Black Boulder Reconstruction

The Challenge

Artificial climbing wall have been abundant and growing for the last 15 years. Indoor walls have hugely influenced this generation of climbers and broadened the appeal of the sport. Climbing is easily 10 times as accessible as it was a decade ago. And yet outdoor climbing is a fixed resource that already can feel strained at times. Many of this new generation may not venture outside, but many will and that new strain will have to be managed. Beyond the land management issue, climbing on real rock is a vastly different proposition than indoor climbing in technique and movement.

The Solution

Using skills in passive photogrammetry create correctly scaled high resolution 3D model of iconic climbing features. Construct these indoors with interchangeable holds to allow progress while preserving correct movement patterns.

Create high resolution model of the Black Boulder (V5) in the Gunks. One of my all time favorite problems. Also is technically easy in scale, and also able to mimic gross shape with plywood.
Design plywood superstructure.
3D print holds that protrude from the super structure in their correct locations. Make subsets of these hods with same general form but in easier more positive shapes to allow for training.
Cast holds into climbing holds from urethane resins.