Just a few thoughts

As summer gets hot, and maybe smokey too if you’re near wildfires, the conditions in the local climbing gym can make or break you. Perspectives on that below. A story from the industry’s beginning. Another from a summer camp, heart-breaking and impactful. Straight talk about costs of a new gym. And setters will find an update to the USAC certification pathway.

Community & Culture

• The Big Idea: Memories From America’s First Climbing Gym (Rich Johnston, CBJ)
• UIAA Annual Report 2025 now available (UIAA)
• Tickets on Sale for American Alpine Club’s 2026 Annual Gala (AAC)
• Podcast: How to Spout Off To Your Federal Land Managers (The Runout Podcast)

Comp Scene

• USA Sets World Record To Win Historic Speed Mixed Relay Gold (World Climbing / IFSC)
• Another World Record Falls In Krakow, As China Sweeps Speed Relay Golds (World Climbing / IFSC)
• Nominations Are Now Open: 2026 USA Climbing Foundation Awards (CBJ)
• Climbing Confirmed For Olympic Q-Series Events In Tokyo, Shanghai and Orlando (World Climbing / IFSC)
• The 2030 Olympics Rejects Proposal to Add Ice Climbing (Maya Silver, Climbing-dot-com)

Gym Scene

• Peoria climbing gym company ordered to pay millions in sexual assault case (Liz Lape, 25News Now)
• Air conditioning – the future of climbing? (Laurence Guyon, La Fabrique Verticale)
• Arkose climbing gyms during the heatwave – a model in overheating (Matthew Amaré, Vertige Media)
• June 2026 Gym Round Up (Euro Climbing News)

For Managers & Owners

• 23 New Climbing Products and Services for Summer 2026 (CBJ)
• How Much Does It Cost to Open a Climbing Gym? 2026 Breakdown + Free Calculator Workbook (Gavin Heverly, Rise Above Consulting)
• The Margin Squeeze Is Real – What Brands and Retailers Need to Know About Tariffs, EPR, and AI (Tiffany Montgomery, Shop-Eat-Surf-Outdoor)

For Routesetters

• Aug 8-9: Level 1 Clinic in Salt Lake City (USAC)
• Updated USAC National Track Pathway (USAC)
• How Strong Do You Need to Climb to Be a Setter? (Aaron Pardy, Gripped)
• Podcast: Book reviews, zone, top numbers… (Another Setting Podcast)

Training Tips

• Master Negativity Before It Masters You – Stoic Strategies For Better Climbing (Eric Hörst, Training 4 Climbing)
• New Research – Creatine Accelerates Recovery From Muscle-Damaging Exercise (PhysiVāntage)

Many of the links above are from third-party sources, and the views expressed at those links do not necessarily represent the views of the CBJ editorial team. We share this content to help readers stay informed about what is happening in the industry and the community of climbing.