Every routesetter has heard it: “Wow, you must get super strong climbing all the time for your job!” The reality, however, is that many routesetters working full-time struggle to push their own personal climbing limits, and some may even see a decrease in their capacity. Overuse injuries and cumulative fatigue present significant challenges to anyone pursuing a career as a routesetter. Over time, these consequences can leave us feeling like we’ve sold our passion and can lead to burnout and attrition.
Join us as we talk with Jess West and Rocco Bocchicchio about common hurdles preventing career routesetters from pursuing their own climbing goals, as well as ways for both individual routesetters and the industry at large to move past those hurdles.
Setters Only! is a series of free online discussions led by Foxman McCarthy-James and Justin Wright from Vortex Routesetting, with relevant guests from across the industry. The panel-discussion-style sessions include time for interactive Q&As with attendees.
Upcoming Dates: NOVEMBER 12 & DECEMBER 10
@6PM MT (Monthly on 2nd Tuesday)
Meet your hosts and guests:
Jess West is a life-long athlete who coaches for The Power Company. She earned her Master’s in Sport and Exercise Science in 2016, is a NASM CPT, and continues to study how best to apply her extensive knowledge to climbing. Living in the south is favorable to her climbing style, with endless sandstone lowballs and roofs to explore.
Rocco Bocchicchio is the owner and head coach of Caldera Climbing Performance. He began climbing in 1998, and he has been a setter and coach for 25 years. During that time, he has accumulated a vast catalog of knowledge pertaining to training and sports science, with a focus on aging bouldering athletes and sustainability in the routesetting profession. He continues to chase opportunities to learn and grow as a coach, setter and climber.
Foxman McCarthy-James is a consultant and contract setter with Vortex Routesetting. She has brought her background in education into her routesetting career, teaching women’s routesetting clinics around the country. She is passionate about continuing the conversation on how we can make our industry more welcoming and inclusive.
Justin Wright is a consultant and contract setter with Vortex Routesetting. He holds a USAC L4 and has developed routesetting teams across the country. As a contributing member of the CWA’s Routesetting and Work At Height Committees, Justin is committed to helping move the climbing industry forward by developing routesetter education pathways and recommending best practices with volunteer Work at Height standards.
Lovers of climbing holds, macros, and volumes… behold!
Another glorious Grip Showcase has been set for your climbing and viewing pleasure. For the third time, The Front South Main has hosted this extravaganza of beautiful new holds, macros and volumes. For the third time, their stellar team of routesetters has created masterpieces of movement.
What do you think? We need you to take moment and rate the holds. The winning brand gets a Grip List Showcase award!
Background photo by Eli Gross, courtesy of Basecamp Reno
It’s a sensation climbers know well: standing outside at the base of a rock wall, tied in and with chalked hands, gazing up at an inspiring route that just seems to go on and on and on, paving a path into the sky…Visionaries in the industry have long sought to replicate that experience and continue the stoke indoors, building titans of walls that tower above us, sometimes surpassing 100 feet. By nature of being within (or on the side of) a building, it takes a feat of engineering to build a mammoth climbing wall, but manufacturers and developers have been making it work for decades, creating structures that enable the roped climbing experiences we know and love.
There are hundreds of impressive climbing walls in the United States, from rock-realistic outdoor replicas to colorful modern masterpieces. This article highlights the tallest ones at commercial climbing gyms around the country, whether those walls are outside or inside the gym. Without further ado, below are the top 10 tallest climbing gyms in the U.S., based on peak climbing wall height.
Tied for the 9th-tallest climbing gym in the U.S. is Vertical Dreams – Manchester, with 63-foot climbing walls. Vertical Dreams operates two climbing facilities in southern New Hampshire, and while the Nashua location offers more square feet of climbing, the Manchester gym has the taller climbing walls. Opened in 1998—one of five 90s gyms on this list—the Manchester facility features 5,000 square feet of climbing, in total.
Photo courtesy of inSPIRE Rock
9. inSPIRE Rock – Cypress
Wall Height: 63 ft
Open Year: 2018
Location: Cypress, Texas
Walls: Walltopia
Flooring: owner/contractor
CRM/POS Software: Rock Gym Pro
Also tied for the 9th-tallest climbing gym in the U.S. is inSPIRE Rock – Cypress, a roped climbing and bouldering gym featuring 63-foot roped walls. Located northwest of the city of Houston, the Cypress gym—inSPIRE Rock’s second location in the Houston metro area—opened in 2018 and has 24,000 square feet of climbing wall surface, of which 17,500 square feet are dedicated to roped climbing. The gym also boasts over 20 auto belays on walls ranging from 32 to 63 feet.
Photo by Dwight Kennedy, courtesy of Carabiner’s
7. Carabiner’s Climbing and Fitness
Wall Height: 65 ft
Open Year: 2004
Location: New Bedford, Massachusetts
Walls: owner/contractor
Flooring: owner/contractor
CRM/POS Software: Rock Gym Pro
In a tie for the 7th-tallest climbing gym in the country, Massachusetts-based Carabiner’s Climbing and Fitness has roped walls reaching 65 feet. When the facility—founded by Steve Caton, who led the gym’s design and construction—first opened in 2004, it was the largest climbing gym in the U.S., a title it held for seven years. After expanding multiple times, the gym now features 36,600 square feet of climbing, making Carabiner’s also the 8th-largest climbing gym in the U.S.
Photo by Greg Scott, courtesy of Vertical View
7. Vertical View
Wall Height: 65 ft
Open Year: 2020
Location: Meridian, Idaho
Walls: Walltopia
Flooring: Asana
CRM/POS Software: Capitan
Also in 7th place, Vertical View features 65-foot climbing walls in the 2020-built gym, the second youngest gym on this list. Situated west of Boise, Idaho, the Tallest New Climbing Gym of 2020 contains 18,000 square feet of climbing terrain across four stories. The 32,000-square-foot facility also has roughly 100 boulder problems, outdoor routes, and six auto belays, in addition to fitness and yoga options, speed climbing courses, and climber education classes.
Photo by Hayden Hulsey, courtesy of The Front Climbing Club
6. The Front Climbing Club – SLC
Wall Height: 66 ft
Open Year: 1999
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Walls: Vertical Solutions
Flooring: Habit
CRM/POS Software: Rock Gym Pro
The Front Climbing Club – Salt Lake City is the 6th-tallest climbing gym in the U.S., with climbing walls reaching 66 feet. Opened in 1999, The Front’s hallmark SLC location features 18,750 square feet of climbing built by sister company Vertical Solutions—with more bouldering surface coming this winter—in a 50,000-square-foot facility. Originally a bouldering hub, the gym expanded into a space next door in 2015, adding roped climbing into the mix. Today, the gym features multiple training boards; fitness, cardio and yoga options; as well as a gear shop, café, saunas and more.
Photo courtesy of Kansas Cliff Club
5. Kansas Cliff Club
Wall Height: 80 ft
Open Year: 1998
Location: Wichita, Kansas
Walls: owner/contractor
Flooring: owner/contractor
CRM/POS Software: their website (WordPress)
The Kansas Cliff Club—located in a once vacant concrete plant in Wichita, Kansas—is the 5th-tallest climbing gym in the US, with 80-foot climbing walls. According to its website, the gym “is a private, grassroots, not-for-profit organization created for the purpose of supporting the sport of rock climbing in Wichita.” The unstaffed facility first opened in 1998, featuring 11,500 square feet of climbing across 65-to-80-foot outdoor climbs and 32-foot indoor climbs. The 80-foot splitter concrete cracks outside take trad gear.
Photo courtesy of projectROCK
4. projectROCK Easley
Wall Height: 84 ft
Open Year: 2022
Location: Easley, South Carolina
Walls: RADRock
Flooring: Flashed; owner/contractor
CRM/POS Software: MindBody
The country’s 4th-tallest climbing gym is projectROCK Easley, a 2022 build with 84-foot-tall climbing walls. The 16,500-square-foot Easley facility—projectROCK’s second location and the newest gym on this list—was the Tallest New Climbing Gym of 2022 and has the tallest indoor climbing walls in the U.S. that were built in a standard climbing gym building (not a silo). The South Carolina gym features 32,000 square feet of climbing on RADRock rock-realistic features that mimic several classic climbing areas in the U.S., from Yosemite Valley to Horse Pens 40.
Photo courtesy of Stoneyard
3. Stoneyard – The Silos
Wall Height: 90 ft
Open Year: 1999
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Walls: owner/contractor
Flooring: owner/contractor
CRM/POS Software: Approach
The 3rd-tallest climbing gym in the U.S. is Stoneyard – The Silos, which has 90-foot climbing walls. The Oklahoma City-based gym came to life in 1999 when grain silos in the city were repurposed for climbing. The Silos have an estimated 8,000 square feet of climbing, with both indoor and outdoor climbs. The 90-foot indoor walls, in particular, are the tallest indoor climbing walls of any U.S. gym. Originally Rocktown Climbing Gym, then Climb Up, then Summit OKC, the gym was purchased by Ozark Climbing Gym in 2023 and now operates as Stoneyard.
Photo courtesy of Upper Limits
2. Upper Limits – Bloomington
Wall Height: 110 ft
Open Year: 1995
Location: Bloomington, Illinois
Walls: owner/contractor
Flooring: owner/contractor
CRM/POS Software: Rock Gym Pro
Upper Limits – Bloomington is in 2nd place for the tallest climbing gym in the country, with climbing walls that reach 110 feet. Another unique gym offering climbing inside silos, the Bloomington gym—Upper Limits’ first location—has 65-foot routes in the silos and a 110-foot outdoor wall, in addition to more climbing terrain indoors. In total, the 20,000-square-foot facility offers 18,000 square feet of climbing and a variety of climbing programs. Upper Limits now operates two other climbing facilities in St. Louis and Chesterfield, Missouri.
Photo by Eli Gross, courtesy of Basecamp Reno
1. Basecamp Reno
Wall Height: 164 ft
Open Year: 2011
Location: Reno, Nevada
Walls: outdoor walls by EP Climbing; indoor walls by Vertical Solutions
Flooring: Flashed
CRM/POS Software: Rock Gym Pro
Basecamp Reno, located at the Whitney Peak Hotel in Reno, Nevada, features the tallest climbing walls of any gym in the U.S, with its astounding 164-foot outdoor wall—built by EP Climbing—on the side of the hotel building. Opened in 2011, the Guinness Book of World Records’ “World’s Largest Climbing Wall” can be ascended as a two-pitch sport climb or as a single top rope pitch. In addition to the famed outdoor wall, Basecamp Reno also offers a variety of bouldering terrain inside the facility for hotel guests and seasoned climbers alike.
Kilter Grips is a leading provider of climbing holds and resources, and is excited to announce the stock availability of the highly anticipated book, “I Routesetter”, now in stock and available for purchase in the US.
“I Routesetter” is an essential guide for routesetters of all levels, offering a comprehensive look into the art and science of creating engaging and challenging routes and boulders. This book provides valuable insights into techniques, best practices, and innovative approaches that can help both aspiring and seasoned routesetters enhance their craft.
Key features of the book include:
Expert Techniques: Learn from experienced professionals about the latest techniques and strategies for setting routes.
Best Practices: Discover effective methods for creating routes that are both challenging and enjoyable for climbers.
Creative Approaches: Explore creative solutions and approaches for setting routes and boulders that stand out and engage climbers.
Whether you are new to routesetting or an experienced professional, “I Routesetter” is designed to help you refine your skills and elevate your routesetting practice. This book is a must-have for anyone involved in the climbing community who wants to deepen their understanding of this crucial aspect of the sport.
Availability: The “I Routesetter” book is now available for purchase through the Setter Closet online store. For more information and to place an order, please visit the Setter Closet website.
CBJ press releases are written by the sponsor and do not represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.
Routesetters will find below some nice interviews and fresh shapes. A new comp series, and tips for raising climber kids. World Cup season is wrapping up, but our sport’s top athletes haven’t hung up their shoes quite yet. But the big news this week is the largest climbing gym chain in the world got a new CEO. Actually not new, she co-founded the brand, and has returned to the helm.
Setters: keep your eyes peeled, our Grip Showcase Salt Lake City survey is coming soon!
“Since 1987, Portland Rock Gym has been dedicated to teaching and training rock climbing indoors while celebrating and preserving our local cliffs and boulders. As a privately held, direct-to-consumer service, we are experiencing rapid growth with the upcoming completion of our full-service Beaverton location, set to be one of the largest climbing facilities in the nation. By November 2024, our total space will expand to 85,000 square feet across two locations.”
“When you discuss your strengths, make sure to emphasize traits that directly align with the requirements you read in the job ad. As for weaknesses, avoid mentioning anything that might undermine what a good match you are for the job. If you do have a weakness that’s directly relevant to the role, you can acknowledge it but follow up by explaining how you’re working on it and actively improving.”
Flux Training Center, owned and operated by the Unitt family, recently opened north of San Diego as a training hub for climbers in the area, with training boards and other training-focused amenities spread across two floors. (All photos courtesy of Flux Training Center)
Flux Training Center Vista, California
Specs: On May 12th, Flux Training Center opened in Vista, California, a city in northern San Diego County. According to Joseph Unitt, the Founder and CEO of Flux, the gym was founded from a passion the Unitt family holds for “climbing and the process of training specifically for rock climbing.” Before launching Flux, Joseph noted he had been climbing at some other gyms in the region where he felt there was a larger recreational focus and not quite the training setup he desired. “The idea for Flux was to try and have everything you need under one roof and create an environment for training and working out. We certainly also have bouldering walls to have fun on, but, again, everything was designed to help climbers who were motivated to train and get stronger and achieve the goals they had set for themselves and their climbing season.”
One training-centered aspect of the facility is the “ABC” scale for grading climbs, a circuit-style system that groups climbs into just three ranges. Each letterrepresents a 4-5 grade range, and within each range are also different symbols denoting specific qualities of the climb (competition-style boulders, for example, have a gold star). “The idea is to create a mindset of not chasing grades—just enjoying the movement of the climbs and learning the skills and technique required to complete the climb,” Joseph said. He also has observed climbers sometimes not attempting certain boulders that fall out of their perceived grade range and hopes Flux’s grading and setting will help mitigate that outcome. “We really want people to go back to the enjoyment of just climbing for the fun of it and enjoying the process of getting better at climbing.”
“[Training boards] have taken training to the next level, along with the campus boards, hangboards, tension blocks, etc. There is so much out there now, which is why I think we see athletes these days doing things that were thought [to be] impossible,” said Joseph.
In addition to 3,300 square feet of climbing surface—including the bouldering walls, Kilter Board, Tension Board 2 and spray wall—Flux features campus boards, a 14-foot hangboard rig and a mobility station. On the first floor is also a full-weight station and squat rack, and the second floor has additional mobility and hangboard amenities as well as a lounge. The 7,200-square-foot facility previously consisted of four separate suites that the gym owners decided to open up, opting for one open space with a mezzanine.
According to Joseph, the gym’s location was a fitting spot for the Unitt’s vision because of the many strong climbers in the area and the building’s proximity to the highway, ample parking and 24-foot-high ceilings. Vista is also home to the Unitts: Joseph, Lori, Spencer, Jesse and Ethan. The family now operates Flux as a team; Joseph is the CEO, Lori works in marketing, Spencer is the web developer and IT coordinator, Jesse is the head routesetter, and Ethan is the gym’s personal trainer. “Opening the gym with the family just came about because we each have something to add to the business. We have been climbing as a family since the kids were very young, so they have always been involved with climbing throughout their lives,” Joseph said. “My only advice [in operating a gym as a family] would be to be prepared to compromise; you can’t use every idea that everyone has, and we need to be able to step back and let others’ ideas be heard and try to see what the best outcome would be.”
About some of the thinking behind the new Flux gym, Joseph said “the idea was to get back to what [climbing] gyms were initially built for and that was to train for rock climbing, whether it’s indoors or outdoors.”
In Their Words: “My advice to anyone looking to open a gym in 2024/2025 is do your homework, understand what the market is like in your area and if the area will work for what you are wanting to do. Be very patient with the process; there are going to be a lot of hiccups that you don’t budget for or even know to budget for. Also, obstacles will get in your way, and be prepared to push through them. It is mentally exhausting as well as physically, but it is achievable if you really want it.” – Joseph Unitt, Flux Training Center CEO/Founder.
We are excited to announce that our annual Rox Gala is just around the corner, taking place on October 10th, 2024! This year, we’re also hosting an online auction so if you can’t make it to the Gala, you can still be part of the excitement.
Our auction features an incredible range of items—from thrilling adventure experiences to exclusive memorabilia from your favorite Memphis athletes. We’d be so grateful if you could take a moment to browse the auction and share it with anyone who might be interested. Make sure you check the site often as we continue to add exciting items and experiences.Bidding closes at 7:30 PM on October 10th, so don’t miss your chance to support a great cause!
As always, Memphis Rox is a pay-what-you-can nonprofit rock climbing, fitness, and community outreach center located in Soulsville, South Memphis, a historically underserved community. Our mission is to provide youth and their families with a safe, inclusive space for recreation, exercise, job training, and essential resources—ensuring no one is ever turned away due to financial constraints.
Thank you for your time, support, and consideration. We truly believe that We Climb Higher When We Climb Together, and with your help, we can continue to light up the South Memphis community!
Warm regards,
Jon, Zack and Sabine
Memphis Rox Team
CBJ press releases are written by the sponsor and do not represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.
Anne-Worley Moelter (pictured)—a longtime leader in the climbing industry and an original founder of the first Movement gyms, in Colorado—has now stepped into the CEO role at the company, which has grown to become the largest climbing gym developer in the world. (Photo courtesy of Movement Climbing, Yoga and Fitness)
Anne-Worley Moelter was recently named as the new Chief Executive Officer for all Movement gyms—an appointment that took effect immediately. Moelter replaced Jeremy Levitt, who had served as Movement’s CEO since 2022.
“I am honored to take on the CEO role at such a pivotal time for Movement,” Moelter said in a statement. “Having served on the Board for the last five years, I’m eager to roll up my sleeves and work more closely with this incredible team.”
Under Levitt’s two years of leadership, Movement added more than 10 gyms to its footprint, particularly via acquisitions of The Cliffs and Summit facilities. Today, Movement is the largest climbing gym developer in the world, with 30 open gyms (across nine states) and three planned gyms on the way. In speaking with CBJ about the reasons for the CEO change, Moelter was quick to thank Levitt, while also indicating an intent to refocus on the three offerings at the “core” of Movement: climbing, yoga and fitness. “My hope is that as a large organization we can stay true to our strong culture and really provide just outstanding [experiences] for team members, members and guests,” Moelter explained. “So, it was really just a ‘coming back’ to who Movement is.”
This appointment marks Anne-Worley Moelter’s second term as CEO; she held the inaugural role when she and her husband, Mike, built the first Movement gym, a facility in Boulder, in 2009. Two gym builds in Denver followed over the next decade, essentially kicking off a network of Movement gyms that would later merge with Planet Granite and Earth Treks and eventually span the country.
In addition to her work with Movement, Anne-Worley Moelter has been a highly influential figure in the climbing industry for decades. She served as an owner of the American Bouldering Series for a time, and she was USA Climbing’s first Executive Director. She also held positions on the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) board, as well as the Access Fund’s board.
Moelter—pictured far right, second row from the back, in Movement Boulder’s opening staff photo—will be leading a larger gym community today that now spans 30+ locations. “My hope is that as a large organization we can stay true to our strong culture and really provide just outstanding [experiences] for team members, members and guests,” says Moelter.Moelter has long been a proponent of—and an active participant in—the climbing, yoga and fitness trifecta that is part of Movement’s branding. She told CBJ, “When Mike and I opened the first, I’ll call it the ‘legacy’ Movement in Boulder, one of the pillars of what we wanted to do was show that a climbing and fitness facility could actually be that—it could be climbing with true yoga and fitness offerings. And with what we were able to do, we had people join the gym for not just climbing, but for those other areas. As a society, I think we have—over the last couple of decades—really started to take a much more holistic approach to health and well-being that also includes community, and also different disciplines. So, yes, I am a die-hard ‘lifer’ when it comes to climbing, but at the same time, I do yoga every week and it’s very much a part of what I do. I believe our team can continue to bring that back to the forefront.”
In a 2015 interview, speaking about gym ownership and operation, Moelter told CBJ, “At the end of the day, it’s really about having people feel like they belong somewhere.”
Check back next week for an exclusive interview with Moelter about her new CEO role.
Are you headed to ABC Walls on September 19-20th in Rotherham, UK? If so, stop by and visit RGP at booth C5.
Interested in Learning More About RGP?
Before the event, consider scheduling a quick on-site demo. In this 15-minute overview, we’ll provide highlights on our key features and show how RGP can support your gym’s needs.
Need Support?
Members of the RGP Support Team will be on-site throughout the event to help you troubleshoot an issue or offer tips on getting the most out of Rock Gym Pro. Whether you have software queries or seek operational assistance, our experts are here to help.
Catch Up on the Latest Features
We’ll be sharing what’s new, what’s coming, and how our latest updates can make a difference for your gym. Stop by the booth for all the latest happenings at RGP.
We Look Forward to Seeing You!
We’re excited to connect at ABC Walls! Whether you’ve been using RGP for years or are new to the platform, we’re eager to show you why RGP continues to be the software of choice for climbing gyms worldwide.
Founded in 2008, RGP is the industry-leading member management software for indoor rock climbing gyms. Designed to tackle the unique challenges faced by climbing gyms and health facilities, Rock Gym Pro is trusted by hundreds of high-volume facilities worldwide.
Join us at booth C5 to experience firsthand why RGP is the software of choice for climbing gym professionals.
See you there!
CBJ press releases are written by the sponsor and do not represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.
