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Climb Yukon held its annual bouldering competition Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Porter Creek Secondary School in Whitehorse.

Climb Yukon Project Manager Joti Overduin was at the competition.

鈥淚t鈥檚 for all ages and we鈥檝e got different categories; open is the more experienced folks. They competed this morning. And then this afternoon, what you see here is all the youth categories, including the Climb Yukon Youth Climbing Team, and then the recreational (climbers). So us folks that don鈥檛 consider ourselves advanced but like to get out and climb.

鈥淭his is a record turnout for us,鈥� related Overduin. 鈥淚 think we have about 50 participants this year, so we鈥檙e definitely at our max.

鈥淚 think we were at about 40 climbers last year and last year was a record-setter, so it鈥檚 really growing.

Jackson Long was one of the youth taking part and 鈥渏ust having fun at the climbing competition.鈥�

He was doing a tough climb. 鈥淚t鈥檚 challenging but it鈥檚 fun to try.鈥�

Morgan Brown was at the event dressed up as a unicorn.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of fun 鈥� there鈥檚 a lot of hard routes, actually. It鈥檚 a good mix of levels. They did a really good job of having different styles here.鈥�

Sophia Slater, in a skeleton costume, said it was going 鈥減retty good. I鈥檝e never done one of these before and I鈥檓 pretty glad I had a chance to do a non-competitive recreational one.鈥�

This was Slater鈥檚 first time competing. 鈥淚鈥檝e come out to their bouldering nights but never competed before.鈥�

Anthony Price and Cassidy Caron were dressed up as Dalmatians.

鈥淪omeone thought I was a cow,鈥� said Price.

Regarding the climbing, Price said it was 鈥渇un. Lots of little people. It鈥檚 good for the sport, though.鈥�

K脿艂x鈥櫭瞜w (pronounced Kalh-Q-yoke), a teacher from St. Elias Community School in Haines Junction, traveled to the competition with her teaching colleague, Albert Surroca and three youth: Micah Wolf, Tahos Reid and K脿艂x鈥櫭瞜w鈥檚 nephew, Max Thomson-Ellis of Whitehorse.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the first time I鈥檝e been to this kind of competition. I鈥檓 just here as kind of a supportive adult and excited to get the students involved in climbing. Albert鈥檚 really the climbing guy in Haines Junction and he knows what he鈥檚 doing.

鈥淎lbert鈥檚 a certified instructor, and so we鈥檙e hoping that he鈥檚 going to help carry that forward. He鈥檚 moved to Haines Junction recently and is a really amazing new 鈥� new blood at our school.鈥�

Surroca said 鈥淚鈥檝e been getting some kids into climbing in Haines Junction and we just brought them in today.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to start the program, climbing in town, so that鈥檚 kind of like the start, and from now on we鈥檙e going to have a program going every week.鈥�

Surroca added that the day was going 鈥渁wesome. So much fun. Lots of people. It鈥檚 good.鈥�

Overduin added 鈥淲e鈥檙e really happy to see this turnout and so many young people. Our mission as an organization is to promote the sport of indoor climbing, so it鈥檚 really exciting for us to see the community getting together and enjoying this.

鈥淚t鈥檚 such a wonderful activity for youth and for all ages, especially to have something to do indoors to stay physically fit but not just physically; emotionally and mentally too.鈥�