Monday, May 24, 2010

Boulder Climbing Festival?

After witnessing the success of the Battle in the Bubble two weeks ago, I am sure I was not the only one wondering why it is that Boulder, which is such an important center for climbing in the US, has no annual event celebrating the sport. At this point, the number of cities and climbing centers holding such events is in the dozens at least. It seems to me that given the geographical location of Boulder with tons of world-class climbing nearby, numerous outdoor companies, proximity to a major airport, and of course thousands of local climbers, that such an event could be a huge hit, not just regionally but nationally, even internationally. I have discussed this with a number of local figures in climbing and will keep readers posted on my findings. Please let me know what you think and what you would like to see at such an event.

2 comments:

Matt S said...

Seems like a solid idea, Peter. Maybe the lack of camping has been a barrier to entry? As in, it would be quite expensive for visitors, having to get hotels?

One thing Boulder could use is a climber ranch, like the one in the Tetons. It's just a bit too hard for people to visit here, I think.

Peter Beal said...

The Boulder camping problem is huge, agreed. Maybe the Rez could have a 1 or 2 day exception?