The Daily - Day 1 - June 18, 2019 - 26

Ideas
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T R E N D S

THE HANG 411

Earth Treks, the largest
climbing gym in North
America, will host the
biggest climbing social
of the Show.

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Hang It All Out

Set to coincide with Summer Market, The Hang will host some of
climbing's brightest stars and get a wide range of competitors on the
walls of North America's biggest gym. By Doug Schnitzspahn
WHEN AN OUTDOOR ICON TAKES THE STAGE AT THE OSCARS AND

catapults rock climbing into the mainstream consciousness, everyone wants
to bask in his aura. Summer Market attendees will get the chance to do
just that tonight. The subject of the Academy Award-winning documentary
Free Solo, Alex Honnold will be taking part in a climbing legends meetand-greet at The Hang, a special competition and celebration taking place
tonight at Earth Treks in Englewood.
Not enough star power for you? Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson will
also be on hand, perched on the exact same port-a-ledge they used on their
historic 2015 first free ascent of Yosemite's Dawn Wall, chronicled in the
2018 documentary The Dawn Wall. Take a selfie with these celebrity climb-

/ SUMMER MARKET 2019

ers and expect to rub elbows with
other big names in the sport.
Summer Market attendees and
local climbers will also get the
chance to make their own legends at The Hang. Competitors in
three categories-pro, advanced,
and recreational for both men
and women-will boulder for
glory. Pro climbers will tackle
five boulder problems to vie for a

$5,000 cash purse paying out to
podium finishers. Advanced and
rec climbers will compete for gear
prizes and bragging rights. And
an invitation-only speed climbing
showcase will serve as a preview
for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
And-wait for it-the epic "Hang
Contest" is open to all attendees.
The Hang is meant to be a social
gathering too, with food trucks,
sponsor booths, and free beer from
Colorado's Avery Brewing. The
whole idea is to tap into the spirit
of the climbing community that
has been at the core of Outdoor
Retailer since the beginning.
"Climbing has been a source of
excitement and entertainment
for Outdoor Retailer vendors
and attendees as well as local
community members for the past
two decades," says Tori Barnett,
Earth Treks marketing director. It makes sense, too, that the
week's prime climbing event will
take place in the largest climbing
gym in North America. A sport
once spurned by core climbers,
indoor climbing has taken off.
Seattle's Vertical World was the

CO U R T E SY E A R T H T R E KS

Summer Market badge holders and Earth Treks members
get in for free. Tickets for the
general public are $22. Doors
open at 5 p.m. and the comps
start at 6:30 p.m. with festivities running until 11 p.m. Earth
Treks is located at 1050 West
Hampden Ave., Englewood.
earthtreksclimbing.com/
englewood

http://www.earthtreksclimbing.com/englewood

The Daily - Day 1 - June 18, 2019

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