Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Tour de Frank THIS WEEKEND!

The Tour de Frank is almost upon us!  This Saturday! 

This year, the TdF will be a low-key event - intentionally so.  We're working to create a casual event, with a focus primarily on the fun bouldering at the Slide, having a good time, and creating an opportunity for people to meet other climbers at the biggest bouldering area in Alberta.

Having said that, we have a great selection of problems for people to choose from (from V0 to V8+, with four unclimbed projects). Whatever your climbing level, we have problems that will ensure you have a good time.  Come out and climb!  The weather forecast looks absolutely perfect!

If everything goes well at this inaugural (and experimental!) event, we'll expand into a more substantial event next year.  This year, though, it will be a casual event.  We'll have the trappings of an outdoor bouldering event at Frank Slide on Saturday, though; free coffee and muffins in the morning, slacklines and a fire afterwards.  Prizes will be really minimal (as this is a 'test run'), but so is the entry fee (entry by donation to offset the cost of food, any excess money collected will be donated to the Southern Rockies Route Bolting Fund).


The format and rules of the Tour de Frank are as follows:


1)  You have FIVE hours (11:30 – 4:30) to climb as many problems as you wish!  There will be 70 hand-picked problems to choose from. We will use your SIX hardest problems to determine your score, though, so plan wisely!  You only have so much skin!
2)  You MUST (and this is NOT negotiable) have at least ONE spotter and TWO pads when attempting problems.  We realise that this may be inconvenient, but this is not a bouldering gym.   Our solution?  Be social!  Climb with others!  Climb with people you don’t know!  Introduce yourself, and ask for a spot.
3)  When you complete a problem, check it off on your Check List by initialling beside it.  Simple!  Don’t lose your pencil.
4) Keep track of the time.  Starting heading back to the main area / parking area around 4:00. You must have your sheet handed in by 4:30. 

Categories:
In both Male and Female groups there are Beginner (V0-V1), Intermediate (V2-V6), Open (V7+), and Masters (40+ age), and Junior (age 0-16) categories.

Time & Location
10-12 Free Coffee and Muffins, 11-11:30  trash cleanup (see a TdF helper if you want to help), 11:30-4:30 Bouldering!  We will meet at the east end of the slide at the gravel road that parallels the river (see the map below); the gravel road can be accessed from the main highway by turning south (toward the river and Turtle Mountain) at the last turnoff at either end of the slide, and following the road back into the slide.  If  you are approaching from the east (from Calgary), take the last left turn you can make before the slide, driving down the hill, and turning right before you cross the bridge. 


We'll have volunteers around to help people find problems.  Don't worry if you've never been to The Slide before!  

DO bring a bouldering mat if you have one, though!  We'll have a dozen mats for use at the TdF, but we can always use more at the Slide!

See you there!

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