El Swampitan

24 hr Top-rope Competition

Want to see if you have what it takes to climb El Capitan? Register for our second annual top-rope competition!

Presented by The Knot - Climbing Gym and The Climb For Cancer Foundation, The El Swampitan top-rope competition gives competitors the chance to test their limits by climbing 3000 feet in less than 24 hours.

All funds raised will benefit Climb for Cancer Foundation.

El Swampitan Rulebook

    How does it work?

    Climbers will compete in teams of 2 and have 24 hours to complete 3000 feet of climbing (100 top-rope routes) to simulate climbing El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.

    All rope routes in the gym will be reset for this competition and several of them will resemble iconic pitches on the mega classics at El Cap.

    This event was created as a fundraiser for The Climb for Cancer Foundation. Throughout the event, there will be opportunities for competitors and spectators to participate in games, raffles, and other mini-competitions to raise money for The Climb For Cancer foundation.

    After signing up, teams will be provided with a link to set up a page to fundraise money for The Climb For Cancer Foundation. In lieu of a registration fee, teams will be required to fundraise a minimum of $100 to participate in the competition. The participants on the highest fundraising team will each win an annual pass to the U.S. National Parks as well as prizes from our sponsors.

    Prizes will also be awarded to the 2nd and 3rd place for fundraising, the top 3 fastest teams to complete the challenge, and the team that completed the most routes in under 24 hours.

    • Throughout the event, we'll also host mini-games where anyone can compete to win prizes from our sponsors. We'll announce all of the winners at the award ceremony on Sunday, July 21.

      A full list of our mini-games and their rules will be posted this week.

    • Saturday, July 20

      12:00 PM Climbing and check-in for competitors begins. Teams will receive a scorecard upon check-in and a staff member will mark their start time. Their time will continue running until they complete 100 rope routes. Competitors can check-in any time after 12:00pm on Saturday and will have until 12:00 PM on Sunday to finish climbing all 3000 feet.

      1:00 PM Mini-Game: Blind Figure-Eight Follow Through

      4:00 PM Mini Game: 70M Rope Flake

      7:00 PM Mini Game: Climbing Limbo

      10:00 PM Climbing for day pass holders ends. All climbers coming in after 10pm must be current members or be accompanied by a current member

      Karaoke begins!

    • Sunday, July 21

      2:00 AM - 4:00 AM Lights out climbing - All competitors must wear a head lamp. We have a limited supply that can be used but we recommend bringing your own.

      7:00 AM Late night climbing ends. Regular climbing reopens for members and their guests

      10:00 AM Mini Game: Boulder Laps

      11:00 AM - 3:00 PM Pop-up market with vendors, music, and games.

      11:00 AM Mini Game: Pull-up Contest

      12:00 PM Climbing ends and all competitors need to turn in their scorecards by 12:15pm in order to be scored.

      1:00 PM Mini Game: Jug-Hang Cornhole

      2:00 PM Announcements for winners & award ceremony

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What do I need to do to compete?

    All competitors must be at least 13 years old and hold a valid belay certification at The Knot Climbing Gym.

    If you are not already checked off to belay at The Knot, we recommend attaining your belay certification prior to the event. If you choose to complete your belay check-off during the competition, it will be included in your time for the comp. All belay check-offs are pass/fail and The Knot staff are not able to teach you any of the skills required for belay certification outside of a scheduled belay class.

    We are unable to process refunds for any donations contributed to the Climb For Cancer Foundation fundraiser. If you fail your belay check-off, you will forfeit your registration for the competition.

    If you have any questions about signing up, feel free to reach out to tully@climbtheknot.com

    Will I be allowed to climb in the gym if I'm not competing in the competition?

    Yes! Top-rope sections will all be closed for the duration of the competition, but bouldering will remain open. Members can climb for free during normal business hours. After 10pm, we will require a minimum $15 donation to The Climb For Cancer Foundation Fundraiser to boulder. This $15 donation can be made at any point during the day and includes access to the snack bar, one ticket to participate in the mini-games, and a free drink at the after party. This amount can also be donated to a specific team's fundraiser to push them closer to the 1st place fundraising prize. Just let us know which team you want to contribute to!

    Day passes ($15) will be available for purchase by non-members on Saturday until 10pm. After that, all guests will need to be accompanied by a member to climb in the facility.

    Will the top-rope walls be closed leading up to the competition?

    Just like with our bouldering competitions, all top-rope walls will be reset starting on Monday, 7/15. They will be closed until the conclusion of the competition. Bouldering walls & the workout area will remain open as usual.

    Can I come in to spectate during the competition?

    Absolutely! Spectators are encouraged to come cheer on the competitors. We just ask that you remain off of the climbing mats.

    We'll have vendors and games throughout the competition that spectators are encouraged to participate in. Keep an eye on the schedule above and on our social media for updates.

    What are the prizes?

    The team that fundraises the most amount of money will win two annual passes to the U.S. National Parks.

    We will also award prizes from our sponsors to the top three fundraising teams, the three fastest teams to complete all 100 routes, and the team that completes the most ascents in 24 hours, and all winners of the mini-games.

    How hard are the rope routes going to be?

    We will have 34 new routes set for the competition ranging from 5.6 to 5.11. All competitors will have to climb on each anchor at least once and there will be two routes on each ranging in difficulty. We would recommend being comfortable on climbing up to 5.9 if you'd like to compete, but all skill levels are welcome!

    Do I get anything for signing up? 

    All competitors will receive a goody bag with things from our sponsors, stickers, raffle tickets, and if you register and submit your $100 donation before 7/5 you’ll receive a limited edition t-shirt.

    When will I know if I’ve won something?

    We will announce all the winners around 2pm on Sunday, July 21st. If you are unavailable to attend we will notify you via text or email and you can pick up your prizes at the front desk of the gym at your earliest convenience.

    What’s the afterparty? Can I attend if I didn’t compete?

    We'll be hosting a mini-market on Sunday from 11am-3pm. Everyone is welcome, even if you didn’t compete. We’ll have local vendors, music, games, and all the new top-ropes will reopen at 12pm. All members and their guests will be welcome to try out the comp routes!