Joshua Cook feels pretty chuffed these days to have taken part in opening up the next big thing in a sport he loves. In May 2017, Joshua, who hails from Colorado in the US, found himself travelling in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India, during the region’s first ever bouldering (rock climbing) festival. Initially happy just to be back climbing after a long break, Joshua quickly became near ecstatic: not only was he in a world-class-in-the-making climbing region, he realized, but he personally was helping to make it happen, opening new routes, and giving them first names. Highlights: Descriptions of the climbing area around Sethan, Himachal Pradesh Practical details on climbing and staying in the region Insights into climbing culture: how routes are opened and named, and why climbers climb Finding, opening, and conquering the “Sandwich Boulder” Links: Joshua Cook on bouldering in Sethan Lonely Planet News on the bouldering festival Â