New Routes At Solid Rock Top Out Boulder!!!

We just reset all the routes for the top out Boulder at Solid Rock Gym downtown. The routes look amazing thanks to some good setting by Andrew Press, Nate Sharpe and some other members of Solid Rock. I was able to try a few tonight but cant wait till I can really try them out tomorrow.

I would like to use this post to express my frustration for ratings. The ratings vary from gym to gym and vary drastically from area to area. I was recently at Thresh Hold Gym and Hanger 18 Gym in Riverside and the ratings are completly different there! I was able to flash a V3 without a hick up where as in San Diego I can only maybe flash a V1. The ratings always varied by at least 1 1/2 - 2 numbers. I feel like rating something a V3 when in reality it is a V1- is unfair to climbers. This in no way prepares you for outdoor bouldering! Anyone that thinks they are V5 climber by Riverside standards could barely do a V3 outside. I realize that outdoor and gym ratings are always gonna be different but to have such a drastic difference is in my opinion setting climbers up for disappointment. The goal of any dedicated climber that goes to the gym is to train for real climbing so why not adjust the ratings to be somewhat similar? I appreciate the climbers at Solid Rock, who in some peoples opinion "sandbag" the ratings, for preparing us physically and mentally for REAL outdoor climbing! Well that's my rant, let me know what your view is on the matter....

Hi Everybody,

This is a Blog about a group of climbers that want to share their pictures, experiences, advice, outlook and opinions on climbing. Our experience ranges from 6 months - 5 years. We have started to be obsessed with the sport and it has become a huge part of our lives, spending at least 10 hours a week climbing, indoor or outdoor. We train at our local climbing gym, Solid Rock, which is the biggest gym in the San Diego area. We are constantly trying to plan trips to outside climbing destinations so we can experience what SoCal has to offer in the way of climbing. We are also backpackers, hikers and nature enthusiast. The outdoors is all of our escape from the "normal" and its our reset button for our minds. The areas we have mainly climbed in are Joshua Tree, Culp Valley, Mt Woodson, Black Mountain and various other little places. Our love for climbing has moved us to further our range of climbing to sport and lead climbing. We never turn down a invitation to try something new or visit a new place. We feel that being able to climb in such beutiful areas and experience outdoors in a way that most people haven't, has given us much satisfaction in the sport and we want to share it with as many people as we can. We are always trying to get our friends and family to join us in our adventures but few actually follow through. It is always just never backing down from our next excursion. We hope you enjoy our posts and more importantly we hope that it may spur you on to experience what this wonderful sport has to offer.

Enjoy the outdoors and be safe!