On a sunny weekend in the summer of 1988, dozens of the world's top rock climbers congregated at the Snowbird Resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC) for the country's first international climbing competition. Clad in bright Lycra, men and women competed for cash prizes, testing their climbing strength and endurance as they scaled vertical walls before spectators picnicking below. But they were not on any of the rocky peaks surrounding the ski resort. Instead, these climbers scaled a 115-foot artificial wall constructed on the side of the Snowbird Lodge, climbing a series of bright and colorful plastic holds.1 This event marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of climbing in Utah, showcasing the sport's transformation into a competitive spectacle and solidifying the Wasatch's status as a center for climbing. Climbing competitions were not new. They originated in the Soviet Union in the early Cold War and matured in Europe...

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