Pre-Conference Workshop (Half Day)

Title: Training your Routesetters

Date: May 1

Location: Boulder Rock Club, Boulder, CO

Start Time: 1 p.m.

End Time: 5 p.m.

Cost: $75

Presenter: Chris Danielson, Thread Climbing

Presenter's Contact Information

Email: cdanielson@gthi.com

Presenter's Bio:

With over 14 years experience as a routesetter, Chris has worked in numerous climbing gyms including the Boulder Rock Club, MetroRock, and Sportrock, and dozens of others as a national competition routesetter. As an independent consultant, Chris provides insight and direction on climbing wall operations to all facility types. Chris has been to well over 100 climbing walls in the US, travelled and climbed extensively, and has a diverse professional background ranging from researcher at the Charlie Rose PBS TV show to Harvard University. Chris is the former Operations Director for USA Climbing, a former Construction Supervisor for Eldorado Wall Company, and currently works as the National Climbing Wall Representative for e-Grips, So iLL, Flashed, PMI, and Trango. Chris holds a M.S. in social science from the University of Chicago, and B.A. degrees in philosophy, religion, and anthropology from Miami University.

Workshop Description:

"Training your Routesetters" is focused on the "how-to" of instructing routesetters. It has long been a challenge for newcomers to learn the tradecraft of routesetting, develop skills efficiently, and evaluate how to improve. Experienced routesetters often struggle with how to effectively train new setters as well as how to find ways to progress themselves. This workshop is for anyone interested in learning more about how to better develop and train routesetting skills in others.

Workshop Goals:

Goals for the workshop include conveying effective techniques for training setters, suggestions for mentoring programs, evaluative methods for gauging ability and performance, and an overview for how to further develop skills in the realm of competition routesetting. Workshop attendees will focus on ways to more effectively convey their own skill sets as experienced routesetters, and new routesetters will benefit from knowledge of the process of instruction as well.