Yukon’s climbing community came together on Sunday, November 10, for Climb Yukon’s annual fall bouldering competition, held at the Porter Creek Secondary School gym. The event, which draws climbers of all ages, is one of the last competitions to be held at the school before the association transitions to its new, state-of-the-art climbing facility next summer.
Climb Yukon president, Sara Bradley, noted that the upcoming Yukon Championships in February will be the final competition at the current venue. After that, the association will move into a new space designed to accommodate the growing interest in rock climbing across the territory.
Founded in 2008, Climb Yukon has steadily expanded its offerings, providing both public climbing sessions and youth training programs led by coach Gerard Garnier. The event on Sunday saw participants ranging from children to adults, with younger climbers taking the spotlight in the morning and early afternoon. Competitors navigated a series of climbing routes, earning points based on how many routes they completed, with bonus points awarded for successful climbs on the first attempt. The climbers with the highest scores earned podium placements in their respective age groups and gender categories.
Garnier, who coaches the youth team, shared that the number of young climbers has skyrocketed since he first started. The team now competes at least twice a year outside the territory, and this year sent its first-ever competitor to the national championships. However, Garnier added that demand for climbing opportunities has become so high that the association has had to turn away some interested climbers due to limited space.
“We’re really excited for the new gym, as it will provide the room we need to accommodate more climbers,” Garnier said.
Bradley echoed this enthusiasm, describing the new climbing gym, set to open in the summer of 2025, as “state-of-the-art.” The facility will feature two bouldering areas, each with walls about 4.5 meters high, and a top-rope wall that will stretch over 13 meters. Additionally, it will include lead climbing facilities, allowing for more diverse training opportunities.
The new gym will offer members year-round access, a feature that Bradley believes will significantly expand the association’s reach and programming. “We’re looking forward to offering more opportunities to the community. A dedicated facility will allow us to serve a larger group of people and provide better resources for everyone involved,” she said.
Currently, the association’s space is limited, which poses challenges for both coaching and training. Garnier explained that climbers sometimes face unfamiliar holds and sequences at national competitions, simply because the local training environment lacks the variety needed for advanced preparation.
“As a coach, I’m excited to give our athletes more opportunities to learn and grow,” Garnier said.
One of the youth team’s standout members, 15-year-old Asher Johnson, recently competed at the national level. Johnson, who has been climbing with the team for two years, is particularly excited about the new facility as he moves into lead rope climbing. During Sunday’s competition, Johnson felt confident in his performance, successfully completing all but one of the routes—a challenging climb that required hanging upside down at the start.
“That one’s tough,” Johnson admitted, but added with a smile, “I’ll probably get it on the first try next practice. That’s usually how it works.”
With the opening of the new climbing gym just around the corner, both the youth team and Climb Yukon’s broader membership are poised to benefit from more space and improved resources, continuing to build a thriving climbing community in the Yukon.
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