Bouldering Club Builds Cave & Hosts Competition

Mar 31, 2010 by Kristjanne Vosper

On March 2, the founding members of the SCSU’s Total Bouldering Club, James Boldt and Tanya Foster, RRS students at Selkirk’ College, unveiled an almost entirely revamped bouldering cave in the Castlegar campus, boasting challenging new climbing routes for all experience levels.

The occasion marked the club’s inaugural Bouldering Competition, which was complete with oodles of prizes generously supplied by over 15 local sponsors, including the Lion’s Head Brewpub, Kootenay Centre Cinemas, the Castle Café, Patagonia, Valhalla Pure Outfitters, Safeway, Boston Pizza, and the Selkirk cafeteria and bookstore.

Though the swag was sweet, the crags were sweeter. So sweet, that over 20 enthusiastic boulderers in three experience categories crowded the entrance of the cave, eagerly awaiting their turn to top out.

The competition’s categories required climbers to classify themselves as either Intermediate, Beginner, or Amateur, but despite drastic differences in skill and experience levels, all competitors managed to swing off routes that challenged their problem-solving skills.

“This is probably the best-organized campus event I’ve been to this year,” commented campus recreation enthusiast and killer local DJ Kevin Heidt, who had spectators crowded in the doorway bobbing their heads to the bumping music mix.

Heidt’s enthusiasm was mirrored by competition organizers Foster and Boldt, who spent many hard hours prepping the cave for the event: taking down and reassessing old routes, cleaning chalk and age-old finger grease off holds, and rearranging, retaping, and rethinking routes.

“We’re just so grateful to our sponsors and everybody who came out. It’s great to see our hard work pay off,” said Boldt.

“It was fun!” added Foster.

Event participant Jean-Fred Mongrain agreed, “So fun,” he said. “Really.” The man is not a fool.

If you’re ever looking to kill some time on campus, check out the Bouldering Cave, just down the hall from the weight room on the Selkirk College Castlegar Campus. Shoes and chalk can be borrowed from the equipment room across from the gym, free of charge.

For more information about the SCSU Total Bouldering Club, contact James Boldt by email at leadingtheway_2001@yahoo.ca.