Doors, Not Walls: Rethinking Routesetting Pathways – Sierra McMurry

Today’s guest brings us back full circle to our first-ever episode of the Impact Driver Podcast, as we welcome Sierra McMurry (they/them) back to the show after two years. Sierra has been climbing for over a decade and routesetting for nearly as long, working at commercial gyms and competitions as a contract setter while balancing life as a PhD candidate in wildlife biology at North Carolina State University. Frequently traveling between the East and West, Sierra brings a wide range of setting styles and team experiences into every room they enter. They are a USAC Level 2 routesetter, with a growing focus on competition setting, education, and building safer, more inclusive pathways into the profession. Sierra and Holly dive into all those topics and more on CBJ’s first video podcast episode. General Topics Covered The anatomy of an ideal setting day (hint: good coffee) Why competition boulders belong in commercial gyms From “rose-colored glasses” to clearer instincts: spotting supportive crews, avoiding tokenism and building confidence through community True inclusion versus performative allyship in routesetting Soft skills as the make-or-break factor USA Climbing pathways, changing rules and unintended “walls”: how language, requirements and culture can discourage emerging setters Aesthetics, Instagram and the “before/after” boulder Show Notes Find Sierra McMurry on Instagram and their Ph.D Portfolio The first Impact Driver Podcast episode: Sierra McMurry – Routesetting on Common and Uncommon Ground  Routesetting Tips and Workflow feat. Sierra McMurry Closing Notes If you’d like to nominate someone as a guest next guest, have a topic you want to see us tackle or have questions, we’d love for you to reach out. You can find our pitch form here. The Impact Driver Podcast is a production of the Climbing Business Journal. Today’s episode is sponsored by Rungne, Trango, Rock Gym Pro, Flashed and Onsite. It was edited and produced by Holly Yu Tung Chen, Megan Cheek, Scott Rennak and Joe Robinson, and our theme music is by Devin Dabney.