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Just take a deep breath
Sometimes if you want something done...you just have to do it yourself. Our local climbing gym, in Cranbrook, B.C is located in the college. It isn't much...but it's all we've got. At the end of last year's "gym season" I was less then enthusiastic about our gym as many of the routes had been up for years (that's right, years) and all the holds were sloppy and gross. Years of sweat, chalk, and skin had built up on these holds, making it like trying to grab ice whilst sliding on your belly...hard. All the holds needed to come down and all the routes needed to be re-set. But there was a reason to why it hadn't gotten done in over 4 years...the job was going to be long, grueling, and with little help.
After a meeting with the head of the sports dept. at the college, the job had been "gently" placed on my lap. Pretty much, it was me taking the lead or it wasn't getting done....again. That was fine, as that's what i expected. But you never really know what it's going to take until your hanging from a rope with sore everything and staring at a wall with thousands of holds that need to be taken down, washed, and put back up. Yuck.
With a good crew, in one night all the holds were stripped, but as with any not so fun job, the crew dissapated. And why not, it really wasn't that fun. Naturally there wasn't people chompin' at the bit to stand in a shower stall and wash holds, so that job came down to a couple of hardcores that shared the same vision of rejuvenation. Then of course came the route setting. That job left the "crew" down to two people–myself and Amy Toyota. Good thing for Amy and her skills as without her, it would have been down to me. Although after a week of route setting, a couple of people helped out and put up a few routes too. Route setting is no easy task. It takes creativity, skill, knowledge, being able to grasp the concept that not everyone is tall, or short, than not everyone is super strong...all these things need to come into play when setting "good routes". Like i said, not an easy task. Also, with route setting...that doesn't mean taking three routes that are next to eachother and putting up holds in between, taping your "couple of holds" and then using holds that are with another route. That's cheating. That's fine if you're putting up gigantic bumbly holds for the kiddies, but if you're going to set a route...start with your beginning holds and put up the rest until you reach the top. Don't use other people's routes, add a couple, then call it your own. It's better to learn how to do the whole thing, rather than getting skimpy.
Another thing with gyms...the usage of ropes. The local gym just bought static rope for its users. Not a good idea. Static rope is not that friendly, especially to the keen new climbers. It tends to jam up in belay devices, overload equipment, and slipps faster than usual due to stiffness thus burning hands. For those of you who are involved with gyms, do your research and buy the right rope, and not base it on what's cheap and available.
Anyways, just a rant.
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