Out of Shape Butterfly
Route-setter and coach Ara Morton sending a few laps on the lead wall back in the before-the-virus days. by Ara Morton I returned to Salt Pump for the first time on Wednesday, June 17, a few hours early for my shift and our grand re-opening in order to get in…
Stay Safe, Stay Well: Responsible Recreation in the Age of Corona
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” ― W.B. Yeats Coming home to New England — I think anyone who has spent time here will always consider it as home — to guide this summer has reminded me that the Northeast is…
Member Spotlight: Kevin Price
Kevin Price jokingly calls himself “the simple surgeon”. While for most of us, there’s nothing simple about critical care surgery, Kevin’s inspiration to climb is something we all can relate to. Kevin and his two sons first stumbled into Salt Pump three years ago. “My kids and I enjoyed enjoyed…
Salt Pump 2020 Summer Camps
Dear SP Kids! Families, Thank you for registering your child for a Salt Pump Summer Camp program, including our Inside Summer Camp, Inside-Out Camp and/or Overnight Camp. Unfortunately, we will not be running all of our camp programs as initially scheduled. • We will only be running a significantly modified…
The Home Sessions: Tino on Fingerboarding
Hi Salt Pumpers, A big howdy from my overcrowded garage where my hangboards live. These days I spend a lot of time with my energetic 3+yo son, working on my wrist mobility kneading a lot of dough and I’m quickly wearing the tread down on a pair of runners to…
The Home Sessions: Will on Shoulder Stability
Hey Folks, A lot of things have changed lately and I know many of you have been adapting to the new normal… It’s important to strive to find balance during such a dynamic time, and keeping our bodies balanced is important for when we return to the sport we love.…
The Home Sessions: Will on Core
Hey Salt Pumpers, Will here with a few ways I like to keep my core in tip top shape when I’m not at the gym. I’m self quarantined here in my apartment and I have limited workout equipment at my disposal. I get very bored with planking for 10 minutes…
The Home Sessions: Ara on Therabands
Therabands are a must have item for any climber or athlete… especially one stuck working out in their basement or garage! The range of uses and applications make it one of the most cost efficient workout tools out there. Here are a few of Coach Ara’s favorite ways to band…
Training At Home
A global pandemic is as good a time as any to invest a little in your home gym scene. But what gear to get, and what exercises to do? The fitness industry is rife with overly complicated, expensive workout equipment, but at Salt Pump, we like to keep our training…
Update on COVID 19: Reduced Usage Plan
As the coronavirus situation evolves, everyone’s health is of the utmost importance. In order to keep providing access to Salt Pump that is in line with CDC guidelines about social distancing, on Monday, 3/16, we will implement a temporary reduced usage plan. The number of climbers in our facility will…
Health and Safety at Salt Pump
Dear Salt Pump Community, We are closely monitoring the potential spread of the coronavirus in Maine and its potential impact on our community and operations. As of March 10, 2020, according to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), there are no confirmed cases of 2019 novel coronavirus…
The Clampdown 2020: Full results, photos, and more…
On Saturday, February 8th, over a hundred competitors and spectators braved single digit temperatures to attend the Inaugural edition of The Clampdown – Salt Pump’s come-one, come-all adult competition for climbers of all abilities. $2,000 in cash prizes were awarded to the top three male and female competitors, while the…
Quinn Brett comes to Salt Pump!
We couldn’t be more psyched to have hardcore climber and adaptive athlete Quinn Brett visiting Salt Pump on February 21st to share some of her experiences. The event is open to the public free of charge, though a completed Salt Pump waiver is required.
Training for Climbing: Step Zero
Although it may not feel like it right now, spring is just around the corner. That means it’s a great time to start thinking about what you can do to improve for the upcoming rock season. Training for climbing is hardwork, but finding the motivation to commit to a training…
Welcome to Adventure Club
Note: Nick Kelley recently joined Salt Pump as an instructor working with our kids and adult programs. A graduate of Northern Vermont University with a degree in Outdoor Recreation, Nick brings a passion for adventure and teaching to Salt Pump. When it comes to climbing, everyone starts somewhere. I took…
Stay Hip: Working the Glutes, Hamstrings, and Core
You need strong hips to support the work being done by our pelvis and core – the hinge point of so much climbing motion. When these muscles aren’t strong enough, you begin to compensate for the weaknesses in unhealthy ways, resulting in many injuries from this break in the kinetic…
Welcome to the Little Big League!
We will be closed from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 5th, while Team Salt Pump hosts our annual U.S.A.C. bouldering competition… And as soon as we reopen, The Little Big League, our adult community bouldering comp, will begin utilizing the 40+ brand new problems. Your hardest circuit…
Head 2 Head: Mind Games With Will Wild
Fear is a funny thing. When I first started lead climbing I was terrified of falling. I felt helpless on the wall, unable to move above my last clip and into the unknown territory of the iminent whipper. I climbed below my level for a long time trying to build…
The 10 – 4 Rule: Why Projecting Might Be Holding You Back
Local hardwoman and Team Salt Pump coach Alison Crofton-MacDonald on Ride The Lightning (V6) at Pawtuckaway State Park. Climbing has a tendency to bring out the obsessive side in all of us. We all know the feeling of getting sucked into trying that one boulder problem or route that’s a…
Meet Brittney Martin
This June, Salt Pump welcomed Brittney Martin to the team as our new Youth Programs Manager. Brittney was born and raised in New Portland, Maine, and studied Outdoor Recreation at Lyndon State College in Lyndonville, Vermont. With work experience at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and Camp Laurel, she…