CityROCK's Blog

By Laura Jones

Everyone wants to be liked and accepted to some degree. We want people to think the best of us. And before you go and say that you don’t care what people think of you, let me ask you this: have you ever said any of the following during a climbing session:

By Leila Hallenbeck
Photos by Renee Wall

Have you ever decided to climb a Leila route at CityROCK only to feel like you have been hit in the face with highsteps and lock offs? Perhaps you wonder why the route feels “reachy” when I am so short! I am going to give you guys some insight into height and how we as route setters set for different heights in the gym. At 5’1”, some of my shorty-directed moves may feel pretty awkward for a taller person. We shorties climb differently than everyone else! 

By Jim Zitting

It brings me so much joy to imagine your beaming faces as you read this. I miss all of you intensely. 

Today we reach the crescendo of this work. The most important part of slab theory: the smear. To smear your feet is to use downward pressure and grippy climbing rubber on a smooth face to produce enough friction to stand on. 

Photo Credit Abby Santurebane

Jen is one of our quieter yet hard-to-miss staff members. You've probably seen her whipping or sending some 5.13 project in the gym, during finals at Battle Royale, and crushing those routes you dream of climbing outside. She teaches our Learn to Lead, Learn to Lead Outside, and Gym-to-Crag courses. In this staff spotlight, Jen gives us some insight her climbing world. 

By Viktoriya Larmore-Schaaf


So you want to build a freestanding hardboard without putting holes in your walls? Here's a guide to help you do just that!

By Shanese Furlow

How do you feel about setting and climbing on vertical terrain? Does it get you psyched? Do you find it challenging or does it come easy?Vert walls are one of the best places to set a variety of my favorite moves at beginner and advance levels.

By Chris Cleghorn aka Cleg

I miss seeing everyone's smiling at CityROCK, the Team, the community and the atmosphere. Oddly, I miss the smell of chalk in the air and the "ssssssuh.... ssssuh" (we all know who I'm talking about) and the faint call of a wild Lucas off in the distance.

By Jim Zitting

Hello again, dear readers. Last time we talked about the emotional toil of slab. This time we’ll talk about general form and how a shift in this can reduce the pain slab climbing. Friends don't let friends climb slab...or do they?

By Jim Zitting

Part one:The Feel

Slab is scary. That’s the first thing to say, and it’s true forever. I often jump on that 8 that I’ve danced a dozen times, just to find that my head isn’t on. The act of palming the wall and trusting a smear takes commitment. It’s just hard.

By Janelle Anderson

Janelle Anderson on Only Entertainment. (11 Mile Canyon, CO) Photo by Alton Richardson

Everyone says that having kids changes your life. I will agree that it changes your life, but not in the ways you might think…more on that later. Before actually having a baby, you imagine a sweet little bundle of joy coming into your life, into your adventures, into your everything.  You are not going to let this baby stop you from what you love to do or where you love to go. This baby is coming into your life and will become a little mini adventure sidekick that’s psyched to do everything you love. It’s going to be awesome!!