Just a few thoughts

Everyone’s got one. Opinions surrounding the climbing industry can vary from spot-on truth to fanciful fiction. Below a few probably somewhere in between. The purpose of climbing gyms. How to endure the industry for decades, and barriers to getting started. Climbing while pregnant. Movement styles. Then also some straight news. An acquisition. A criminal settlement. And the 2nd season of a new comp series.

Community & Culture

• Midwest-Based Vertical Endeavors Changes Hands (CBJ)
• Is the Purpose of Climbing Gyms to Prepare Climbers for Real Rock? (Aaron Pardy, Gripped)
• 30 years, still standing – how an independent climbing gym has weathered the changes in climbing (Matthew Amaré, Vertige Media)
• Outdated Zoning Codes Are Holding Climbing Gyms Back. Climbers Are Paying the Price. (Ryleigh Norgrove, Climbing-dot-com)
• When does a block become morpho? (Pierre-Gaël Pasquiou, Vertige Media)
• Former USA Climbing Coach Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Minor (Sam MacIlwaine, Climbing-dot-com

Comp Scene

• Pro Climbing League returns bigger and better in 2027 (UK Climbing)
• Indonesia Claims Mixed Relay Gold in Guiyang (World Climbing / IFSC)
• China Sweeps Speed Relay Titles and Sets Men’s World Record in Guiyang (World Climbing / IFSC)
• Volunteer as a Technical Official at the World Climbing Series in Manchester 2027 (GB Climbing)
• CEC Releases Selection Policy for the 2026 World Climbing Nations Grand Finale (Kraig Devlin, CEC)
• Coach Application – 2026 World Climbing Nations Grand Finale (Kraig Devlin, CEC)

Crag Scene

• USDA Extends Public Comment Period to Defend the Roadless Rule by 15 Days (Sam MacIlwaine, Climbing-dot-com)
• Re-equipping climbing routes – a daunting prospect for future generations (Lyse Mauvais, Vertige Media)

For Owners & Managers

• Oct 26-30: Canadian Industry Conference and Certification Summit (CWA)
• Climbing Defense Litigation – A Practical Primer for Operators, Insurers, and Counsel (Robert C. Angell, CWA)
• LEMUR Reborn: The Board Room Is How Gyms Win Gen Z, and LEMUR Is Rebuilding Its Brand Around It (CBJ)

For Routesetters

• Podcast: Writing and Setting Are the Same Job – Holly Chen (CBJ)
• New Climbing Holds and Volumes: September 2026 (CBJ)
• Sep 29: Routesetting Roundtable (CWA)
• Videos: Shanghai Vlogs on last day setting at Banana – Follow our testing rounds, Easy boulders first – Hard boulders test & tweaking round (Beta Routesetting)
• Video: It goes boys 2026 – The setting day (Beta Routesetting)

Training Tips

• Podcast: Zoe Sayetta — Cognitive Dissonance, Competitiveness, & Body Image in Climbing (Neely Quinn, TrainingBeta)
• Is rock climbing a suitable sport during pregnancy? (Olivier Broussouloux, La Fabrique Verticale)
• Video: Tension Skills That Will Level Up Your Climbing (Paradigm Climbing)

Many of the links above are from third-party sources, and the views expressed at those links do not necessarily represent the views of the CBJ editorial team. We share this content to help readers stay informed about what is happening in the industry and the community of climbing.