Hurry Fast!!!!

Two days to the biggest holiday event of the year!!! Crux-mas!!!

Today is the last day for pre-registration.

Register Today and Save.

Spread the holiday Cheer!

Crux-Mas

Tis’ the season for laughter and happiness
Joy us for our annual Crux-Mas Event
The air will be filled with good times and cheer
So register soon the Christmas comp is almost here

Crux-Mas Dec. 11, 6-8:30pm

Discounts for pre-registration
Pre-registartion ends Dec.9 don't miss out on the savings!!!

for registartions go to http://www.frontslc.com/website/comps/registration/slc/index.php

Event Timeline for Crux-Mas 2009
Wednesday, Dec. 9: Closing at 7:30 for event prep.
Thursday, Dec. 10: Closed for event prep.
Friday, Dec. 11: Crux-Mas doors open at 5:30pm
Climbing from 6-8:30pm
Saturday, Dec. 12: we re-open with regular hours 11-9pm
With 70+ new problems!!!!

Turkey Day

The Front Will be closed for Thanksgiving. We will be open regular hours on Friday 7am-9pm.

Get out and enjoy your day.

Happy Thanksgiving from The Front

Deadpoint Event

DEADPOINT EVENT TIMELINE

Wednesday, October 28: Gym closes at 7:30pm for event preparation.
Thursday, October 29: Gym is Closed for Setting and Event preparation
Friday, October 30: Deadpoint Competition Check-in is at 5:30pm; Climbing from 6-8:30pm
Saturday, October 31: Happy Halloween
Gym re-opens regular hours 11-9pm and 70+ new problems!!
Competition @ Momentum 10am

For more information and registration go to http://www.frontslc.com/ or http://www.momentumclimbing.com/

It's going to be a SCREEAAMING good time!!!!

It’s that time of year when all the freaks come out at night!!! This year we have teamed up with Momentum and we are having a Dual Comp Series. Join us Friday, October 30 at The Front for our annual Deadpoint competition and then on Saturday, October 31 at Momentum. Festivities begin at The Front Climbing Club with check-in Friday night at 5:30pm and climbing from 6-8:30pm. Saturday wake up put on your costume and grab a monster energy drink and head down south to Momentum where the comp begins at 10am.
Each comp is $35. Get $5 off for being a member (of the gym) and $5 off for pre-registration. Register for both comps for only $50 plus take an additional $5 off for being a member (of either gym) and for pre-registration. So, get dressed, have some fun, and pull down Friday night and Saturday and kick start your Halloween weekend. It will be a howling good time!!!
For more information visit www.frontslc.com or www.momentumclimbing.com

First ABS Comp of the season

This past weekend The Front Youth Team headed south to The Quarry for our first ABS comp of the year. All the competitors seemed to be in high spirits as athletes sprayed out beta and cheered each other on. The route setting was awesome The Quarry had a great mix of easy stuff to warm up on and hard stuff for all abilities to project and as scores were being tallyed there was even a dyno competition to fill the void.

The team did a great job and we had good representation throughout all the catagories. In Youth B Zach Berger placed sixth as Orville Clarke III walked away with a first place ribbon. In Youth C new to the ABS circut and new to our team Adain Goddard placed third and Axel Dillman placed sixth in what I thought to be the toughest catagory and in Youth D Matti Clarke took third in his first ABS outing. Congrats Team!!!

Thanks again to The Quarry and their staff, volunteers, and all their setters for putting on a great comp.

The Front has new Hours

Yesterday being the fall equinox must mean fall is here!!!! Beginning October 3 our hours will be changing. The Front will be changing hours so you can come in pull down get strong and send all your projects.

The Front Climbing Club
Winter Hours
Begins October 3

Monday
11 AM – 11PM
Tuesday
7 AM – 11PM
Wednesday
11 AM – 11 PM
Thursday
11 AM – 11 PM
Friday
7 AM – 9 PM
Saturday
11 AM – 9 PM
Sunday
11 AM – 9 PM

The Afterschool Program

The Afterschool Program (ASP) at The Front Climbing club is a great way for kids to learn about rock climbing and become better climbers. The Program teaches the basic fundamentals of rock climbing in fun and engaging way. Kids will learn technique, safety, gear, trust, and team work.

ASP meets every Wednesday from 4:30-6:00pm. Your first class is free.

For more information check out http://www.frontslc.com/website/kids2programs3.htm or contact Shannon at 801-466-ROCK

Wanted!!!

This Sunday August 23, from noon-4pm we are looking for volunteers to help take down and wash holds on the West Slab and Vert Wall. In return you will receive a 2 week membership.

There is a sign up sheet at the front desk or call 801-466-7625

Dirt Tours is Back

Have you ever wanted to check out the foothills of Salt Lake or run the trails of Millcreek Canyon? Well now's the time check out www.frontdirttours.blogspot.com for weekly trail runs. Your guide Nate D. will take you on a tour of classic trails in the valley. Just starting out? That's OK just come on out and join the crew, all levels welcomed.
Come on out and get your dirt on!!

Mammut Bouldering Championships!

I know two weeks have passed since the big comp week during the OR Show, but I think it has taken this long for things to finally slow down to our normal, non-frantic pace here at the Front SLC. So...now that it I have a moment, I want to update you all a bit on how everything went.

It was fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The qualifying round here at the gym was exciting and the gym looked absolutely amazing, if I do say so myself. THANK YOU to everyone - Front staff, NE2C staff, and all our volunteers that made the countless hours of hard work not only possible, but fun.

You can check out lots of great photos of the Mammut Bouldering Championships (including the qualifying round) at www.boulderingcomps.com. Congrats to Daniel Woods and Alex Johnson for their exciting first place finishes!

The Redpoint Citizens' Comp at The Front was a huge success with over 100 competitors! We had a great BBQ followed by a presentation by Josh Lowell and Chris Sharma on their new film Progression. You can find the results for the Citizens' Comp on our website www.frontslc.com.

Thank you to our sponsors for the event! The Front is known for our fantastic bouldering events and awesome prizes - none of which would be possible without you! Thank you to Mammut, Black Diamond, Nutriex, Redpoint Nutrition, Native, Nemo, Evolv, Madrock, So Ill, Etch, Sanuk, Asana, ClimbIt, Five Ten, and NE2C!

Eye of the Tiger!

I am sitting at the Front desk and putting together a To Do list for this upcoming comp that begins...in two days! There is still so much to be done! In advance, I want to thank all of our volunteers and the staff from NE2C for all their hard work.

But this brings me to my point. As I look into the gym, I see no less that 25 people from here in Salt Lake, the East Coast, the West Coast, and even Paris setting, cleaning, organizing and getting psyched! This is not even counting all the folks setting up for the pro finals round at the Shilo Inn (in the sun!).

Eye of the Tiger efforts are happening all over the place and it's exciting!

Come on Monday to watch the pro qualifiers! From what I can see already, the problems are going to be fantastic! Tuesday is the finals round downtown at the Shilo Inn and Wednesday holds our Citizens' Redpoint Comp and BBQ.

Members of The Front Climbing Club: even if you do not climb in the comp, you are invited to the party and BBQ. We want you to know we appreciate you all! So come and enjoy!

New Bathrooms Coming Very, Very Soon!

The members have spoken! New bathrooms inside the gym are a PRIORITY!

The Front staff is absolutely positive that you will be delighted at the plans we have underway for bathroom improvements.

If you haven't heard, we are hosting the pro qualifying event for this year's Mammut Bouldering Championships on Monday, July 20th - in addition, of course, to our awesomely fun Citizens' Comp and BBQ on Wednesday, July 22nd. We want the gym to sparkle - and the new bathrooms will be a welcome upgrade!

In the short meantime, please excuse the bathroom closures. You can always use the toilets and sinks in the lockerooms or hold it.

Event Timeline For The Mammut Bouldering Championships

The Mammut Bouldering Championships
Event Timeline
Friday July 17: Gym Closes at 5pm for event preparation
Saturday July 18: Gym Closed for setting
Sunday July 19: Gym Closed for setting
Monday July 20: noon-7pm Pro Qualifiers free to spectators
Tuesday July 21: Gym Closed for setting and event preparations
Pro Finals @ Shilo Inn doors open 6pm
Wednesday July 22: Citizens Redpoint Comp 5:30-8pm
Competitors and Members BBQ in Parking Lot
Thursday July 23: Gym re-opens at 11:00am with 70+ new problems

Come on out and join us for some if not all of the festivities. Register now for the all abilities citizens comp at http://www.frontslc.com/

If you haven't heard by now, let us be the first to tell you. This July 20-22 we welcome back The Mammut Bouldering Championships. Come check out some of the strongest men and women huck, pull, and scream their way to the finals which are held high atop the Shilo Inn downtown Salt Lake City. Some of the live sports action worth checking out or participating in are the pro qualifiers which will be held here at The Front Climbing Club, and we will also host an all abilities Citizens Comp. So get psyched watch the pros pull down and then test your skills on the same problems and many more at the the Citizens Comp.

For information and registration go to www.frontslc.com or www.bouldercomps.com

4th of July

…and not here.
Go see the fireworks and have a BBQ with friends!

Fourth of July Hours at The Front Climbing Club
Noon – 5pm!

What's Rocks at The Front?

Has the rain got you down? Well come in and check out what are setters have been up too. Just this past week we have over 45 new problems set through out the gym. So, come get some plastic pull down on. It's always dry in here...well most of the time!!

Also, go to http://www.frontslc.com/website/routes/start.php to see the latest creation.

The Teva Mountain Games

This Past weekend the team loaded up and hit the road, next stop Vail, CO. for the Teva Mountain Games. Where you can watch kayaking to fly fishing with some trials mountain biking, and trail running mixed in. Oh, and of course The World Cup Bouldering competition.

Zach taking care of business.

After watching the world cup finals the night before The Team was psyched and ready to climb. With less than ideal sending temps meaning 40 degrees and slightly snowing it took a little while to stoke the fire. But the kids were able to warm-up a bit and fire off some big point problems.

Orville going for the send.

Orville Clarke III was able to send a couple of high pointers before time ran out to earn himself a Bronze medal in the Youth C category, and Axel Dillman climbed strong through out snatching up a Silver medal in the Youth D category.

True working out the slab.

Axel going big.

Congrats Team on the strong showing at The Teva Games!!!

Next comp is the Mammut Bouldering Championships for more details check out www.boulderingcomps.com or go to www.frontslc.com

Hope to see you there.

New Shoe Arrivals at The Front!

New at the Front Mart! The Five Ten Anasazi and the Evolv Serpico approach shoe!

So...here's the run down for Front Members:

Five Ten Anasazi $130

Five Ten Moccasym $90

Evolv Serpico $90

Evolv Defy $70

That's 10% off retail for our Front family! Come and get 'em!

The Team getting out

Last Saturday the team made it out to Little to test out the granite and check out some of the classics. The day began at the warm-up boulder before they got on twisted. Twisted held to it's name teaching the kids the importance of trusting their feet and making precise movements.

Next on the stop was the riverside where the team got on their project Jim. With the warm weather it wasn't idle sending temps but they all gave it a go with Orville just missing the send and falling off the top.

Last stop was the Gate and the Standard Overhang where skin and being warn out took it's toll, Zach and Orville where close but just missing the top out greasing off the crystals. The day was good working old projects and finding new ones giving us another reason to go back.


This week the Team is headed to The Teva Games. Good luck guys!!

Outings in LCC

Sometimes it takes a birthday to get sport climbers/ boulders to go trad climbing. Last Saturday was Front Member Rob Duncan's birthday so to celebrate we spent a day cragging in LCC. To please the masses the day started out at Secret Garden where we ran into Jarrod and his family. The Afternoon was spent Climbing at the Gate Buttress.

Sean Flynn warming up at Secret Garden

Steve and I had a little adventure climbing two pitches on Hatchet Crack.

Chad getting psyched to get his crack on. Come on Chad put your foot in it. We ended the day the same way we started it with bouldering at the Gate area. Thanks for having a birthday Rob or I would never made out of the trees.

Let us know what you have been sending.

If you are looking for a climbing partner check the the partner board in the entry way.

photos courtesy of Greg Smith

The Front moves to American Fork for the day

After a long hiatus from all things roped, it was a BLAST to spend the afternoon among friends and fellow Front members at Division Wall in American Fork. I (Rachel) went with the lovely Melissa (Lipani), her new hairstyle, Dana (you may recognize her with skis on her feet), & Kevin (McClure). Kevin is recovering quite nicely from a shoulder injury and sent a BUNCH of great routes. Melissa and I are just remembering how to tie in, but she definitely showed her grace and strength throughout. She got on the sharp end while I stayed predominantly on the dumb end. Dana climbed remarkably well for her first time and it is obvious that we have a new rockstar in our midst.

James (aka "Has Been Known to Climb Some"), and Portia (Pork Chop), and Kat and Chad also showed up. Fun times! James and Portia made 5.12 look like 5.10a (I, conversely, made that 5.10a look like 5.12), Chad let out Conan warrior cries that were slightly startling yet not surprising, and Kat was strong as usual. To make matters even better, Front members Steve Edwards and Wenn Yang also added to the fun atmosphere.

Always great to see everyone and thanks for letting me TR your ropes! Front friends + cool breezes + great routes = perfect day!

Dear reader: What are YOUR climbing plans for the summer? Any big trips on the horizon? Make us jealous!

New Front Trail Running Blog!

Oh boy, are we addicted to blogs at The Front, or what? We realize we're addicted and are seeking professional help.

Dirt Tours with The Front, our weekly trail running series, now has its own blog! Check out www.frontdirttours.blogspot.com for locations and directions to weekly trail adventures.

Join Nate for some off-road action. The location for this week's run has been posted. Find out the 411 HERE!

Classic Chalkbags from Cordless!

Own your own piece of climbing history with a brand new vintage chalkbag from Cordless*.

For $10, you get a Cordless Chalkbag, the Frequent Flyers soundtrack CD, and a mesh shoe bag. What a deal!

*The chalkbags have cords. "Cordless" refers to climbing without a "cord" (i.e., rope), which is bouldering, which is rad, which is what we do at The Front. Now, get down here and get a chalkbag!

The Front on Volition Mag.com

Noel and Chad from www.volitionmag.com are documenting their climbing experiences at The Front Climbing Club!

Check out their online journals HERE!

Be sure to check out www.volitionmag.com for reviews and beta on local happenings in SLC!

Time to Get Yo' Run On!

The Front's notorious Dirt Tours are back in effect, beginning Thursday, April 30 at 6PM!

Find out the location and directions HERE!

You can also check out the Running Events calendar. If you're a race director and want to get your race listed, email sandy@frontslc.com

Our featured event right now is the Pocatello 50 Mile Trail Run and Relay on May 23. Run the course solo or as a relay with 1 or 2 other friends, or volunteer and spend a day in the mountains. It's less than 3 hours from SLC and is being put on by a couple trail running rock climbers from SLC.

Congratulations to the many Front Members who got their run on at the Salt Lake City Marathon events last weekend. It was an impressive event with thousands of participants. Thanks to Front Members, Joi Matsukawa and Kil and Steve Sawford, who made sure runners made it to the finish line.

If you were there, let us know how your day went by posting a comment.

FOX 13 Visit is Postponed

FOX 13 has had to postpone their visit to The Front due to some American Idol-related developments.

The Front will be open at 11AM on Thursday, April 23 for its normal hours of operation.

Stay tuned for updates on FOX 13's and Big Buddha's visit to The Front.

Sorry for the inconvenience. We, like most of the civilized world, are at the mercy of American Idol.

Evolv Shoes are here!

We just got in a big box of shoes from Evolv! Come get a screamin' deal* on a brand new pair of the Defy or Pontas!

Climb like this guy with your new Evolvs!

*Discounted prices for Front Members

Volunteer and Get a FREE 2 Week Membership!

Weber State University is putting on this year's Ogden Climbing Festival next weekend. There will be a Boulder Field Clean Up, Gear Demo, Bouldering Comp, and Slideshow.

The Ogden Boulder Field Clean Up is at 10AM on Tuesday, April 14.

Sign up at The Front Climbing Club to volunteer for the Clean Up and receive a FREE 2 Week Membership. Meet new friends. Check out a rad bouldering area. Contribute to keeping our climbing areas clean and accessible.

The sign up sheet is at the front desk at The Front!

Learn more about the Ogden Climbing Festival HERE!

Check out the Gear Demo and Bouldering Clinic with Colette McInerney on the Weber State University Campus on Friday April 17 at 5:30 pm

Members in the Hot Seat! Part 1

Thanks to all you EFT members who have switched from a credit card to a checking or savings account. Remember, you get a $10 credit at The Front Mart for making the switch. Email sandy (at) frontslc (dot) com to make the switch.

Now to the next order of business...

We're working on developing a series of questions to ask Front Members for a weekly series of Member Profiles. Once we have the questions gathered and tweaked, we'll start recruiting members who are willing to brave the interrogation process.

But, first we need questions and we need your help. So, what should we ask? Post your question suggestions as a comment to this post by 11AM Monday, April 6. Once we have some questions gathered, we'll take a poll of everyone's favorite question. The most popular question will get a free 2 weeks of membership! Everyone who posts a question will get a Front Koozie!

It's a win-win situation for everybody! Yaaaaaaaaaaay!

So, shoot us your creative, zany, silly, yet moderately tasteful and preferably inoffensive questions and win some free stuff! Thanks for your help!

ATTENTION! EFT Members!

Hey, all you EFT (electronic funds transfer) members! This is a message to you!

As you may know, one way credit card companies make money is through the fees they charge a business every time a credit card is used to buy something. In an attempt to cover the costs of these fees, some businesses will raise their prices. Not The Front Climbing Club!

But, we are asking all of you EFT members for a favor. If your account currently bills a credit or debit card, would you be willing to have it bill a checking account or savings account instead?

In return for this favor, we'll give you a $10 credit at The Front Mart. Use it to buy beverages or snacks, or use it toward the already discounted prices on climbing shoes, crashpads, clothing, and packs!

If your account already bills a checking account, we'll give you a $10 credit at The Front Mart for helping us keep costs down!

In order to get your $10 Front Mart credit, email sandy (at) frontslc (dot) com with:

• Your name
• Your bank's name and routing number (the first set of digits at the bottom of a check)
• The account number of the checking or savings account you'd like to be billed
• If your account already bills a checking account, tell us your name and that your account already bills a checking or savings account

Once we receive the info, we'll make note of the $10 Front Mart credit on your membership account and send you an email confirming that we got your info.

When you're ready to redeem your credit, just let the front desk staff know at the time of your purchase.

And! We have a shipment of Evolv Pontas, one of Sharma's Signature Series shoes, on the way to The Front (should be here by April 6), plus more of the super versatile Evolv Defy. So, update your billing info and score some shoes at a super low price!

Outdoor Day

Well with the unpredictable springs around here you never know what you might get so; hopefully you were able to take advantage of the sunshine and warm weather last weekend. With a good forecast on Saturday the team loaded up and headed to Joe's to see what we could do. We warmed up at the UMWA boulder where reach around was the team favorite. After that we crossed the street to the Small One, Orville and Zach both sent pee-wee. Then off to the riverside to finish off the day. Chas and Orville worked Kelly's Arete and Orville got the end of the day send on The Rail.
On our way out we took a little tour of Joe's and checked out some new problems established by Rocco Boccicchio who also is a route setter at The Front.
This weekend the team will be climbing in the comp at Rockreation so if you don't have anything going on tomorrow you should come join us.

Have a good weekend.

Flapper of the Week

Hopefully, we won't have a picture of a flapper to post every week. But, thanks to Matt Toone, we have one for this week. Thanks, Matt! Great job!

Tunes that keep you Psyched

Isaac Caldiero harnessing the jams of Celine Dion. Or, if not her, then someone who gets him psyched to crush boulder problems with double digit V-grades.

A lot of climbers listen to music on their iPods during workouts and competitive events.

What do you listen to when you're getting psyched to send? Tell us what artist/ band/ DJ gets your juices flowing.

Post a comment on this post and expose your adrenaline source.

The Front's Youth Climbing Team

Our spring season has begun practice started this week and we had our first outdoor day two weeks ago. With cars packed with kids and crash pads we headed down south to the Land of a Thousand Boulders, Triassic. The weather was perfect. Warm in the sun, cool in the shade and the sandstone had a nice soft feel to it. A big change from climbing on plastic all winter. For most of our team this was their first time being out climbing on real rock so it was good to watch them figure out and work problems together to get their first outdoor sends.

While out we ran into Front Members Patrick and Ryan in morning and later in the afternoon we worked two fingers with Jason and Sara.

Here's Coach Mike and Chad working Lemonhead.

After this past week I'm excited for our spring season and getting outside.

For more information on the Climbing Team go to http://www.frontslc.com/ and check-out "programs" or contact Chris at 466-7625.

Hope to see you out this weekend.

Spotting (and a little climbing) at Joe's Valley

I hope everyone had a chance to get out this past weekend and enjoy some sunshine. I got down to Joe's Valley to (gasp) climb on some real rock boulders. It was a perfect day- warm and sunny with no crowds. We spent most of the day at Area 51, and then wrapped it up at UMWA, Small One, and Riverside. We ran into Front Members Brad and Haley and got to see Brad hike "2 Finger Variation" (V9) within a few attempts. According to Brad's beta, it's easier to skip most of the holds- sick.

The original parking lot for accessing Area 51 is now closed due to vandalism. But, the parking .9 miles up the road is easy to find, albeit very limited. The new approach hike is awesome- gently rolling on soft singletrack until you hit the "coal road," which is a narrow and rocky dirt road. There are some photo opp.s at the old VW just off the trail, plus some old mining structures.

Needless to say, the bouldering was great. There were also some good lessons to be had regarding spotting and pad placement. After spending a winter in the gym, it's easy to become complacent about spotting and pad placement on your first few outdoor outings.

3 Steps for the Climber
Step 1: Before you head up, make sure you can get down safely.
Step 2: Arrange pads over rocks, roots, stumps, and anything that would hurt to land on, including pets, children, water bottles, packs, etc. Try to visualize directions and landings of potential falls, especially at the crux of the problem.

Below is me shooting off a problem, without a "confirmed" spotter.

Fortunately, I wasn't very high off the ground. But, I fell beyond the 2 pads and rolled onto my back completely off the pads. There were plenty of pads, but no one to keep me from shooting beyond them. The first time I ever went climbing I learned that I have to be willing to take responsibility for anything that happened to me when I was climbing. With that said, my spill onto the dirt was my own fault. Hence...

Step 3: Confirm that someone will be spotting you. "Ya got me?" "Can I get a spot?" Once you have a verbal confirmation from the spotter, make sure he or she has put down the water bottle, doughnut, or whatever and is in position before you leave the ground.

Regarding who is spotting you, you want to make sure he or she is not significantly smaller than you. If you're a bigger climber, you may want multiple spotters, or even consider not trying something overly committing or dangerous until you can come back with some bigger folks.

If you're smaller than a climber asking you to spot them, let them know if you feel uncomfortable, unsafe, or simply unable to really be of any assistance should they pop off the rock.

Now that the climber is off the ground, the spotter gets to work.

3 Steps for the Spotter

Step 1: Stand slightly behind the climber. If she falls, be ready to guide her by the hips onto the crash pad. If the landing is on an incline or the climber comes off the rock with significant force, you can bear hug her or even grab her shirt to keep her from rolling down a hill or onto the ground.

Do not try to catch them, or you could hurt yourself. Do not stand directly beneath her as you can be crushed, as well inadvertently push her into the rock. Watch her hips, not her hands, as she climbs, so you can be properly positioned and ready should she fall.

Step2: As the climber ascends higher, move back. If the problem traverses, move sideways as needed. If the problem is severely overhanging, step back as the climber climbs out of the overhang. Use more of a "cradling" technique. If she falls, you want to catch her upper body to avoid her head and/or back from slamming into a rock or the ground. Make sure any sharp edges are covered, including any areas where a foot might slip off the rock forcefully.

If the climber is attempting a dyno, stand back at the edge of the pads to insure that the climber does not launch past the pads. Your job is to make sure the climber will land on the pads and not in the bushes.

Step 3: Communicate with the Climber. Make sure you're both on the same page in terms of where she thinks she might fall and what the best positions would be for you as a spotter. Is there anything she wants you point out as she ascends- a key hold or loose rock? If there is anything about spotting that you're uncomfortable with, let her know before she gets off the ground.

If the problem is on a tall boulder, the climber can get to a point where it can be more dangerous for both of you if you try to spot her. Discuss this with the climber and decide on a strategy before she begins climbing. There are some creative ways to spot for highball problems. But, make sure you and the climber are comfortable with them before trying to use them. If you're in a remote area, consider the possibilities of having to carry the climber out or how long it would take to find help and for that help to arrive. Also, does your cell phone have coverage where you are?

Finally, remember every fall when bouldering is a ground fall. There are tons of boulders at our local climbing areas with beautiful clean landings. But, there are also some landings that are not so welcoming. Are the possible points on the scorecard worth the possible injuries? Fortunately, with proper planning, preparation, and communication, most bouldering injuries can be avoided.

Enjoy the rad Spring temps (when they're present) and send those projects you didn't finish last Fall. But, if it does snow, get your butt to The Front and maintain that fitness.

**The above is not an exhaustive list of safety steps for boulderers and spotters. Please comment on this post if you have any further helpful suggestions. Thanks in advance for any tips, feedback, or sharing of experiences.

Keeping cold drinks cold!

Thanks to those of you who participated in The Front's Sickest Contest Ever (until our next Sickest Contest Ever)!

Sport those Front-logoed Koozies on your beverages everywhere- at work, at the Bar-B, at The Front, in the shower (no kidding!).

Advance Footwork Technique Training Tip of the Day: Wear a Front Koozie on each hand when working your proj's on the slabs and vertical walls. After your workout, put a Protein Shake in each Front Koozie. Drink. Repeat.

Is there anywhere a Front Koozie protected beverage is inappropriate?? If you think so, Comment on this post and state your case.

In the meantime, come feel the burn on the new problems being set daily.

Probably the sickest contest ever...

We just posted a trivia question on The Front's Wall on Facebook! Get on there now and submit a response! The clock is ticking!

Big Action at The Front!

The sunny weather was nice while it lasted. But, winter is making its way back to SLC. Only 2-3 more months of crazy weather like this! Yippee.

Thankfully, the Front setters are working their magic and putting up new problems like crazy. Look for some new problems in the caves soon, as well as new stuff in the east end of the gym. Woohoo!

For the weightlifting folks, we have a Squat Cage on order that should be here by next week. We're going to put in a mirror too, so you can maintain proper form and growl at yourself. Nice.

The Front also has some great membership deals going on through March 15. Check 'em out HERE.

The Front Mart has Hero Highball and Dyno Crashpads from Asana at discounted prices for Front Members! Make sure you're geared up and ready to send the proj's as soon as the temps are right.

A Front Can Koozie is always a smart addition to any outdoor activity involving canned beverages. Get yours today!

New Bike Rack at The Front!

Take advantage of this beautiful weather and ride your bike to The Front! We now have a sweet bike rack right outside the front door.

A lot of members and staff run and/ or ride their bike to The Front. The world could possibly be a happier place if more people rode or ran to work or anywhere and everywhere.

A barrier for many people is that their workplace doesn't have bike storage. Well, The Front's sister company, Vertical Solutions, can help you solve this problem. We're pretty cheap dudes here at The Front, and Vertical Solutions worked with us to get us a sweet and sturdy, but cheap, bike rack.

Contact Vertical Solutions HERE! for a quote on a bike rack for your home or workplace, or better yet, a Custom Climbing Wall.

The Front Climbing Club's Youth Climbing Team

Here is a re-cap of our season. Our traveling team was 7th overall at Regional's last month. Gina Rafiti (youth female C), Orville Clark III (youth male C), and Axel Dillman (youth male D) all qualified for Nationals. Our comp team finished strong with their last comp of the season last month at the Forearm Festival. With most of the team scoring personal bests. Nice work team.
The traveling team just got back from Boulder, Co. where the team competed in Nationals. Gina Rafiti placed 19th youth female C, Orville Clark III placed 22nd in youth male C, and Axel Dillman placed 22nd in youth male D. There was some tough competition and everybody climbed really strong.

We are gearing up for our spring season stay posted for details.

Thanks for a great fall season, will see you in the spring.

Ch-changes at The Front

You've probably noticed more tools and ladders in more parts of The Front lately. We have several projects going on right now:

• Jared Roth is working on the long-standing mural project. Another artist began the mural. Jared is going to finish it.
• Men's shower stalls are being tiled.
• More room and new paint in the cardio area.
• New paint in the climbing area by the Penthouse.
• An additional speaker in the west end of the climbing area.

We hope you like the changes. Sorry about the mess. We'll be done soon.

Front Member in Climbing Magazine

Front Member and SLC Strong Woman, Amy Cockerham, is pictured in the latest issue of Climbing Magazine. Amy likely nabbed the First Female Ascent of Maisch Roof (V11) in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Long and crimpy face moves after a powerful roof sequence, this problem is a proud send. Great job, Amy!

Amy also won the Women's Open Division at Backcountry.com's Forearm Festival at The Front last month.

Forearm Festival Freakin' Fabulous

Thanks to everyone who came out for Backcountry.com's Forearm Festival Citizens' Comp last weekend.

Over 100 climbers came out to sample The Front's expert setters' new masterpieces, over 75 new problems in all. Thanks to Jeff, Shannon, Matt, Chris, Paul, Pace, Scott, Jared, Brendan, Rocco, and Greg for putting in the long hours to put this place back together after our awesome Volunteers busted their butts taking it apart. It truly takes a village to put on a climbing comp.

None of it would be possible without the gracious support of our sponsors. Please visit their websites by clicking on their logos.

Check out pictures and comp results HERE!

Thanks to everyone who joined us at The Front for yet another amazing comp season. Stay tuned to The Front Blog for info about our next comp, The Mammut Bouldering Championships during the Summer Outdoor Retailer Show this July. Bigger than last year- it is going to rock your socks off.

The Front on Utah Free Media

Check out The Front on Utah Free Media's "Aware" Podcast. Aware is a "weekly Pod Cast on Utah Free Media focusing on mindful social movements to bring our community in line with sustainable living."

Click HERE to hear some juicy details about The Front.



We're proud to have been chosen to be a part of this great series. Learn more about and listen to Utah Free Media at http://www.utahfm.org/.

Front Members dominate climbing media!

Be sure to check out the latest issues of Rock and Ice (March 2009) and Urban Climber (Feb/March '09) to see Front members in action!

Christine "Ballllllllllllzz" Balaz is in Rock and Ice for the second issue in a row, illustrating how her training at The Front helps her with that roped climbing stuff. While she's not enriching the lives of young people as a tutor or writing books, Christine is crushing stone around the U.S. You go, girl!

There's also some rad pics of Tom Adams crushing some seaside boulders. Where's your bikini, Tom?

Setter and strongman Rocco Bochicchio is the star of the Urban Climber "Workshop" Feature on Visualization. Look out for his problems at The Front, which are always sure to challenge the mind and body.

Man of Steel James "J-Litz" Litz is rippin' it on the cover of Urban Climber and is the star of a multiple page article. "So, James, do you train?" The response: "I climb on plastic at The Front in SLC." Need we say more? Thanks, James, for the props and the inspiration.

Finally, for the last bit of obnoxious self aggrandizement, check out page 72 of Urban Climber. Jamey from Asana, who made our amazing pad system, is wearing a shirt from where? Boo-yah! The Front!

Today is the last day to save $5 on your registration for Backcountry.com's Forearm Festival! To find out more info about the event, plus the schedule at The Front next week, click HERE!

Strong Core = Strong Climbing

To avoid injury, as well as take your climbing to the next level, a strong core is key.

A monster strong core, in conjunction with finger strength, good technique, and a positive attitude, will help you on steep problems and keep you balanced on the slabs.

Check out this sweet core work out from Matt Hart, an endurance athlete and coach. The pictures help you understand the exercises, so you don't have to spend a lot of time reading weird descriptions. I did this workout 10 minutes after a 90 minute indoor climbing session. I started with 20 reps per exercise but got downgraded to 15 by exercise #4. Do this work out with a partner to yell at and/or heckle you (as my wife did), and then return the favor to them.

There is no shame in screaming or groaning.

Enjoy,
Sandy

Clash of the Titans at Backcountry.com's Forearm Festival Comp!

It is going to be hot in the hot tub on January 24, when some of the nation's strongest climbers go head to head on all new problems at Backcountry.com's Forearm Festival All Abilities Citizens' Comp at The Front!


The Winter OR Show always brings in the big names. But, word is out that hard guys and gals are coming out from Boulder to squeeze the juice out of the plastic. So, SLC...gotta represent up in here.


Register now HERE! Save $5 if you register before January 17.


If you've never done a comp, you gotta experience the energy. You will climb harder than you ever have! The mojo is infectious. Start '09 right and raise the bar for what's physically possible for yourself.

The first 65 pre-registrants are guaranteed a sweet event t-shirt.


Will you get in the hot tub?

Got a finger injury?

"I have a finger injury" is something we hear somewhat often here at The Front. If you're on a forced holiday from climbing as a result of a tweaked digit, check out this article at Rock and Ice.

While you might be freaking out because you can't get your climb on right now, without exception everyone we know who gets injured says the same thing within a week of returning to climbing- "I feel stronger now than I did before I got hurt!"

Now would be a good time to check out a Beginner Yoga Class at The Front (Wed from 6-7pm), or a Propulsion Pilates class.

Thanks to Rock and Ice for their support of The Front's events.

Sweet New Years Plans Winner!!

The results are in! Kris had the sweetest New Years plans and has won a FREE entry into Backcountry.com's Forearm Festival Citizens' Comp on January 24!

Thanks to everyone who shared their New Years plans. We at The Front hope all of your New Years dreams come true!