The Infamous Route Setting Question of the Decade

TBF Setters preparing for Finals of the TBF Masters - The Modern Climber in December of 2019.

After a certain number of years, any full-time setter will inevitably face the infamous question:

“Hey broski! How do you come up with them rock paths? Do you have a lil’ program that tells you where to plug in all the bits?”

This question will undoubtedly come from the newest, most innocent climber that is genuinely curious about how a hunched-back, monkey-wrenching rock grabber could possibly manifest moves out of thin air without computer software. And the question usually comes up deep within the final throes of a demanding work week. Having the energy and care to answer with any real substance is insurmountably irritating, so out comes the automated, vanilla-flavored response:

“Oh, um, ya, we just sort of make it up as we go,” replies the dusty-grey grump-of-a-setter. 

Beyond this empty quip lies layers of knowledge buried deep beneath years of mistakes and corrections acquired through countless hours of trial and tribulation. The setter’s mind runs through a dark vault of memories like searching for the solution of an infinitely sided rubix cube. From starting out as a lowly maintenance grunt sucking in dust behind the climbing walls to fix another ‘T-nut’ and wondering if you might pass out as the steel fumes from the grinder attack your lungs to Chiefing Pan-Ams in Mexico City with a non-English speaking crew of three while grenades and M16’s go off in the distance from the local revolting militia, the amount of time spent tirelessly meandering through the labyrinth of the omnipresent setting realm feels deep and inescapably eternal. 

“Beyond this empty quip lies layers of knowledge buried deep beneath years of mistakes and corrections acquired through countless hours of trial and tribulation.”

After the 250th comp and 10,000th section, moving through USAC as a grungy hotel room floor-sleeping Intern to a late-night Apprentice lackey and finally onward to the glory of a beat-down Assistant setter at a National, setting movement becomes inherent. 

“Really? Wow. That seems like a pretty fun job!” sprays the evergreen boulderer as if it were just handed to you on a silver platter while they mindlessly smack chalk all over their hands and into the air. 

“It is a core value, an inner light bulb, that is derived from a genuine passion for climbing.”

Describing route setting as ‘fun’ after 15 years in the industry doesn’t really sum it up. But inside of this maelstrom of progression and digression, there remains an irrevocable saving grace behind the monotony of an ultimately laborious construction job. It is a core value, an inner light bulb, that is derived from a genuine passion for climbing. Some of the best ideas come from inspiration found outside on real rock. Although the dynamic, coordination-type Parkour moves of modern day competition aren’t necessarily derivative of outdoor climbing, it is the natural realm that serves as the genesis site, an ever-challenging and renewable source of energy that will forever serve the humble setter’s path.  

“Ya, it’s pretty cool,” the weary setter whispers with pursed lips as if letting out too much air might cause him to deflate. 

And it is. Most setters are grateful for their hard-earned positions, but there is much more to it than meets the eye. So the next time you see your local setter frantically muttering to themselves in the shadows of the furthest cave, not to worry, they’re merely planning their next route and may be approached slowly from a distance with a ClifBar or Kombucha.

- Dave Wetmore (Director of Route Setting at The Boulder Field)