Salt City Showdown 10/10/26

Salt City Showdown
Saturday, October 10, 2026

An ode to Syracuse’s history as the top salt producer in the country through the 1800s, the Salt City Showdown features a Citizens and Open competition in the afternoon, followed by an evening finals event. From new climbers to elite competitors, everyone is invited to compete for prizes. All abilities are welcome!

This competition is a great introduction to competitive bouldering. Citizens climbers compete in these categories: Recreational (V0–V2), Intermediate (V3–V4), and Advanced (V5–V6). Climbers around V7+ can register for the Open category and compete for a portion of the $2,500 cash purse at finals.

Food, vendors, a live DJ, and community vibes all day long. Spectators are welcome at no additional fee. All guests must have a valid participation agreement on file. Discounts for early registration and CRG members are available.

Registration

Participants registering for a USAC event may also have their scores counted toward the Salt City Showdown if they pay the registration fees for both events. They cannot improve their score by climbing again during the Salt City Showdown sessions, but may be eligible for prizes or finals depending on the Salt City category they register for.

• Salt City registration: Open now
• USAC Youth QE registration: Opens September 23, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. EST
• USAC Collegiate registration: Opens September 23, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. EST
• Volunteer sign-up for Youth QE

Volunteer benefits include three free day passes, valid at all CRG locations; breakfast; and the warm fuzzy feeling of being a volunteer.

Competition highlights

• 50+ boulders, prizes, and a DJ and MC during finals
• Volunteer and sponsorship opportunities
• Food trucks and coffee: Easy Street Coffee, Mojos, Las Delicias, Skippy’s Ice Cream, Sourdough with Joy, and PhDivas (gluten-free goodies and pottery)
• Raffle prizes
• Cash purse and prizes from 2026 sponsors
• Official 2026 event T-shirt, available for pre-order or purchase on the day

Sponsors

2026 sponsors: Setter Closet, Lattice Training, OnCrux, Organic Climbing, Monster Energy, Friction Labs, Gibbon, Static Climbing, Alpine Start, Baobab Foods, La Sportiva, Power Company Climbing, and So iLL.

Local sponsors: Recess Coffee, Soul Society Juice Bar, Saunacuse, Manlius Cinema, The MOST, Erie Canal Museum, and Orange Performance Climbing.

Schedule

Session 1 – Open round (limited Citizens spots available)
- Check-in: 12:00 p.m.
- Rules meeting: 12:15 p.m.
- Climbing: 12:30–3:30 p.m.

Session 2 – Citizens round
- Check-in: 3:30 p.m.
- Rules meeting: 3:45 p.m.
- Climbing: 4:00–7:00 p.m.
- Citizens awards to follow

Finals begin around 7:30 p.m., following Session 2. DJ Jonah, MC Bailey, prizes, and party! Awards and prizes follow finals.

Categories and scoring

The Citizens category is for V0–V6 climbers, with Recreational (V0–V2), Intermediate (V3–V4), and Advanced (V5–V6) categories. Your Citizens category is determined by the average difficulty of your completed climbs during your session.

The Open category is for climbers around V7+.

In a redpoint round, climbers have a set time to complete the hardest boulders they can. Everyone climbs at the same time and can watch other participants and share beta. Citizens climbers have one climbing round. Open climbers who complete the hardest climbs may qualify for finals.

Your final score is based on your top five completed boulders and determines your Recreational, Intermediate, or Advanced category. The top six Open competitors in each of the male and female groups qualify for finals, for a total of 12 climbers. If a qualifier cannot attend, the next-highest qualifier will be invited.

Open competitors must register for Session 1 to allow time for score processing. Open competitors will be emailed their scores and whether they qualify for finals. There will be a short window to submit questions and speak with the Chief Route Setter about discrepancies. Make sure the email address on your account is current and correct; complete a new Participation Agreement if you are unsure.

Prices

Regular registration, September 19–October 10:
- Members: Citizens $60; Open $70
- Non-members: Citizens $65; Open $70
- T-shirt for non-competitors and day-of purchases: $25

T-shirts may be purchased at the Salt City Showdown. Pre-orders end September 18 with early registration.

Parking and access

Parking is available in the lots around the building. Parking on Dupli Park Dr is not allowed during the event. Various streets will also be closed due to construction.

Anyone is welcome to watch finals at no charge. The gym is closed to non-competitors on the day of the competition; spectators may attend but cannot climb or work out.