Routesetter

Description

Session

Job Description

JOB TITLE: Routesetter
DEPARTMENT: Setting

REPORTS TO: Head Routesetter

FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt  

REVISED DATE: September 22, 2026

Summary: 

The Routesetter is responsible for designing, setting, and maintaining bouldering problems and roped climbing routes in alignment with Session Climbing standards and scheduled setting plans. This role works as part of a collaborative routesetting team to create safe, engaging, and progressive climbing experiences for a wide range of abilities. Responsibilities include installing and removing holds and hardware, forerunning and evaluating route quality, maintaining equipment and setting areas, and supporting facility upkeep related to climbing terrain. Routesetters are expected to follow all safety and work-at-height procedures, communicate effectively with team members, and contribute to a consistent, high-quality climbing experience for gym users.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

Note that this is not intended to restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

• Set, modify, and remove climbing routes and boulder problems in accordance with Session Climbing standards and established setting schedules.
• Install and remove climbing holds, volumes, macros, route tags, and associated hardware.
• Participate in route planning, grade calibration, and forerunning to evaluate movement quality, safety, and overall climber experience.
• Create climbing experiences that support a diverse range of abilities, movement styles, and progression pathways.
• Maintain route quality through observation, feedback collection, and ongoing adjustments as needed.
• Follow all routesetting safety procedures, risk management practices, and work-at-height protocols.
• Safely operate ladders, ropes, hand tools, power tools, and other routesetting equipment.
• Inspect climbing holds, hardware, anchors, and routesetting equipment for wear, damage, or safety concerns and report issues promptly.
• Participate in route stripping, hold washing, wall preparation, and facility maintenance related to routesetting operations.
• Maintain organized routesetting workspaces, equipment storage areas, and hold inventories.
• Work collaboratively with the routesetting team and other Session staff to support facility operations and member experience.
• Communicate professionally and effectively with supervisors and coworkers regarding routesetting priorities, safety concerns, and operational needs.
• Respond appropriately to incidents, injuries, behavioral concerns, and emergency situations in accordance with Session Climbing policies and procedures.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education and/or Experience: 

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Previous indoor climbing experience required (bouldering and/or sport climbing).
• Prior routesetting experience in a climbing gym is preferred but not required.
• Experience working in a recreation, fitness, or customer-facing environment preferred.

Required Skills and Abilities:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to pass Session Climbing belay assessment and demonstrate proficiency in the P.B.U.S. (Pull, Brake, Under, Slide) belay method for both top rope and lead belaying.
• Understanding of fundamental climbing movement and the ability to apply it to both boulders and roped routes; demonstrated climbing proficiency at a minimum grade of V4 (bouldering) and 5.11a (roped climbing).
• Ability to safely forerun and evaluate climbing routes and boulder problems for movement quality and grading consistency.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in a dynamic, safety-sensitive environment.
• Ability to learn and consistently apply routesetting systems, standards, and progression frameworks.
• Ability to work safely and efficiently in physically demanding environments, including working at height.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• CPR and First Aid certification required within 60 days of hire; current certification at time of hire preferred.
• Climbing Wall Association (CWA) Professional Routesetting (PRS) certification preferred.
• Completion of Session Climbing internal routesetting and work-at-height training required upon hire.

Physical Requirements:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to climb and descend climbing walls and ladders while using approved safety equipment.
• Ability to safely work at height while installing, modifying, and removing climbing routes.
• Ability to balance, reach, grasp, push, pull, stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl throughout the workday.
• Ability to use hands and arms to install and remove climbing holds, volumes, macros, hardware, and routesetting equipment.
• Ability to wear a harness, helmet, and other required personal protective equipment.
• Ability to lift, carry, move, and store equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to communicate effectively by talking and hearing.

Vision:

• Ability to observe climbing activities and monitor climbing safety.
• Ability to identify climbing routes, route colors, holds, hardware, safety markings, and visual signals.

Work Environment: 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. 

• Temperature-controlled indoor work environment 
• Exposure to airborne chalk particles 
• Moderate noise environment with periods of loud noise during peak hours and group activity.
• Work at heights while using approved fall-protection equipment.

This job description is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of all job functions that an employee in this position may be asked to perform from time to time. All employees are to maintain a positive work atmosphere by acting and communicating in a manner so that they get along with customers, clients, coworkers, management, and stakeholders

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