First off we'd like to thank the team at The Circuit Bouldering Gym for putting on an incredible event on Saturday. (If you're in Portland and get the opportunity to check out The Circuit, do it, it's a world class facility.) The Portland Boulder Rally was a day long competition and gathering of the climbing community. The culmination was an extremely high energy final and then raucous after party. The gym was packed with slightly-liquored-up spectators for the finals and the energy was awesome. Having never been to a bouldering competition before, it was extremely engaging and I found myself hoarse the next day from all the yelling. While bouldering in the gym is about as far as one can get from the alpine climbing environment and still be climbing, the mostly young crowd (though there were a number of old Portland hardpeople milling about) was full of psyche and I couldn't help but see a room full of future alpinists.
We talked to a ton of people about NW Alpine, about our mission, making stuff in the USA, plans for future products and the like. It was great to meet everyone and introduce our company to a new crowd.
We'll be back next year when the PBR rolls around again, thanks again to The Circuit for a great day!