Written by Kadisha Aburub | Edited by Alexandra Erdman | Photos by Bell Sarian Wong

While some folks in the western world associate Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving with miles of food like mashed potatoes and turkey it's crucial to acknowledge the history behind this day. 

Thanksgiving, for Indigenous people, is a day of mourning and protest commemorating the arrival of settlers in North America and the centuries of oppression and genocide that ensued for Indigenous people. We recognize this and honor those who choose to publicly mourn or not partake in festivities. In light of this, we honor and hold space for the Indigenous communities, past and present, who have lived and continue to live on this land. 

As we delve into the significance of these historical truths, we find resonance in the spirit of community and unity. Sender One Climbing Gyms across the region recently united for a unique celebration, blending the joys of climbing with the warmth of shared food. Members also participated in a canned food drive in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club.

As we reflect on these interconnected themes, we invite our community to continue exploring the history of the land you work, live, and recreate on. Let this reflection serve as a foundation for fostering an environment of respect and appreciation for the diverse communities that make up climbing and beyond.

Check out last year’s blog on Indigenous People’s Month.

Written by Eric Ho & Keigin Tosh | Edited by Alexandra Erdman

With school breaks fast approaching, you may be wondering: What can my kids do during this down time? Well, we can an answer for you: Rock Climbing Camp!

Camp is a three day experience where kids can learn about the sport of climbing, and the many fun, wacky, and challenging ways to enjoy it! Each of our locations will be offering camp sessions during Fall and Winter Breaks. While activities may vary depending on which location you choose, all 3 camps are equally fun and enticing! Throughout the day, kids will learn how to climb efficiently, understand the lingo, and play climbing related games in an environment that encourages socialization, creativity, and fun! They get to do tons of cool activities, such as crate stacking (only at LAX), slacklining (at SNA & PV), the treadwall (only at PV), and  the KING SWING (at SNA & LAX)! It’s a great way for kids to get some exercise and learn about this awesome sport!

But don’t take our word for it. Here are some testimonials from Sender One staff who aren’t just camp counselors, but camp experts!

Our different camp counselors all have a favorite apparatus. Coach Andrew likes crate stacking, while Coach Keigin likes the King Swing. Coach Mac likes the slackline because it’s a challenge for both the core AND the mind! Coach Von likes Sender City, an offering exclusive to LAX and SNA. Finally, Coach Jonas likes the treadwall, exclusive to Playa Vista.

Our Fall and Winter camps aren’t just climbing, but also include a variety of games! Here are some recommendations from our panel of expert counselors: Coach Keigin likes ninja ball, which combines fun with climbing technique. Coach Mac likes snaps because snaps is the name of the game, the name of the game is snaps! Coach Von endorses Captain’s Coming because of the high energy. And, Coach Jonas vouches for gym-wide dodgeball (when the space allows).

What is so great about camp, you might ask yourself? Let some of our best camp counselors convince you! Coach Andrew loves both snack time AND open boulder time. Coach Keigin loves the crafts.

Whether it’s your first time camping with us or you’re a returning camper, our counselors have some great advice for you. Coach Andrew says, “Use your feet, stay close to the wall, fight your fears,” and Coach Keigin says, “Trust yourself, you can do way more than you think!”

Depending your ideal location, some locations like LAX and SNA have both morning and afternoon camp sessions to choose from. Coach Mac suggests PM camp for those who aren’t early birds. Coaches Keigin, Von, and Jonas want you to take AM camp because the gym is all yours in the morning; less people means more space to play!

Now let’s hear some of our counselors’ favorite camp memories. Coach Andrew will never forget the obstacle course of 2022 (if you know you know). Coach Keigin cherishes the memory of all the coaches switching their names around, and the kids not believing which names were real. Coach Mac remembers being called Waldo the whole week due to similarities with the guy from “Where’s Waldo?” And finally, Coach Jonas recalls setting up hula hoops on the walls and playing a new kind of basketball with the kids. 

We asked our counselors who their favorite camp counselors were. If your counselor ends up being on this list, pass along the praise! Coach Keigin voted for Coach Summer. Coach Mac voted for Coach Erica. Coach Von voted for Coach Keigin (for their awesome Sender City slide calls). Coach Jonas voted for Coach Dom because "Coach Dom is da bomb". Whether they’re on this list or not, all our camp counselors are here to support you!

There you have it. All the reasons in the world why you should join us at camp this season. Coach Andrew looks forward to chill vibes for the chilly season, and Coach Keigin looks forward to climbing with excitement and wonder!

Here are the links to sign up for Fall AND Winter Camps at any of our open locations:

LAX | SNA | Playa Vista

Written by Hailey McFelia 

Devan Roper, our Fall Merch Concept Designer tells us a bit about herself and her inspirations for her design. Devan is an Oregon State University graduate with a degree in Environmental Science. She enjoys finding different ways to be active outside and recently took up surfing. Now that you know a little bit about this Sender One team member, let’s talk about her climbing journey and design creation. 

Where is your favorite crag and why is it your favorite?

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If you could climb anywhere in the world, where would it be?

What is the story for this design?

Why these crags?

You can grab Sender One’s fall merch designed by Devan and our marketing team after November 11th at any of our open Sender One locations. Feel free to post and tag us in your Sender One merch!

Instagram:

@SenderOne | @SenderOne_PlayaVista | @SenderOne_LAX | @SenderOne_SNA

Written by Kadisha Aburub

Our Sunday crag clean up was a success! We greeted all cleaner-uppers at the big tree by the first boulders of the crag.

We had a lot of folks join us who had never been outdoors to climb, so it was a great way to not only participate in cleaning up the crag but to also check out all the potential boulders you can climb. 

We had 15 participants show up for the event and we even had folks who were just there bouldering participate in the clean up! This is why the climbing community is SO RAD and so passionate about continuing these clean ups, because we know that they are needed and wanted.

Crag clean ups are crucial in ensuring that we keep the crag clean for decades to come. We hope you consider volunteering at our future crag clean up in January at Malibu Creek. 

We packed out over 30 pounds of trash!

We want to thank our volunteers and our Sender One community for showing up and helping us clean this beautiful outdoor space!

Written by Alexandra Erdman

We know you’re all excited for Sender One Lakewood to open. But while our teams are hard at work building the highly anticipated full-service gym, we wanted to give you a closer look into what the gym will actually look like! The video shared below is a rendering of what the gym is expected to look like; it's like we're flying through Future Lakewood!

To recap, Lakewood will be Sender One’s third full-service gym. What exactly does ‘full-service’ mean, you ask? A full-service gym refers to the types of climbing available; sport climbing, bouldering and Sender City, like LAX and SNA. Whereas, Westwood and Playa Vista are considered bouldering-only gyms because of their singular focus on bouldering. On top of the different types of climbing, Lakewood’s amenities will also include yoga, fitness, locker rooms, bathrooms & showers, and a sauna!

Like Playa Vista, Lakewood will be located near tons of shops and restaurants! Within walking distance, you’ll find Lakewood Center Mall, Costco, World Market, Pieology Pizzeria, Subway, Cafe Rio, and Yogurtland, just to name a few!

Similar to LAX, while building out Lakewood from the space we found, we’re also working on raising the roof of the building by an entire 50 feet! Here’s some photos of our progress!

While constructing and opening new climbing gyms is a huge undertaking, we are committed to sending our projects and hope you are as excited about the new gym as we are! Without further ado, here is our latest fly-through video of the space. Enjoy!

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Written by Eric Ho 

Let’s Get To Know Last Year’s Winners

How did you form your team?

What is your favorite style of climbing?

What’s your least favorite style of climbing?

What is your favorite outdoor crag?

What kind of training did you do to prepare for Bouldering League?

What was your favorite part of Bouldering League?

Any advice for returning competitors?

Any advice for new competitors?

Registration for Bouldering League is LIVE! 10/13 is the last day to take advantage of the early bird rates. The battle royale begins this Monday, 10/16 at 5pm!

We can’t wait to see your progress!

-your friendly neighborhood bouldering league commissioner