In the heart of the Golden State, Climb ICP is embarking on an exciting venture to construct a cutting-edge climbing gym in San Francisco. Operated by California Climbing Collective (CCC), the gym is being built with a goal of taking climbing training to the next level and will feature a diverse range of climbing surfaces, diverse training tools, and a fresh design approach. With an expected completion date in early 2024, the gym project is poised to leave a lasting mark on the city’s climbing scene.
Australia-based ICP, in its first venture on American soil, is hoping to build upon its reputation for innovation in the climbing gym construction sector of the industry in joining forces with CCC owners Radu Popescu and Summer Bombard. Popescu and Bombard bring over two decades of industry experience and are well-known coaches and setters in the climbing world.
For Popescu, the collaboration with ICP stood out not merely for the ICP team’s expertise and quality, but for a deeper alignment with the company’s vision. “The thing that excited us most about working with ICP was their interest in our company’s vision and goals,” says Popescu. “They have the knowledge and resources equivalent to all the big-name wall manufacturers, and their attention to detail and collaboration was above and beyond our expectations.”
A Gym Tailored for Training and Coaching
The upcoming gym is being designed with a strong focus on training and coaching, to help fill the demand in the region for dedicated spaces that help climbers of all skill levels improve their abilities. With guidance from ICP, the CCC owners are incorporating gym features that address specific climbing and training needs of the climbing community in San Francisco. Climbers can look forward to a Kilter board and a campus board, for example, which will help them work on their strength, technique, and problem-solving abilities. The inclusion of these tools and others underlines the gym’s dedication to fostering growth and improvement in the local community.
Climbers are in for a treat with the gym’s diverse range of climbing surfaces. Whether you’re a fan of steep and challenging overhangs, enjoy the delicate intricacies of slab climbing, or seek high-intensity training for comps, CCC will have something for everyone. This variety is being intentionally integrated to create a space where both beginners and seasoned climbers can hone their skills and take on new challenges. CCC will even feature a dedicated section for speed wall training in the bouldering-focused gym, with the standard speed route divided into three separate parts (with some overlap). This setup makes it possible to practice each section of the speed route without having to do the bottom over and over again, and further enhances the gym’s variety of offerings for climbing enthusiasts.
Unique Raps System: A Modern Approach
One of the most exciting aspects of the CCC build is ICP’s Unique Raps system. The modern approach to wall design blends wall angles and volumes seamlessly, creating flat expansions of the wall. The system was designed to foster endless creativity in routesetting, providing an ever-changing and dynamic climbing experience for gym-goers. ICP’s belief in High-Volume setting (using a variety of volumes to dramatically alter the shape of the wall) is also being incorporated to open up new opportunities for climbers of all skill levels, challenging them with 3D climbing.
The ICP-built gym in San Francisco is more than just a climbing space; it’s a hub for community and creativity. Collectively with the local community, CCC and ICP are working to create a focal point for climbers, trainers and enthusiasts to come together, share experiences, and support one another’s growth in the sport.
Click here to read more about the California Climbing Collective project.
This story was paid for by the sponsor and does not necessarily represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.
Founded in 2009 by Rob Parer—starting with streamlined training boards, custom home climbing walls, and a competition series—Climb ICP has fostered climbing wall creations all throughout Australia and now handles complete climbing gym builds worldwide. From its Unique Raps wall system to mats and volumes, ICP has the systems, experience and team to provide you with an innovative and complete solution to your dream build. Reach out here today—there’s no question too small or request too big.
