Routesetting & Representation with Adeline Wright

Do you remember the first time you rock climbed–that childlike joy you can only get from playing in jungle gyms and running through a playground? The brightly-colored rocks and macro fiberglass you could sit on inspire all sorts of movement and challenges.

After your first few visits to the gym, you realize there is structure and methodology behind each colored climb as well as a grading system, which serves to help you record your progress and categorize the varying challenges. The different climbing wall angles present their own unique challenges combined with the varying movement styles. Your experience was created with intentionality, but who provided that intention?

Your local routesetters. Our job is essentially construction work mixed with adult Legos and some aspect of graphic design. We spend much of our time discussing the varied experience each type of climber will have, and streamline it as best we can. We define this as climber empathy. Setting an entire wall or competition definitely requires a team effort, because we rely on each other’s individual strengths, perspectives, and positivity. The most successful route setting team is a well-rounded collection of individuals who can speak to the experience of many climbing identities, providing true climber empathy. 

In my 12 years of climbing; which includes competing, coaching, and routesetting; I’ve seen an increase in diversity across the industry but definitely not enough. Most route setting teams lack diversity in age, height, gender, and of course ethnicity. Many times I’ve climbed a boulder that simply wasn’t possible for me because of my height, and the beta I would have to use pushed the climb way out of the intended grade range. I’ve also tried out gyms that severely lacked diversity of movement styles, which is a real detriment to the climber.

 Representation is important not only for the experience on the wall but also just existing in the gym itself. People feel most comfortable in spaces created with them in mind, which includes seeing people who share their identities hold positions of power. I’ve gained community, a fulfilling career, access to the outdoors, a very healthy lifestyle, and irreplaceable memories because of climbing. Everyone deserves these benefits, but they need the opportunity to start. There are many barriers to access in recreational climbing such as the cost of day pass or membership, the cost of equipment, traveling to the gyms outside of major cities, and a community that feels inclusive. However, once someone gets past these obstacles there are even more that hinder them from entering the field professionally. 

For example, the biggest barriers to entry to becoming a route setter is the lack of access to education and practice outside of a climbing gym, as well as the physical requirements to do the job, and the capacity of the gym to train new hires.

It's almost entirely up to the headsetter to develop setters as well as accomplish their own weekly tasks.

I’ve made it my goal to help bridge the gap by offering education to the groups least represented in the field, which would be my own identities as a queer Black woman. It wasn’t until my second year of route setting that I set with another woman OR another Black professional. Last year I partnered with Amy Stone Foundation and New York City Climbing Collective, two local non profits, to teach route setting clinics at climbing gyms in NYC. They are completely free and created for people of underrepresented communities. We successfully taught four clinics last year and plan to teach at least five this year.

We had an amazing turn out, some people added the experience to their resume and secured their first part-time setting opportunity. The agenda for this year is below; the exact dates are TBD but check Amy Stone’s website, the Amy Stone Foundation, for the application links and updates. 

 
• Movement, Harlem - February - Done!

• GOAT, NJ - July

• VITAL Brooklyn, NYC - October

• Method, NJ - September

• Movement, Gowanus - December

Photos: Christina Fleming