Last weekend my mother and I flew to Salt Lake City for the Annual 2010 Winter Outdoor Retail Tradeshow.

 

 

The Tradeshow is basically this huge event where outdoor companies can promote their new product for the upcoming year. There are hundreds of companies’ showcase booths all squeezed into a massive warehouse. The climbing section is only about 1/100^th of the entire show. Outdoor Retailer hosts companies boasting anything from camping gear, hats, backpacks, kayaks, socks, and sunglasses to dog toys.

 

 

Contrary to the circling rumors and my mom’s belief, the Tradeshow is actually not all that fun! Most of the people in attendance are retail buyers stuck in meetings all day. If you’re a poor, sad climber trying to make a living not unlike myself, you’re also attending meetings. These meetings can be with existing sponsors…

 

Or discussing possibilities with potential future sponsors…

 

 

To catch the attention of the attendees, specifically the retail buyers, some of the booths are extravagantly decorated. They want their brand name and logo to be recognized and remembered. The work that goes into constructing some of the booths is incredible. Sometimes, just a simple inflated woolly mammoth hanging from the ceiling does the trick.

 

 

Now of course the Tradeshow isn’t all work and no fun. There’s a lot to do while waiting in between appointments. Checking out all the companies’ new swag is always exciting! Like the new temporary tattoos from Joshua Tree Products.

 

 

I think the tattoos are going be a big hit! Also amusing was snapping a coveted photo with the infamous Bigfoot.

 

 

If you’re not into big hairy guys, maybe you’re into the smaller hairy ones. I mean dogs!!

 

 

There are almost as many dogs at the OR Show as humans. Every day over the course of the weekend a “Dog of the Day” is chosen for the Outdoor Retail Daily Magazine. Last summer Fritz took home the honor and got her portrait in the publication.

 

 

But with Fritz’s absence at the winter show, it was anybody’s game. The winner on the first day was an eight-week-old Malamute puppy. My mom thought he was cuter than Fritz and I disagree but I’m biased of course. You decide.

 

 

On day two the crown went to Torrent, the Australian Shepherd and spokespup for Joshua Tree’s Paw Salve.

 

 

In accordance with the Tradeshow, the SCS Open National Championships took place the same weekend. This competition was my debut into adult lead competitions, and my first time competing in a lead event in almost five years.

 

 

I went into this event with very little expectations, which, being a competitor at heart, was unusual for me. I squeaked into the finals in 9^th place, and stayed put for the end results. I didn’t progress, but I didn’t regress either, so I guess I have no complaints! I didn’t learn anything that I didn’t already know; in order to compete in lead you have to be strong and have mad endurance. This could be a result from actually training on ropes, though I wouldn’t know.

 

The worthy champion ended up being 17-year-old Sasha Digiulian, the only girl to finish the finals route! We made quite a pair, a boulder champion and a lead champion.

 

 

But not as good a pair as Sasha and her dominating Norwegian boyfriend Magnus Midtboe, who won for the men, finishing the tricky finals route with such ease it was disgusting. Props to Daniel for flashing with astounding simplicity as well, placing second.

 

Thus brings the Tradeshow/SCS Nationals weekend to a close. Fritz and I are now parked back in Fort Collins until ABS Nationals in Alexandria, Virginia on February 12^th.