Verdigo Boulders

Meet our newest Touchstone Athletes, Malcolm and Pierre Alcutt! They both come from 8+ years of indoor trampoline experience, which they say helps a ton for their general fitness base and body awareness. After years of bouncing and tumbling, the two brothers found a new challenge in climbing and a new community in their home gym, Diablo Rock. Climbing is just like a more grown-up version of what we were already doing, Pierre says. A self-identified boulderer, Malcolm oft...en runs out of projects in the cave & Kilter Board. I love how each climb is a puzzle to be solved both physically and mentally, he says, and how each climber’s strengths and weaknesses often allows them to unlock the same puzzle, but in different ways. While Pierre can often be found quietly scrolling through his Instagram feed (or respectfully avoiding yet another lap on your project), don’t let his modesty fool youhe’s got incredible determination and laser-like focus. But climbing is about more than sending the gnar for him: It’s the best excuse to be outside, discover a different view and perspective of nature, and spend time with my brother. On top of putting down big numbers in the gym, they’ve also both just recently done Ill Cave (V10) in Tahoeafter only 1.5 years of climbing. We can’t wait to see what they do next. Say hello to these crushers out at the rocks or in our gyms when they reopen! : Steve Babuljak

We are now in Phase 3 and open to members! We at Verdigo Boulders are beyond stoked to be able to open our doors in a limited capacity via our online reservation system! All members are now able to come climb and work out. Reservations are for 2-hour time slots, can be made 2x/week, and up to 1 week in advance. We’ll expand access to non-members as soon as we are able. Please note that the gyms will be very different from pre-pandemic conditions. You can review our COVID-19 p...rotocols here: https://bit.ly/TScovid19 Reserve your workout here: https://touchstoneclimbing.com//online-gym-reservation-in/ We can’t wait to see you back in the gym!

When we say climbing is for everyone, we are taking a stance. We are saying that we believe in everyone’s right to access to our sportand that we know we haven’t gotten there yet. Access is not about opening our doors and expecting people to walk through. It is about recognizing the barriers to entry and working to take them down. And there is no greater barrier than being denied your basic humanity. Black people in America can’t expect to feel safe jogging in their neig...hborhoods, buying candy from a corner store, holding cellphones in public, or even relaxing in their own homeshow could we expect them to feel safe rock climbing? To our Black community: We stand with you. We recognize our role in creating a more just society, starting with our gyms. We are reiterating our commitment to do better. We will continue to do the work within Touchstone to cultivate social equity at every level, from hiring practices to employee trainings and staff support. We will continue to work with organizations and support local leadership who fight for equity and access to rock climbing, both indoors and out, for all. We hope everyone in the Touchstone family feels empowered to speak out in this painful moment. It can be hard to know what you can do to fight systemic racism as an individual. It feels scary and impossible to change a system, but it CAN be changed. Here are ways that you (yes, YOU) can fight racism today: VOTE. Laws are made by lawmakers. You choose who those lawmakers are. https://registertovote.ca.gov/ Support Black-owned businesses https://bit.ly/supportBlackbizLA Support on-the-ground activist groups https://bit.ly/supportactivists

Nothing to do this week? We got you! Also, we highly encourage sending us photos of your DIY haircuts. #challengeinplace #touchstoneclimbing

We’re having a virtual Queer Crush meetup! Queer Crush is Touchstone’s LGBTQ+ group. We welcome everyone to share their stories, provide their insights, and assist other community members with challenges they may be facing. This is a safe space for folx to connect with each other during this unprecedented time. Join in Wednesday, April 29th 6:30-7:30pm with our host Katelyn from Cliffs of Id.... RSVP by clicking the link in our bio. Whether you attend our meet ups regularly or it’s been on your bucket list, everyone is welcome to join and connect with other community members. Each week will be exploring different topics of discussion to facilitate healthy connections and help our community. We strive to provide a space where you can share challenges you may be facing and find answers from others who want to share their resources. #touchstoneclimbing #queercrush

The Touchstone Retail Team supply hats to People’s Protective Equipment for donating! People’s Protective Equipment is producing easy-to-assemble face shields made out of baseball caps just a few blocks away from the Touchstone Warehouse. After reading about PPE, retail team member (and local Bay Area legend) Scott Frye shared their story during a meeting and quickly loaded up his bike to deliver Touchstone baseball hats to be turned into PPE for our frontline heroes. The company is shipping 2,000 hats a day nationwide. Our first batch is being deployed to the frontlines of NYC and California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. We’re honored to have the opportunity to donate our hats to this awesome group of people and organization. #touchstoneclimbing

We miss our setters, yes, we do! We miss our setters, HOW....BOUT....YOU?!

Week 3 of Challenge-in-Place is here! Stay connected with our incredible community by tagging us in your challenge photos or videos. This week we’ll be sharing our DIY projects, playing games, and even getting our pets involved again. Can’t wait to see your challenges this week.... TAG a friend to do each challenge with you, and make sure to use the hashtag #challengeinplace and tag @touchstoneclimbing so that we can share your videos! #touchstoneclimbing #challengeinplace

Ethan Pringle mini-doc tonight at 7pm!

Ethan Pringle mini-doc watch party on @touchstoneclimbing’s Facebook tonight at 7pm. #touchstoneclimbing #verdigoboulders

Stay fit with the Touchstone fam! Your favorite instructors are hosting LIVE fitness classes for free on Facebook, no Facebook account needed. Check out our Fitness Live Facebook page for the schedule. Here are some fun classes coming up soon: Core with Kelly Birch - Wednesdays at 7pm Want core strength like Kelly? Us too! Come take her core class tonight so you can tackle the steep like a Touchstone Athlete.... Hangboarding with Joe - Thursdays at 1:30pm Touchstone Routesetter Joe is here to guide you through hangboarding fundamentals to keep your fingers strong (or get them even stronger)! Your projects will be no match for you. Core with Canaan - Thursdays at 6:30pm Get the core you need to keep you going like endurance Touchstone Athlete Canaan! He’ll be sharing the routine that keeps him strong over miles and miles. Work Station Setups and Ergonomics with Ben - Fridays at 9am Home workouts don’t have to be boring! Ben’s here to lead you through a total-body workout with tons of variety and fun. Hatha with Baxter - Fridays at 1:30pm Slow down and reconnect with Baxter’s mega popular Hatha yoga flow. This strong yet gentle class will leave you feeling refreshed and focused. See you all on Facebook! #touchstoneclimbing #touchstonelivefitness