El Swampitan
Top-Rope Competition
Want to see if you have what it takes to climb El Capitan? Register for our first ever top-rope competition!
Presented by The Knot - Climbing Gym and The Climb For Cancer Foundation, The El Cap Swamp Comp will give competitors the chance to test their limits by climbing 3000 feet in less than 24 hours.
All funds raised will benefit The Climb for Cancer Foundation.
How does it work?
Climbers will compete in teams of 2 and have 24 hours to complete 3000 feet of climbing (100 top-rope routes) to simulate climbing El Capitan in Yosemite National Park .
All rope routes in the gym will be reset for this competition and several of them will resemble iconic pitches on the mega classics at El Cap.
This event was created as a fundraiser for The Climb for Cancer Foundation. Throughout the event, there will be opportunities for competitors and spectators to participate in games, raffles, and other mini-competitions to raise money for The Climb For Cancer foundation.
After signing up, teams will be provided with a link to set up a page to fundraise money for The Climb For Cancer Foundation. Fundraising is not required but strongly encourage and the participants on the highest fundraising team will each win an annual pass to the United States National Parks as well as prizes from our sponsors.
Prizes will also be awarded to the 2nd and 3rd place for fundraising and the top 3 fastest teams to complete the challenge.
Schedule
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We'll be adding more details as we get closer to the comp. Make sure to check back!
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Saturday, July 22nd
12:00pm Climbing and check-in for competitors begins. Teams will receive a scorecard upon check-in and a staff member will mark their start time. Their time will continue running until they complete 100 rope routes.
Competitors can check-in any time after 12:00pm on Saturday and will have until 12:00pm on Sunday to finish climbing all 3000 feet.
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Sunday, July 23rd
12:00pm Climbing ends and all competitors need to turn in their scorecards.
12:00pm-4:00pm Pop-up market with vendors, music, and games.
2:00pm Announcements for winners & award ceremony
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I be allowed to climb in the gym if I'm not competing in the competition?
Yes! Top-rope sections will all be closed for the duration of the competition, but bouldering will remain open for members & their guests. We just ask that you make a contribution of $5 or more to The Climb For Cancer Foundation fundraiser.
Bouldering will remain open until 2am and will reopen at 7am on Sunday, 7/23.
Will the top-rope walls be closed leading up to the competition?
Just like with our bouldering competitions, all top-rope walls will be reset starting on Monday, 7/17. They will be closed until the conclusion of the competition. Bouldering walls & the workout area will remain open as usual.
Can I come in to spectate during the competition?
Absolutely! Spectators are encouraged to come cheer on the competitors. We just ask that you remain off of the climbing mats.
We'll have vendors and games throughout the competition that spectators are encouraged to participate in. Keep an eye on the schedule above and on our social media for updates.
How hard are the rope routes going to be?
We will have 34 new routes set for the competition ranging from 5.6 to 5.11. All competitors will have to climb on each anchor at least once and there will be two routes on each ranging in difficulty. We would recommend being comfortable on climbing up to 5.9 if you'd like to compete, but all skill levels are welcome!