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routes set for you

Our routes are set for all ability levels, proportions, and style preferences. Whether one is looking to have fun with friends, climbing for exercise, training for outdoor climbing, or preparing for competition—we’ve got routes that are just right for you.

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KAYA connects the people behind each climb. Discover new sets, get personalized climb recommendations, and log all your climbs – indoors and out – all in KAYA. Download now to build the stoke together.

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Meet the crew

Routesetters are a unique mix of an industrial athlete, craftsman, artisan, choreographer, and product designer. They are well-versed in a variety of climbing and movement styles. They constantly evolve the craft as the needs of our community change and welcome your feedback.

Michael Hauck

“Zookeeper”  
Assistant Director of Setting- Colorado North District

Pad stacker? Bolt clipper? Creek rat? Gym punk? No one truly know how to classify this ex-zookeeper from Baltimore. Mike loves all the dark corners of climbing and as we all have seen, it has infected his routesetting. His style of setting is loaded full of tension, flow, style, and gut intuition. Oh, and don’t forget the occasional dusting of emotions. 
 
But he has not developed this style all on his own. Mike has over a decade of routesetting with some of the highest regarded setters in the industry. Along with a steadfast work ethic, they have helped him build a strong sense of pride and integrity that permeates his daily workload. 

The rare moment when Mike is not at work or the crag, he spends his time outside scouting for and developing new routes or at the airport where he has been working on getting his private pilot’s license. ATC has taken on a new meaning these days… 

Enrique Tovar

“ET”
Assistant Head Setter

Before he ever became a climber, Enrique was a devote musician looking to create and perform at any opportunity. However, one climbing session was all it took to get this falsetto squealing hype man attached to a new obsession. Within a year, Enrique shifted all of his creative energy into creating artificial rock climbs in the gym. It was not long after that when Enrique went all-in on the craft of routesetting by shoving anything he could into his ’98 Chevy Malibu to leave Cedar Falls, IA and find himself an opportunity in Colorado.

Enrique’s setting style pushes the boundaries of the style spectrum. Slow, steady and technical or committing, dynamic and powerful. This urge to push the limit exists on every grade he sets and is always finding ways to use his creativity to give the climbing community a series of unique challenges.

Enrique is still creating music when he is off the wall and is hoping to perform again in the near future. Otherwise, you can find him enjoying table-top games with his closest friends or raging out of control with his good boy, Buddy.

Brittany Warren

Brittany has spent her life surfing from coast to coast. After graduating from Sacramento State with a degree in Biology in 2017, she moved back to her home state of NC and put her biology degree to work by pursuing… routesetting!

“Routesetting gave me confidence, it makes me excited, I could talk about it for hours. Even after my hardest setting days I’m still excited to come back in and do better. I’ve never had a job like that. ”

In 2021 Brittany moved to Golden CO and started setting full time with Movement. Her climbing style is a mesh between powerful and delicate. “I love me a good crimp trainer, but living in the south definitely made me appreciate slapping a good sloper.”

FAQs

  • Who is on my Setting Team?

    Each of our regions has a designated setting team. Above you can see pictures of our setters. If you see any of them around the gyms please say “hi” and introduce yourself.

  • How do I know what is being set next?

    We post our route setting schedule every two weeks. The goal with the setting schedule is to communicate where our team will be setting so you know which zones will be closed and where to look for your new climbs.

  • What days can I expect the setting team to be working?

    Typically, our team sets weekdays between 8am-4:30pm.

  • How long does it take to set a climb?

    Each setter will build between 3-6 boulders or 1-2 routes in 4 hours then group into smaller forerunning teams for about 2-3 hours and calibrate the climbs to ensure all challenges are grade-appropriate and adjust for quality & accessibility for a spectrum of climber types.

     

  • How does the setting team grade climbs?

    The day will begin with our Head Setter mapping out the intended grades for each of the climbs for the day. Once the first draft is complete which we call a ‘Skeleton’ we will have the primary setter forerun the climb and adjust any movements and swap out holds to get us closer to the intended grade. Our primary goal is to ensure the climbing movement meets our quality criteria then ensure we are hitting our mark with the grade. We will have at least one other setter forerun and make adjustments to the climb. The setting team will have a conversation about the grade and place our consensus in KAYA.

  • Why does this set of new climbs feel easier/harder compared to the last set?

    It could feel easier because the holds are clean with fresh texture. It could feel harder because you have not gained the muscle memory just yet. Each climb is unique and could be presenting a unique challenge that might fit your skillset or be out of your routine climbing movement. Either way, we appreciate your input and hope that you share on KAYA so our setting team can better understand what you desire so we can make every climb a uniquely positive experience.

  • Where do I report a spinning hold?

    If you find a hold that moves or seems loose, let the front desk know and they will get the info to the setting team to fix it.

  • How do I get into routesetting?

    We have a company opportunity page where we post all new employment opportunities. As a department we are looking for passionate climbers who are curious about exploring movement and designing appropriate challenges for our gym users. Keep an eye out for a community event called ‘Setting with the Setters’ where our setting team provides a guided experience of what our team does to create new climbs.

  • What is the minimum climbing ability for a routesetter?

    We have found that climbing at least V4 or 5.11+ is essential to meet the demands of forerunning each work day and basic understanding of movement. If you are not there yet and have interest please share your interest to your local head setter. They might be able to guide you to become a contender for our apprenticeship program.

  • Does our gym have an apprenticeship program?

    We have training for newly hired seasoned setters but our apprentice program is designed to take a new setter who has limited or no experience and mentor them through a 6 month program. We encourage motivated individuals to apply because we have a system to train you to become a great setter.