JACK FIELDHOUSE
Jack has been climbing since he was 15 years old, which puts him in the climbing game for over two decades. Jack grew up on Squamish, B.C. and cut his teeth climbing local gear routes. He also did a bit of route development through his late teens and early 20s under the fine tutelage of prolific Squamish new routers, Jeff Thomson and Glenn Payne.
"When the bouldering craze hit Squamish, my focus narrowed and I became pretty obsessed with developing boulder problems. Since 1998 I have developed more boulder problems than any other climber in the Squamish area. It's my passion. For me, searching for boulders, finding and cleaning new lines, and sending them is a very rewarding and satisfying experience. It's a creative process; not that you are creating the line, but that you envision the potential lurking under a carpet of moss and then get to expose what lies beneath and realize that potential. I love that I get to leave others with something new and ready to climb."
For Jack it is very fulfilling, he cleans and climbs new lines regardless of whether others climb them but seeing other climbers enjoy his lines provides him with satisfaction and motivation. Developing can be a bit of a solitary process as not too many people are interested in the work involved in developing new areas.
"Often, I don't mind being off by myself working as it gives me a chance to decompress from daily life. That said, sometimes it's nice to have a few people working together at a new area - feeding off each other and keeping psych high."
“I feel very lucky to have the support of some top-notch climbing brands such as Flashed Climbing, Five Ten Shoes and Blurr Clothing. These companies have been supporting me for a long time and many people involved in these companies have become almost like family to me. Their support has played a big role in helping me to stay safe and comfortable and to be successful in developing new bouldering and climbing routes in the Squamish area.”
Jack is fortunate to have a very supportive family that recognizes how important climbing is to him and what a positive role it plays in his life. His wife, Shannon, and their kids, Kaida and Kaian, also enjoy climbing. This family has been having fun over the last few years climbing locally and going on annual climbing road trips.
The crew at blurr would like to send out a hearty congratulations to Jack on taking home the "Bouldering First Ascensionist" Golden Scrub Brush Award for his contributions to bouldering in Squamish. The Golden Scrub Brush Awards were held by the Squamish Access Society on Saturday, November 22nd. We couldn't be more proud to have him as part of the blurr team!
