Autumn Ascent - Campus Rec Bouldering Competition & Food Drive
Benefiting Rally Cat’s Cupboard
- Event date: Saturday, November 8, 2025
- Registration open through November 6, 2025
- Who: Open to all UVM students, faculty/staff, facility members, and members of the greater Burlington community who have a current Bouldering Wall Pass. Get pass here.
- Categories:
- Beginner, Intermediate, Open
- See the “Climbing Level Categories” tab below for more information regarding how to determine what category you participate in.
- Within each climbing level category, participants may choose to compete in one of three gender identify categories: Female, Male or Non-binary.
- Beginner, Intermediate, Open
- Time: Competition begins at 9am
- Location: Bouldering Wall located inside the Multipurpose Athletic Court (MAC). Building directions.
- Cost:
- UVM affiliates: $10 entrance fee in addition to a suggested food donation.
- If finances are a barrier to entry, please check out our RECquity Fund or contact Leddy.
- Non-UVM affiliates: A $20 entrance fee is required in addition to a suggested food donation.
- Learn more about Rally Cat's Cupboard
- UVM affiliates: $10 entrance fee in addition to a suggested food donation.
I've Registered, What's Next?
You will receive an email from us the week of November 3 with details regarding your session time, your check-in time, and any other information you will need the day of the event. Please check out the information in the tabs below so you have a full understanding of the event.
Climbing Level Categories
Beginner: V0-V3
Intermediate: V4-V6
Open: V7+
Competition Rules
Beginner and intermediate climbers will compete in a Redpoint format. This type of competition allows participants to attempt various routes with differing difficulty levels, with each assigned a point value. Points are only rewarded for completed climbs. When the round starts, you will have 2.5 hours to attempt to climb your 5 highest scoring climbs. There will be 20 climbs total, scored from 1-20 in ascending difficulty (ten V0-V3 and 10 V4-V6).
Open climbers will compete in a Modified Redpoint format. There will be 10 climbs, each assigned a Zone Hold score in addition to a Finish Hold score. All 10 climbs will be scored, and those with the highest total score (including zones and tops) will advance to the finals. The top 6 competitors from each gender category will advance to the Open Finals round.
The Open Finals round will be an on-sight format. There will be 3 climbs for each gender category. These climbs will have a zone hold and finish hold like the qualifying round, and a judge to score the climb. All climbers will have a chance to look at the climbs together before the round starts. Once the round starts, participants will compete in a 4-minutes on, 4-minutes off style. The competitors who are seeded 6th will go first, and those who are seeded first will go last.
Overview of the Day
When you arrive at the MAC, please stop by the Rally Cat's Cupboard table to drop off your donation(s). You can then move to the check in table to grab your bib number. Next, we will take a picture of you with your bib number to post on our Instagram if you win in any of our categories. You may opt out of this if you choose to.
You will be assigned to one of three sessions, each lasting 2 hours.10 minutes prior to each session, there will be a rules meeting.
- Session 1: 9:00am-11:00am (Rules meeting 8:50am)
- Session 2: 11:30am-1:30pm (Rules meeting 11:20am)
- Session 3: 2:00pm-4:00pm (Rules meeting 1:50pm)
- Open Finals: 5:30pm-7:30pm (Rules meeting 5:20pm)
Climbing Essentials
- Climbing shoes will be available to rent or feel free to bring your own!
- Liquid chalk will be provided but you may bring your own chalk bag if desired.
Accommodations
If you need accommodations for any of the events, please let us know when you register or reach out to Leddy Gallagher with any questions.
Donation Information
Rally Cat's Cupboard is UVM's on-campus, student-run food pantry located on the first floor of the Davis Center. It is available to all members of the UVM community. All of the food donated at this event will go to Rally Cat's Cupboard. Here is their mission statement:
"Rally Cat’s Cupboard is a student-run food pantry at UVM that seeks to address food insecurity among the campus community. We believe the road to success does not have to include struggling with hunger. Through a lens of empathy and understanding, we hope to create a collaborative environment in which we all recognize our common goal of pursuing a higher education.”
Donation expectations: Any unopened, non-expired food can be donated to Rally Cat's Cupboard. Some recommended donations include but are not limited to: Pasta (Spaghetti), Olive Oil, Vegetable Oil, Nut Butters (peanut, almond, cashew, etc.), Juice Cartons, Canned Vegetables, and Rice (Basmati, Jasmine, White and Brown). This is a great chance to go through your own pantry and cupboards and take out those boxes and cans that you and your roommates have had for a while. More information regarding specifics on expiration, sell by, and best by dates on food labels can be found below.
We recommend getting your friends, family, and community involved with the donation process. Feel free to ask around if others would like to donate to support your triathlon and the UVM Community. Here is an example of what you could say: I am excited to say that I will be participating in the UVM Campus Recreation Bouldering Competition! Instead of paying any costs to participate, they are accepting donations to Rally Cat's Cupboard which is the on-campus food pantry at UVM. I am hoping to contribute as much as possible, and would love your support if you have anything you would be willing to donate that I could bring. Please let me know if this is something you would be interested in and able to contribute to.
*If you are food insecure and unable to bring a donation to the event you are still welcome and highly encouraged to participate! Rally Cat's Cupboard staff will be present to talk to during check-in.
Sell By/Use By/Expiration Date Specifics
Rally Cat's Cupboard is accepting unopened, non-expired food items. However, there can be different food labels on different items. To help as you are clearing out your pantry and getting donations, here is a breakdown of what can and cannot be accepted at Rally Cat's Cupboard.
Expiration Date: If you have a product with an expired expiration date, throw it out. While other dating terms are used as a basic guideline, this one is absolute. Items past their expiration date cannot be accepted at Rally Cat's Cupboard.
Best if Used-By and Use-By date: “Use-By” or "Best if Used-By” dates are a suggestion for when the food item will be at its best quality. Food is generally safe if consumed past this date, but may have deteriorated in flavor, texture, or appearance. “Use By” dates are most often found on canned goods, dry goods, condiments, or other shelf stable items. The Food and Drug Administration is supporting the food industry’s efforts to standardize the use of this on its packaged food labeling. Items past their “Best if Used By” or “Use By” dates can be accepted by Rally Cat's Cupboard.
Sell-By date: Many fresh or prepared foods are labeled with a “Sell-By” date as a guide for how long the item should be displayed for sale before quality deteriorates. Items are generally safe for consumption after this date, but may begin to lose flavor or eye appeal. “Sell-By” dates are chosen with the assumption that the buyer may store or eat the item a few days after purchase. To be sure your food is fresh and will keep at home, it is best not to buy items that are past their “sell by” date. Items past their “Sell By” date can be accepted by Rally Cat's Cupboard.
Guaranteed Fresh: This date is often used for perishable baked goods. Beyond this date, freshness is no longer guaranteed, although it may still be edible. Items past their “Guaranteed Fresh” date can be accepted by Rally Cat's Cupboard.
(Taken from UCONN College of Agricultue, Health and Natural Resources Extension News, 2019)
Follow this link if you would like to learn more about best by, use by, expiration, and other food label dates while looking through your pantries.
