Instead of Complaining About Gym Kids, These Old-School Boulderers Offer Them First Ascents
Climbing is rich with stories of underground countercultures and secret crushers. This is especially true for new generations of climbers, who were introduced to the sport on the big screen. Like all of us, they were hooked on the wildness, camaraderie, and stoke that makes up climbing culture. But instead of monastic pilgrimages to granite cathedrals, these young new climbers began their journey by honing their skills on plastic holds and padded floors in gyms all over the country.
These climbers break the mold established by our legends. They’re younger, often referred to as “bendy” by those of us whose bones stopped growing a decade ago, have bottomless levels of endurance and energy, and an appetite for dynamic coordination movements that give my joints nightmares. It’s not a question of whether these young crushers can flash your project, it’s only a matter of when… and how many laps they’ll cycle on it right in front of you.
The contrast between the flashy new-school style of the gym kids and the grit-centered style of older climbers can cause some tension. Flashed projects, chaotic gym sessions, and feelings of jealousy are all uncomfortable experiences that are possible in the gym environment. It’s easy for the disconnect between the two groups to widen, especially as climbers reschedule their gym sessions around youth camps, retreat to the spray wall in the corner, or shirk going to the gym entirely.
Fortunately, the bouldering tribe around Helena, Montana is defining a new relationship between the old-school climbing culture and these high energy gym kids: a relationship with way more stoke and mentorship and way less complaining.
Meet the mentors
Mitch Buthod and Zach Bushilla are two climbers that have made a special mark on the bouldering scene around Helena. Without an official guidebook of routes in the surrounding area, the two developers have sought to explore every gulch, butte, and river in search of untouched boulders. Zach’s history in Helena goes back twenty years, a time when he and his friends developed new zones after class in high school. Their climbing pads are packed with a quiver of hand saws, ladders, and tools as they hike through the cold winter flurries and scorching summer heat in search of boulders that may not exist.
Mitch and Zach clean, polish, and prepare the landings for their newly discovered boulders weekly during the summer months and more often than you would expect in the winter. Snow and below zero temperatures might slow them down a bit, but they always seem to have a handful of new routes to show off at the next gym session. They smile through the storms, can’t wait to pull out the tools and put in some work, and define what old-school climbers refer to as grit. Even after all their work to develop new zones, they often piece the route together just shy of completion and save the treasured first ascent. These routes exist solely in their minds (and their onX Backcountry accounts) just waiting for that special moment to be climbed.
Both men are both heavily involved in the local climbing community. Zach, the previous co-owner of Stonetree Climbing Center, now helps coach the advanced youth climbing team. Mitch landed in Helena back in 2020 with a pre-existing bouldering obsession. Since then he’s been a Swiss Army knife in the climbing community, serving as board member for the Helena Climbers Coalition and volunteering at local climbing competitions. In their own ways, they’re both able to reach the younger generation of climbers and share their love for the sport. They’re not complaining about the gym kids, but instead, they’re showing them the ropes of what it means to be a climber and actively bringing them outside. Whether it’s proper gym etiquette or tactics for tackling their own big projects, young climbers around Helena are learning more than just new-school style climbing moves in a gym. A few of them are even getting the opportunity to try their hand for a first ascent on Mitch and Zach’s banked unclimbed boulders.
Passing the torch
These sessions are more than just a good old-fashioned bouldering sesh. They’re exploratory and creative, educational and inspiring. Young climbers start these sessions with questions like “What grade is this,” “Where are the foot holds,” and “What’s the next move?” Mitch and Zach’s answer is always the same: You tell me. The gym kids are forced to explore the sport in all sorts of new ways. They experiment with the texture of the rock, the slip of polished foot holds, and even how to deal with the stress of pine needles packing the crucial top out holds. They’re learning the gritty old-school and pushing the sport forwards in their own way.
Take the newly established climb I Like Whales, V2 just south of Helena. It’s just down the hill from an ultra-classic of the area All the Stars, V4 and has been on Zach and Mitch’s radar for a few years. On October 4th, 2025 a group of youth climbers joined Zach and Mitch for an outside bouldering session on the classic line. In the absurdly brief lull between attempts, Avery and her friend Anora joined Mitch on the new route. The two made quick work of the overhanging crimp line – their specialty in the gym – but struggled to mantle the topout on sloping holds. Avery learned an all important climbing move used by all boulderers on desperate top outs: the beached whale. The cheers and wave of stoke as she snagged the first ascent made an impact, and she named the route I Like Whales.
There is a lot of work being done out of Helena and by incredible people. They are all dedicated to their community and the sport they love. The gym kids are part of that community, both in Helena and the larger world of climbing. So instead of complaining about the gym kids, even if they flash your project for their warm up, let’s show them what it means to be a climber, grit and all.
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