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A Bouldering Gym Aiming to Grow the Sport in Guadalajara

Climbers bouldering at Summit Escalada
In April 2024, Summit Escalada opened in Mexico and is owned by Jennifer Leong, Roberto Duran and Gerardo Workel, who wanted to bring a new bouldering gym to their hometown of Guadalajara. (All photos courtesy of Summit Escalada)

Summit Escalada
Zapopan, Jalisco

Specs: Summit Escalada, owned by Jennifer Leong, Roberto Duran and Gerardo Workel, opened in April 2024 in Zapopan—a city within the Guadalajara metropolitan area, in Western Mexico—with what Leong believes to be a somewhat typical founding story. “We were hanging out in our usual gym, which was packed with people,” Leong detailed, “and we just said to each other, ‘What if we opened a climbing gym?’” The trio wanted to bring their own brand of climbing to Guadalajara, one of the most populated places in Mexico, which in Leong’s opinion “still has an underdeveloped climbing community compared to Mexico City or Monterrey.”

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According to Leong, climbing is growing in Mexico. “New gyms are opening all the time in Mexico City and Monterrey,” she added, stating the ownership team wanted to be part of the growth of climbing in Guadalajara, their hometown. “No new gyms had opened for four years at that time, and we knew it was only a matter of time before a new one opened,” Leong reported. They began looking for a central location that would be as close to as many people as possible—to reduce commuting times—and ultimately found a new apartment building under construction. “The structure was there, but we had to invest in electrical installation, plumbing, etc.,” Leong said. Located next to a main road, the building has secure parking and a concrete roof that assists in temperature control. “The space was big enough and tall enough to put in a proper gym. I personally liked that it had windows to get a lot of natural light,” continued Leong.

A climber cuts feet on the Kilter Board at Summit Escalada
“We were looking for somewhere central,” Leong said, describing the search for an appropriate building for the gym. “There’s lots of traffic in Guadalajara, so you want to be near as many people as possible.”

In addition to the 4,305 square feet of climbing wall surface—which includes a Kilter Board and spray wall—Summit Escalada has hangboards, strength training and cardio equipment, and a ping pong table. Climbers at the gym also have the ability to rent a Tindeq or Entralpi from the front desk, devices that measure finger strength and other forces.

The owners wanted to build a space that would help the climbing community grow in Guadalajara, “so it was important that we make it easy for people to get started,” said Leong. One way they hoped to accomplish that goal is by using a seven-tier, circuit-style grading system at Summit Escalada, where the color of the hold represents the difficulty. “It’s an easy system for beginners to get a hang of,” Leong added, “but it also helps more experienced climbers progress and improve.” She noted the V2/3 circuit must be “foolproof,” since she’s watched many beginners reach that grade relatively quickly but not necessarily have the experience to effectively manage risk on more technical problems. “To avoid accidents, we pay special attention to these boulders to make sure they don’t have any risks,” she said. “We also make sure there are enough down climb holds, and that they extend far enough down.”

Playing ping pong at the new gym
“We also focus a lot on customer service and we have some friendly, open people who work for us and make everyone feel comfortable,” Leong said, noting some of the ingredients that help foster a welcoming atmosphere at Summit Escalada.

Walls: Muta
Flooring: Muta
CRM Software: GymRealm
Website: summitescalada.com
Instagram: @summit.gdl

In Their Words: “Don’t focus on what you want in a climbing gym; focus on what your community needs. Also, choose your subcontractors carefully or you’ll pay for it later; being cheap is expensive.” – Jennifer Leong, Co-Owner of Summit Escalada

Naomi Stevens

Naomi is a personal trainer and a routesetter who has also worked at climbing gyms as a youth team coach. After starting college at Colorado State University in 2017, she wanted to make new friends and found climbing, fell in love, and now climbing dictates most of what she does. Naomi earned a bachelor’s degree in Ecosystem Science & Sustainability, and when not climbing she enjoys baking, gardening and crafting.