ADULT RESULTS ←(click the link for ADULT RESULTS)
YOUTH RESULTS ←(click the link for YOUTH RESULTS)

Saturday, October 29, 2016
2016  Black Light Bouldering Competition + Party

Registration: $35 ($45 after 10/25/16)
Edgeworks Members: $25 ($35 after 10/25/16)

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!   |  VOLUNTEER INFO (Click)
AWARDS – RAFFLE PRIZES – COSTUME CONTEST – MUSIC/DJ – FOOD TRUCK – AFTER PARTY

We’re back with the 12th Annual Black Light Bouldering Competition!  Over the years we’ve worked hard to get this thing dialed – from the breakout of sessions and competitor flow, to the route setting, decor and DJ – this comp delivers STOKE and FUN unlike any other climbing competition in our area! Open to ALL ages and abilities.

Click here to sign up for Volunteer Opportunities and be sure to check out the VIDEO from last year!←(click the link to watch).
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COMPETITION DETAILS:
Saturday, October 29, 2016

Registration Includes:
•  BEST ROUTES of the year  •  Black light FUN  •  AWARDS  •  RAFFLE PRIZES (Adult & Youth)  •
•  COSTUME CONTEST  •  After PARTY (21+)  •
•  BLACK LIGHT Tee or Tank (add’l $15, must register by 10/13)  •

* Competitors must register for the assigned session for their category.
* Youth under 18 who wish to compete in session 2 must sign up for OPEN categories; no youth under 16 allowed to compete in the Adult session.
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AWARDS and RAFFLE PRIZES:
Instead of cash prizes, we choose to invest that money into some pretty sweet swag that everyone has a chance to win! The top 3 competitors in each ADULT category are guaranteed to walk away with a prize. Beyond that, our raffle prize system ensures that every competitor has a chance to win something too. Competitors must be present to win. Raffle prizes will be given out after the Adult Awards (approx 7pm) and will include a sweet Grand Prize drawing!

COSTUME CONTEST – 6:30pm
Compete dressed as your favorite super hero, celebrity or animal; or just decorate yourself in the best glow imaginable and be entered to win a fun prize in our Costume Contest.

MUSIC/DJ (all day) and FOOD TRUCK (11am-4pm)
Enjoy the musical stylings of DJ Johnny Devine and grab a bite from the Stacks food truck between sessions. There’s a lot going on, we want make sure you stay fueled and entertained.

FREE AFTER PARTY! 6PM – 8PM
Once the competition ends, everyone 21+ is invited to join us in the upstairs lounge for FREE beer/cider. Comp registration not required.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: 

Comp Format: Red point; no finals.

Prizes: 1st, 2nd and 3rd place competitors in all Adult Categories will receive a sweet product prize from one of our event sponsors.

USAC Credit and OPEN Category: Youth CANNOT get USAC credit for the comp if they compete in the OPEN Category. In the unusual case that a youth participant wants to compete for BOTH USAC credit AND prizes  must register for and climb in both sessions. Yes, that means they have to pay twice.

Climbing Time: Climbers will be allowed EXACTLY 3 hours to climb. All climbing will end at the 3 hour mark.

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WALL and GYM CLOSURES:

The gym will be open to competitors only on the day of the comp and sections of the boulder and top rope walls will be closed 2-3 days ahead to time to allow time for our setters to put up all new routes. Learn more

The good news is the gym will reopen on Sunday, October 30 with a HUGE selection of brand new routes for you try!

Photos:
2015 BLB Comp + Party
2014 BLB Comp + Party

Every month we highlight a Team Edgeworks Climber to get to know just what makes our kids so stoked to climb. Let’s find out something we never knew about one of our competitors:

HAL WARREN

Hal was inspired to start climbing after reading Within Reach: My Everest Story by Mark Pfetzer and Jack Galvin, about a teenager who after training at a local climbing gym reached 26,000 feet on Everest, he was 15. Hal wanted to be just like Mark so at age of 11 he asked his parents if he could start training for Everest at Edgeworks. That was October 2011.

His excitement for Everest has since waned, but Hal says “From that first trip to the gym I was hooked.” After about a year, he joined Team Edgeworks and began competing at local competitions. He has progressed quickly and competed last year in the Bouldering National Championships in Madison, WI where he placed 35th! “I trained very hard to accomplish that dream. My coach and friend Jon Manz has been a huge motivation in my training…”.

His goals are to make finals at Nationals, and to send a V11 this coming year. His favorite quote:  “What would you try if you knew you could not fail?” – Unknown

@hwclimbs  #absroadtoglory

SNEAK PEEK at NEW Gear arriving soon!

by Abbie Madlem

September is an exciting time for Edgeworks! Because we’re bringing in all kinds of NEW GEAR, from rope bags to harnesses, shoes, and more. You’ll have to come in and see for yourself all the great gear we’ll soon be offering, but in the meantime you can read ahead for a sneak peek at some of the stuff we are super excited about…

Mammut Togir Click Harness

The Togir is designed with alpine in mind. The click buckles make the harness really easy to take off without taking off skis or crampons. That’s not to say that it couldn’t be used in the gym as well. The Togir is equipped with a plastic guard on the bottom tie-in point to reduce wear, so it’s easy to make this harness your gym-to-alpine standard. Come in and try this one on, it’s totally worth it!

Black Diamond Vector Helmet

This helmet isn’t just awesome looking, it’s also super functional! Black Diamond uses a geometric, co-molded EPS foam and polycarbonate shell to create a helmet that offers full-coverage protection. Its lightweight (and comfortable to wear for long days of climbing!) and provides ventilation ports to keep you cooler on warm days. Bonus: it has in-mold headlamp clips to provide secure attachment so that you don’t have to call it quits for the day just because the sun has. How’s that for a quadruple threat!

Tenaya Tarifa

Looking for a shoe that is going to be performance-oriented but isn’t going to kill your feet? Look no further than the Tarifa! This shoe doesn’t compromise comfort for performance, which can be one of the hardest parts of finding your next climbing shoe. The combination of microfiber and cotton lining mean that there is a minimal break-in period and very little stretching over time. The Tarifa is great because its so multi-faceted, and would be a good fit for anyone on the climbing spectrum. It’s sticky, it’s sensitive, and, as DPM climbing points out, Ethan Pringle chose the Tarifa to get up Jumbo Love (5.15b). Don’t take our word for it, though. Come in and try these bad boys out!

Dan Sherman

Member since 2014

How did you start climbing?

Dan: I first started climbing 23 years ago near Niagara Falls, Canada with some friends from college. But I stopped doing it for about 15 years until I joined Edgeworks when some one gave me a one month membership as a gift

Why do you climb at Edgeworks?

Dan: Running marathons is really my thing, but I started climbing at Edgeworks because I wanted some balance in the way I was using my body. Now I probably climb even a bit more than I run. I like the puzzle-solving aspect of it and the fact that I can just pop into the gym for a short time and get a quick workout or take an exercise class.

Where is your favorite place to climb outside?

Dan: I’m new to climbing outside in Washington but I really enjoyed bouldering at the Forestlands in Leavenworth last spring.

What do you do when you’re not climbing?

Dan: I teach environmental studies at the University of Puget Sound and I’m writing a book about environmental science and sustainability. I love teaching and learning about the way the world works and how we interact with it.

What are some interesting facts you’d like to share with the Edgeworks community?

Dan: I love watching my two kids Audrey (11) and William (7) climb and enjoy the outdoors even more than I like climbing myself.

Which do you prefer: top rope, lead, or bouldering?

Dan: I like bouldering best because it gets really challenging, really fast and all I need to do it are shoes and chalk.

What’s your go-to route grade?

Dan: I like figuring out the V3s on the bouldering wall.

We’re stoked to introduce Edgeworks’ NEW  Head Route Setter, Joe Stangel!

Joe started climbing at the University of Cincinnati climbing wall and fast became a regular and then finally an employee. Joe spent much of the next years climbing all over the south.  After clipping bolts at the Red for too long, Joe now prefers to plug gear on long multi-pitch or stay lower to the ground pebble wrestling. With the ultimate goal of combining the two to create the next great climbing discipline of big wall bouldering.

Since graduating college, Joe has been working toward a career in routesetting. He is currently a USAC Level 1 Route Setter and is tirelessly working towards moving up in the ranks of USAC certifications. He has competed in two Setter Showdowns and set for a handful of USAC competitions.

When he’s not climbing or turning a wrench, Joe likes to drink good beer, hike or bike up mountains, ski down them, and stare at maps while trying to figure out how to travel to places no one has ever heard of. (We think he’ll fit it ’round here just fine!)

The official “Passing of the Wrench” ceremony will commence Tuesday morning, August 22, 2016.

50% OFF Steals!

Available Aug 1-31, 2016 ONLY — Don’t wait!

50% OFF: 30-Day Intro Pass!

Just $42 for 30 days of climbing
(regularly a $84 value!)
Our 30-day intro pass is an excellent option for those needing just a little more convincing before purchasing a membership! While the Intro Pass not a full membership, it does include some of the same perks like full access to our climbing walls, fitness classes and a 101: Intro to Climbing course.

Don’t miss out on these sweet deals!
No coupons necessary! Just mention the deal when purchasing at the front desk.
Offers expire August 31, 2016.

Dan Lofgren

Member since 2014

How did you start climbing?
Dan: I met a guy at Backpacker Supply in 1994 who happened to be an instructor for The Mountaineers. He and I struck up a friendship and he taught me the essentials of both rock climbing and mountaineering. I’m forever grateful.

Why do you climb at Edgeworks?
Dan: The atmosphere at Edgeworks is so incredibly positive! The staff and my fellow climbers are all focused on the safety and success of each climber. I consider every climber at Edgeworks to be my friend; I just haven’t met some of them yet!

Where is your favorite place to climb outside?
Dan: I like the nature of the rock at Exit 38 and the zillion routes at Smith Rock. However, my favorite climb of all time is Outer Space at Leavenworth.

What do you do when you’re not climbing?
Dan: Being recently retired, I’m coming to grips with a new reality – trying to handle my new freedom and schedule my priorities. I have more time now to finish a couple major landscaping changes, help my kids with their own home projects, spend time with my eleven grandkids and serve in my church. I think I’m going to like this!

What are some interesting facts you’d like to share with the Edgeworks community?
Dan: I’m very involved with a new mission hospital in Togo, West Africa. The need is incredible – there are only 4 doctors for every 100,000 people! My doctor-daughter and her teammates share God’s love and compassion with multitudes of people who would never otherwise receive medical care. I want to help them as much as possible.

Which do you prefer: top rope, lead, or bouldering?
Dan: My creaky joints prevent me from bouldering and a fear of injury makes me shy away from leading – at my age it takes so much longer to heal, and I don’t want to miss climbing. As a result I thoroughly enjoy top roping.

What’s your go-to route grade?
Dan: 5.9 to 5.10 It depends on who rates it. I most enjoy a route that is at my limit all the way up. The exhilaration mounts after each successful move and finally explodes at the top! That’s what rock climbing is all about. I love it!

CAMP HMS Compact Locking Carabiner

By: Abbie Madlem

The CAMP HMS compact locking carabiner has quickly become my go-to for belaying. It has a rounded design, which makes using it for belaying or rappelling super smooth.

It’s the only carabiner that I haven’t had to work hard to belay rope through in the gym, which is crucial when you’re belaying for long stretches of time. The rounded design means that there are no corners for the rope to bunch up in. The reduction in friction means a lower heat as well. The wide design also prevents the carabiner from flipping on your harness.

I think it is the perfect carabiner to get comfortable belaying on, because it is so easy to use, but I would recommend it to people that are seasoned belayers as well!