Mission Im(possible)? Training to Climb Harder as a Full-Time Routesetter

Every routesetter has heard it: “Wow, you must get super strong climbing all the time for your job!” The reality, however, is that many routesetters working full-time struggle to push their own personal climbing limits, and some may even see a decrease in their capacity. Overuse injuries and cumulative fatigue present significant challenges to anyone pursuing a career as a routesetter. Over time, these consequences can leave us feeling like we’ve sold our passion and can lead to burnout and attrition.

Join us as we talk with Jess West and Rocco Bocchicchio about common hurdles preventing career routesetters from pursuing their own climbing goals, as well as ways for both individual routesetters and the industry at large to move past those hurdles.

Setters Only! is a series of free online discussions led by Foxman McCarthy-James and Justin Wright from Vortex Routesetting, with relevant guests from across the industry. The panel-discussion-style sessions include time for interactive Q&As with attendees.