What trickery awaits you?

To the novice holds may appear randomly placed to be used in more or less the same manner: hands pull straight down and feet stand on the big toe. More advanced climbers know that route setters are devious creatures bent on forcing certain movements and tricking the climber into dead ends. Unraveling these puzzles can be either one of the most satisfying of climbing activities or one of the most frustrating.

So, how do skilled route setters go about setting a route? Step 1 is usually to determine a grade target and, less commonly, a specific movement goal provided by the gym owner or manager. The setter’s job is to establish a new route of that grade that may also include a certain movement sequence on a specific section of climbing wall utilizing holds on hand.

Step 2 is developing a general idea of the route’s character. For example, the setter may decide on a continuous route with no real crux (the section of the route that is obviously most difficult) or a route with all slopers or sequences designed to force heel hooks. He may opt for a crux section high on the route or low, or he might attempt to mimic an outdoor climb with which he’s familiar. (more…)