great time filler. Also, looking at old pictures and videos of things that I’ve climbed, as well as things that I want to climb in the future has helped to keep the stoke high!
Do you have any inspirational words for everyone?
I’ll be super basic, and just say do your best, be kind, and think of others!
Thank you Megan! Stay healthy
Cole Zuelke aka CZ
Pronouns: He/Him
Home Gym: MetalMark
How long have you been climbing and setting?
I have been climbing 11 years now, and setting for about nine.
What inspired you to become a routesetter?
When I was interviewing for desk staff at MetalMark, they suggested I try out for routesetting. No one else tried out, so I was a shoo-in.
What is your favorite style of climbing, and how does that translate into your setting?
Honestly, I enjoy it all. As long as I’m pushing, pulling, and trying hard, I’m happy; and because I’ll climb anything I think it helped me learn to set a variety of different styles, I like to mix it up as much as possible.
What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned setting at Touchstone Climbing?
Members want us to set more dynos, and at the same time, fewer dynos.
How are you staying active and motivated during these times?
I’ve been running and hangboarding. Trying to strengthen things I normally neglect. I have a goal of being able to do a one-arm pull-up after all this, but it’s not looking good so far.
Do you have any inspirational words for everyone?
Don’t worry, we’re all getting weak together.
