That's Not Real Climbing
That's Not Real Climbing
Jinni Xia
Jackie Hueftle - The MASTERMIND Behind PCL Routesetting
1 hour 29 minutes Posted Mar 30, 2026 at 4:00 pm.
Intro1:20 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!2:00 - Still cleaning up from PCL5:42 - Interesting Kilter free-standing option7:34 - Getting into climbing, setting, and Kilter 13:38 - The political path to becoming an IFSC setter15:34 - Starting the Woman Up Comps20:00 - What grade do you need to climb to be a route setter?22:31 - AUDIENCE Q: How did you build the PCL routesetting team?28:46 - What made setting different for PCL32:09 - How to get separation36:30 - AUDIENCE Q: Was this speed bouldering, was women's setting too easy?41:57 - Is sanding down holds fair?!43:47 - Why it's hard to calibrate for female competitors51:16 - How boulder changeover worked 55:37 - The slab that didn't get shown58:24 - Different competition strategies1:03:27 - AUDIENCE Q: Harder to gauge setting than World Cup?1:04:18 - AUDIENCE Q: Did the setting matter more than a World Cup?1:07:04 - AUDIENCE Q: Mixed gender events in the future?1:09:13 - AUDIENCE Q: idea - 2 betas per boulder?1:11:12 - AUDIENCE Q: Are setters more impressed or annoyed by beta breaks?1:17:23 - AUDIENCE Q: What makes Kilter stand out? 1:22:30 - Underrated hold?1:25:02 - Shoutouts and long work hours1:26:51 - YOU can reset the PCL climbs and experience them!
Intro
Mad Rock Shoutout!!
Still cleaning up from PCL
Interesting Kilter free-standing option
Getting into climbing, setting, and Kilter
The political path to becoming an IFSC setter
Starting the Woman Up Comps
What grade to become a routesetter?
AUDIENCE Q: Building PCL setting team?
What made setting different for PCL
How to get separation
AUDIENCE Q: Was this speed bouldering?
Is sanding down holds fair?!
Difficulty to calibrating for female climbers
How boulder changeover worked
The slab that didn't get shown
Different competition strategies
AUDIENCE Q: Harder to set than WCs?
AUDIENCE Q: Setting matters more than WCs?
AUDIENCE Q: Mixed gender events in the future
AUDIENCE Q: idea - 2 betas per boulder?
AUDIENCE Q: Do setters like beta breaks?
AUDIENCE Q: What makes Kilter stand out?
Underrated hold?
Shoutouts and long work hours
YOU can try the PCL climbs!
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1:29:52
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Show notes
Jackie was the routesetting director at the Pro Climbing League (PCL) comp and is also the co-founder of Kilter! In this episode, we’ll learn more about the unique challenges that came with setting for PCL, why she thinks it’s important to have more women setting for women’s comps, and how YOU could maybe try climbing the same exact boulders set at PCL.Guest links:Kiter’s WebsiteJackie’s InstagramPro Climbing League WebsiteKilter YoutubeReference links:Underrated holdThank you Mad Rock for sponsoring this episode! Use code 'notrealclimber' for 10% off your ENTIRE order, even if you're a returning customer! https://madrock.com/Learn more about the podcast at www.thatsnotrealclimbingpodcast.comFollow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastJoin the FREE community in Discord! https://discord.gg/QTa668g8zpJoin Patreon for a welcome gift, deleted scenes, and question priority: www.patreon.com/thatsnotrealclimbingpodcastTimestamps of discussion topics0:00 - Intro1:20 - Mad Rock Shoutout!!2:00 - Still cleaning up from PCL5:42 - Interesting Kilter free-standing option7:34 - Getting into climbing, setting, and Kilter 13:38 - The political path to becoming an IFSC setter15:34 - Starting the Woman Up Comps20:00 - What grade do you need to climb to be a route setter?22:31 - AUDIENCE Q: How did you build the PCL routesetting team?28:46 - What made setting different for PCL32:09 - How to get separation36:30 - AUDIENCE Q: Was this speed bouldering, was women's setting too easy?41:57 - Is sanding down holds fair?!43:47 - Why it's hard to calibrate for female competitors51:16 - How boulder changeover worked 55:37 - The slab that didn't get shown58:24 - Different competition strategies1:03:27 - AUDIENCE Q: Harder to gauge setting than World Cup?1:04:18 - AUDIENCE Q: Did the setting matter more than a World Cup?1:07:04 - AUDIENCE Q: Mixed gender events in the future?1:09:13 - AUDIENCE Q: idea - 2 betas per boulder?1:11:12 - AUDIENCE Q: Are setters more impressed or annoyed by beta breaks?1:17:23 - AUDIENCE Q: What makes Kilter stand out? 1:22:30 - Underrated hold?1:25:02 - Shoutouts and long work hours1:26:51 - YOU can reset the PCL climbs and experience them!