In the PEIF, next to the basketball courts, ropes hang listly, waiting for climbers.

Senior outdoor recreation, leadership and management major Eric Creel hangs from one of those ropes on the Outdoor Recreation Center climbing wall. He marks pieces of tape with a sharpie to indicate routes on the climbing wall.

On Saturday, April 11, the wall will be in the spotlight as the Superior Climbing Competition gets under way.

The competition has two adult series, men’s and women’s, and a youth series, open to everybody. There are three divisions per series; beginning, intermediate and advanced.

“It’s open to students and non-students,” Creel said. “Anybody that wants to climb can come and climb.”

Senior outdoor recreation, leadership and management major Lindsay Hunt said if you’re new to climbing, be open-minded.

“Always ask questions,” Hunt said. “We all start somewhere.”

Every year the rock holds on the wall are taken off and reset for the competition. This year Hunt will be one of the people that will set the routes.

“I’m not setting this for myself,” Hunt said. “I don’t place holds far away; I place them in ways where you have to move your body in a difficult sequence.”

It wouldn’t be a competition without prizes. First, second and third place for each division stand to win something.

“Prizes are a bunch of different things we’ve had donated to us,” Creel said. “Mountain Khaki sent us some gift cards, the breweries, one of them gave us a growler, one of them gave us some pint glasses and sweatshirts, Downwind Sports always hooks us up with usually a climbing rope or a nice jacket.”

It’s $15 to register for the competition until Wednesday, April 8, $20 after. If you don’t have a PEIF pass you will need to buy a day pass for $10.

“[Climbing] is booming right now,” Creel said. “I’m loving all the people that are coming in and getting psyched about something that’s a good sport, not only physically, but mentally.”