I've heard Tonde Katiyo described as a ninja, a samurai, Buddha and Yoda, among other ethereal, higher level beings. Though Tonde is definitely a human, those descriptions aren't necessarily wrong. 

In conversation it's quickly evident that Tonde has put quite a bit of thought and care into his craft. He approaches it with both a pragmatism and creativity that often don't exist together. Partly because of this juxtaposition, many in the routesetting industry seem to look to Tonde for their cues, and he doesn't give answers lightly.

Instead, he asks questions. 

Tonde and I sat down at the Climbing Wall Association Summit to discuss his vision for setting... both present and future. We dig into his ideas concerning circuits, the RIC (risk, intensity, complexity) Scale, the silent partnership between climber and setter, and art versus design. 

If you came here looking for answers, you may not find them. What you will likely find are more questions. According to Tonde Katiyo, those may be the best answers of all. 

For the photo of Tonde with Yoda ears and holding planets in his hands, as well as links to his instagram and videos, visit us at The Episode Page

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