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Graphic done by Climbing Business Journal; all photos courtesy of Andy NelsonOn this episode of The Impact Driver Podcast, host Holly Chen interviews Andy Nelson. Andy has been climbing since 1998, and he became the first paid routesetter at Vertical Endeavors in Minnesota around the mid 2000s. In the routesetting arena, he’s practically done it all, from commercial setting and running a setting crew to setting for comps all the way up to the divisional level. He worked for Nicros Volumes for a while and then, in his words, “went rogue” and “started shaping for everybody and their brother.” Andy has also seen every stage of the hold manufacturing process, from being on the ground in a factory, pouring holds, to design and branding work. Now, Andy owns and operates Method Grips.Andy and Holly started by diving into his memories of the “good old days,” or maybe the “dark ages,” some might say—a time when routesetters were paid by route and members did not have the luxury of choosing between gyms. They also talked about how Andy has witnessed the industry change over the years, some of the shifts that have allowed setters to do their job more safely and sustainably, and the potential of more oversight from government agencies in the future. Holly and Andy debated about whether routesetting is an art, and they got into some of the nitty-gritty details of holds, shaping materials, and the “evolutionary arms race” between routesetters and hold shapers.Thank you TRUBLUE and Strati Climbingfor your support!
And thank you Devin Dabney for your music!
Timestamps
00:00 – Intro05:10 – The Average Mid 2000s Setting Day07:53 – Pay Per Route/Boulder08:58 – Quantity vs. Quality11:32 – Gyms in Minnesota15:59 – Standard Routesetting Equipment of the Mid 2000s20:40 – Constants Over Time21:52 – Is Routesetting an Art?26:00 – What Makes a Good Routesetter?30:08 – Women in the Routesetting Field39:07 – Hold Shaping Evolution43:52 – The Next Big Push in Hold/Volume Evolution46:31 – How Big Can Holds Get?49:27 – Foam and Texture53:29 – Hold Durability57:45 – Changing Textures01:01:07 – Andy’s Drill of Choice01:03:39 – Closing
Abridged Transcript
…You told me some stories about your early routesetting days, and to my understanding, you started as the first paid routesetter at Vertical Endeavors. I’m wondering whether you can run me through what an average routesetting day was like back in the day.
Well, it literally is completely different than how it’s done now. Prior to me convincing Vertical Endeavors to pay me hourly to do the work, everyone was a contract setter there. They were paid by the route or the problem that they put up, and that was a pittance. It was just a very small amount of money. And if you did enough of that work, then they might kick you back with a free membership as well. So, consequently, the gym had tons and tons of setters, and they would just filter through. Somebody would come and set for a couple months, and then they’d take off on a climbing trip and be gone for a couple months. So, what ended up happening with me is they brought me in to basically lead a crew. I had, I can’t even remember the exact number, but it was some absurd number—like 50, 60+ routesetters on my payroll who I was paying per route or per problem, and I was managing them. What we ended up doing—to be efficient and to actually get turnover in the gym and get routes up and get problems up—is the gym would close early on Sunday nights, and I would bring in as many setters as I could possibly get ahold of, and we would just totally redo giant sections of the gym. Like, we would reset a third of the gym in one night. I’d have 30, 40, even 50 people hanging from ropes, resetting walls. And it was my job to make sure that chaos was under as much control as possible…
Andy Nelson (right)—pictured among climbing industry legends Ty Foose (center) and Kelly Soohoo (left)—started his climbing journey in 1998 and has since worked in many sectors of the industry, from routesetting to hold shaping.
How much did you get paid per route or boulder? Do you remember?
I don’t remember. I mean, you have to remember, this is 2008, 2009, so it’s quite a while ago now. And I want to say it was less than $10 a boulder problem, and it was probably less than $20 a route. So, it was not a lot of money. And when you’re a new setter, we’d set for four or six hours on a Sunday night, and a new setter might get up one route or a couple boulder problems. They’re putting in—running around the gym trying to figure this out—five, six, seven hours, and they’re making $20. So, it was super challenging to not only recruit talent, but to keep talent. And that’s why I had such a huge roster…We were just desperately trying to keep people around. There was really no incentive to try to be professional and try to do it for a living.
…But with that system for the experienced setters who can set more efficiently, wouldn’t that incentivize them to set quantity over quality?…
That’s exactly what happened, and that’s the way I operated back then, too. Before I got hired on hourly, I would go in on a day off and I’d put up 25 boulder problems in four hours—just slapping stuff on the wall because it was cash. That was one of my big responsibilities in the role I was in, was to quality control. So, I didn’t actually set during those times when I had these big crews running. I was literally just running around and forerunning problems and giving feedback and making and forcing the quality control. Otherwise, it just wasn’t going to happen. It was just slapping holds on the wall and calling it good. It was a different era then, though. It was literally the only gym in a metropolitan area of 5 million people. It was like, “Where else are you going to go as a climber?”…
…So, in more than a decade since you were setting at Vertical Endeavors, a lot obviously has changed. I was wondering whether you could run me through your standard equipment. Did anyone have an impact driver? Did anyone wear safety glasses? Were there sleds on ladders? Your laugh tells me no.
Yeah, for me, it was herding cats the whole time. And it was kind of always just controlled chaos. Most people didn’t use—I mean, this is when impact drivers were just starting to come into fashion. So, about a third of the crew actually had an impact driver. Everybody else was using T-wrenches. I remember I had probably 20 or 30 T-wrenches in my setting kit just because I’d have to borrow them out to everybody, since they didn’t have tools. There was no way the gym, at that point, was going to provide tools for setters. That was on you. You had to bring all your own gear. As far as safety equipment, like earplugs and eye protection, nobody even thought about that kind of stuff. That wasn’t even—it was flip flops and no shirts and hanging from a rope and old, beat-up rental harnesses.It was terrible. It was, in every way imaginable, terrible. So, that’s the one thing I’m so glad to see has evolved and professionalized, just the whole safety aspect of routesetting. Because when we were doing it back then, it was chaos. You’d be pitching holds off the wall, just throwing them on the ground and people running around everywhere. It was a miracle that nobody in my tenure got severely hurt because safety just was not a priority at all. It wasn’t even a thought for most of us. It was more about, “Let’s just get this stuff off the wall and get the new stuff on the wall as fast as possible.”
…Do you think routesetting is an art?…
…I think there’s an art to it, but it’s a functional art. And I think the same goes for shaping and a lot of other aspects of the climbing industry. But I think it’s art to a certain extent. But the more we professionalize, the more it’s going to drift away from being an art…I refer to a lot of things as “functional art.” If you’re going to try to liken it to something that everybody understands, it’s more like architecture or something in that realm—where you can build a basic, simple house that is totally functional, or you can build this beautiful facade and fancy windows and add a lot to it to make it a thing of art. So, I think at its core, routesetting is a job and it’s a function, but it can be art if it’s done right and done well.“To be honest with you, other than the basic idea of attaching holds to the wall, everything’s changed,” Andy (right)—pictured with setter/shaper Chris Neal (left)—said about the evolution of commercial routesetting over the years. “”We never [used to] put emphasis on things like forerunning or aesthetics as much…”
…I want to talk about your hold shaping, and I want to talk about what you’ve seen in the evolution of holds—not just the shapes or the size, but the materials and how things went from almost two-dimensional setting to this crazy 3D stuff that we see, now that we can build with volumes, change entire features with big macros, and make people do moves like mantling that might be really hard to do on, say, baseball-sized holds. Talk about what you’ve seen in terms of trends and how we got to where we are now.
When I first started making holds, it was still PE, it was still polyester resin. And that had its limitations. When I look back on it and what I’ve seen over the years, I think the evolution has really been driven by routesetters pushing the envelope, routesetters wanting to evolve and to create new things and create new movement and create new styles. I think the routesetters’ desire to be more creative and to create new things has forced the climbing holds [sector] to evolve and to start trying new things, start bringing in new ideas, new materials, new products.So, we see people wanting to start climbing more three-dimensionally. Well, in order to climb more three-dimensionally, we have to try something to make the walls different, make the angles different. “Well, what’s that?” Well, we’ll bolt on things. “Well, what can we bolt on?” Well, let’s bolt on big chunks of plywood put together. “Well, that’s really hard to do when you have cement walls.” So, we evolved away from cement walls to plywood walls to make bolting volumes more efficient. “How do we make bigger holds? Because people like big holds.” Well, we need a different material…As hold makers, we’re just trying to meet the demands of the routesetters through innovation. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. So, I’ve seen all kinds of crazy stuff that’s just failed miserably over the years—like materials that didn’t work, or design ideas that just didn’t work…
What do you think that next biggest push is going to be in holds and volume evolution? Where do you see it going?
Well, we’re now getting to the point with a lot of the materials where we’re reaching their limits. Like, we know how big a PU hold can be before it becomes unreasonable, both cost-wise and weight-wise and so on and so forth. We also know what we can and can’t do with fiberglass. So, I think we’re now kind of starting to dabble again in new materials. The next big new wave is what’s called vacuum-formed plastic, where it’s basically a big giant sheet of plastic that is vacuumed over a form that makes your hold, and then it’s textured like a fiberglass hold or a wood volume would be. I think that is where the next big push is going to be, where a lot of designers and developers of climbing holds are going to put a lot of focus, but it has its limitations as well. So, I think right now we’re kind of evolving to a point with climbing holds where the right answer is multiple answers…
…I’m wondering what you know about the evolution of texture, whether it’s textured paint or spray-on texture or, I don’t know, glued sandpaper to holds.
…To kind of break it down simply, texture on PE and PU holds comes directly from the original foam design. So, whatever texture that foam had is the texture that you’re going to get on the finished product. And that’s a negative texture. So, what you’re seeing is the bubbles that are in the foam are what cause or what give you the texture. And that can vary based on the type of foam that you use. That’s why a hold released and shaped by me at Method could feel completely different than a hold shaped and released by brand “X,” even though it’s produced at the same factory. It’s because we used a different foam to carve the original.
…I do want to end on kind of a more funny, light-hearted question. I need you to defend the drill that you use against all other drills.
Oh, geez. Well, I’ll start by saying that I started with wrenches way back in the day, so I still set occasionally with wrenches. I currently run a Makita Soft Impact like most people, I think. And the only argument you can make for the Makita Soft Impact that is the final verdict is the fact that it’s a third as loud as any other impact on the market. So, noise wise, I won’t ever use anything else ever again. Once I bought my first soft, I was like, “Alright, this is it. This is all I’m ever going to use.”…
Are you interested in creating unique climbing routes using pinches? Atomik’s Adjustable Pinches allow routesetters to customize each pinch’s width, taper, and difficulty. Unleash your creativity and develop innovative configurations for a top-notch climbing experience!Need inspiration? Check out the thumbnail images for sample orientations we’ve created below. One side of every hold features a 0° incut, while the other ranges from 10° incut to 20° sloping. Regardless of the set, you’ll always be able to set a 0° incut on one side and a 0° incut on the other.When paired, these pinches create a minimum width of 2-1/4″. Each pinch in this line measures 1-1/8″ across the face of the hold. The base of the holds gets larger as the hold angle becomes slopier.These holds stand 1-1/4″ off the wall and are 5-1/4″ in total length, accommodating hands of any size.Used alone, each hold serves as a very narrow pinch or, when used horizontally, a deep edge.
Routesetting with the Pinches
The options for what you can do with them are practically limitless, from using them as a single narrow to super-wide pinches, with thousands of configurations in between. There is only one orientation we want to ensure you are aware of and avoid: setting the holds in a “V” orientation with the incuts on the inside. This orientation does not occur when there are no incuts on the inside.All images courtesy of Atomik Climbing Holds
Cheats (Orientation)
There are a number of “cheats” for how the holds can be used. When setting a wide pinch of 3″ or more, you’ll find that the 0° sides on the inside of the 3″ orientation can be grabbed as a side pull. This variation is an excellent way for a less strong climber to learn the movement through that section and eventually build the strength to climb the move with the 3″-wide version.
Cheats (Tops of Holds)
When setting on 30°-or-less overhanging walls, you can get on top of the hold if you climb over V4. The top and bottom angle on these pinches is 20°. This angle provides enough real estate to make them feel like a slopey edge. Homewalls are usually set up where multiple problems use the same holds and even use only parts of holds. These problems are called “Eliminates” since you restrict yourself from grabbing a particular part of the hold. If you use the tops of these adjustable pinches, go right ahead; you only limit yourself from increasing your pinch training. If you’re not setting for a competition, you don’t have to worry about eliminating every cheat.
As Singles
Using these holds as singles (one hold to make a pinch instead of two) makes them more challenging to grip because the pinch is very narrow, at 1″ to 1-1/4″ wide. The width increases as the holds get slopier. Even when adding the slopiest hold for the thumb catch, narrow is harder. Below is an image of a V8 set on our 25° wall, with multiple singles used: one is an undercling (the 0°/-5° with the incut underneath), and one is a narrow pinch which is 0°/20° sloping.
As Edges
You absolutely can use these holds as edges! They offer a 1-1/4″ deep edge that is 5″ wide.
Difficulty
The Difficulty Chart below informs you of how hard the pinch moves will feel on a boulder problem of 6 to 8 moves.We used the exact angle of hold for both your fingers and thumbs to determine grading. For example, the 10° incut is paired with a second 10° incut at a 3″ width for one hand. Switching the thumb side to more incut will make the pinch easier to grip.You can routeset with the holds in these configurations; however, using the many variations available gives you more exciting pinch orientations.
How to Use the Chart
The chart gives you a range of difficulty for each set and is intended to guide you. Please note that the grades are accumulative, meaning we tested these scenarios on 6 to 10-move boulder problems. One move will feel the easiest, but when you add dynamic moves and different combinations of holds and orientations, the holds can be easier to grip or more difficult.
Example:
If you’re climbing the “X” gym grade, you should be able to hold onto the “X degrees” hold for both fingers and thumb for 1 to 8 moves.For example, if your wall is 45° overhanging and you climb V8, you can set a challenging boulder problem for yourself with the 10° sloping pinch for both your fingers and thumbs. If you love the 10° slope but want an easier boulder problem, changing the thumb side to 0° incut makes the hold feel more like V6/7.
Testing
Do you wonder how we create grades for products like these? A lot of climbing! But seriously, we routeset with them ourselves, which is the usual process. That process enables us to get into an “area” of a grade but not fine-tune that grade, so for this product we took things a step further.The red pinches were set up in a 3″-wide orientation, perfectly vertical, and the left-hand side matched the right-hand side. Setups like these allowed us to run many different levels of climbers on the same setup and see which holds each climber could effectively move off of.We also set complete boulder problems of at least 8 moves using the same hold repeatedly, to get a feel for the accumulating load of multiple moves.
As System Holds
Yes, you can use these holds for system training! We like that you can set up an orientation in its easiest configuration (“A” pattern), and then once your fitness increases, you can adjust it to the parallel orientation.
Pack Size: Two individual holds, which will create one pinch.
Size: The face measures 1-1/8″ on all holds.
Size: The narrowest base of one piece is 1″, which is the 0°/-10° Incut.
Size: The widest base of one piece is 1-1/2″, which is the 0°/20° Sloping.
Size: The height of every hold is 5-1/4″.
Size: Every hold stands 1-1/4″ off the wall.
Make Your Own Perfect Pinch
We hope you enjoy getting creative with these pinches! The options are just about endless. Below are some more example orientations to consider using:Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story was first published on Atomik’s website here.The sponsor paid for this story and it does not necessarily represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.
World Cup season is almost over (links to watch Seoul below) and IFSC just announced their 2025 schedule. News from CEC and USAC too. Some great athlete podcasts, and one with a top veteran setter. Clinics, certifications, a webinar, an online discussion, and insights about market research. Lots of new products and services. And a photo contest!See The Freshest Job Posts Here
CBJ hosts the most active job board for climbing businesses and organizations. Below are the latest posts from this past week…Assistant ManagerRocventures
Rochester, NY
“The Assistant Manager is responsible for ensuring members and guests have the best possible climbing experience at RocVentures. They serve as the liaison between the climbing community, management team, and front-of-house staff. Essential skills for this position include exceptional customer service, the ability to inspire, motivate, and manage staff, create a positive work environment, stay well-organized both in the office and at the front desk, and make critical decisions in the moment. This position reports directly to the General Manager and Owners.”
JOB SEEKER TIPS:
Interviews Are Easy When You Prep These Three Things
By Noto Group
“Once you’ve got a comfortable understanding of the qualities and questions that may be explored in your interview, take time to think about stories that demonstrate your capabilities in these areas. You can’t know for sure what questions you’ll be asked and which stories you might use, but revisiting your experiences prior to an interview will keep details top of mind and easy to access on the spot, when pressure is a bit higher and racking your brain for information is a bit harder.”Read the full article here
To successfully bring a meaningful building project to life, it’s essential to balance passion with practical business needs. Focusing on People, Purpose and Profit can help you align your vision with long-term sustainability:
People: Create something that resonates with and serves a community.
Purpose: Build around a mission that reflects your passion and vision.
Profit: Ensure financial stability to fund the project’s growth and sustain its future.
Whether you’re operating a nonprofit or a for-profit business, generating sufficient revenue is critical. It gives you the freedom to shape your project’s future, explore new opportunities, and continue developing what you’re passionate about. Without a sustainable profit model, even the most inspiring project won’t last.
This session is a great fit for anyone planning or dreaming about a new climbing gym location.
Ready to learn more? Join us Wednesday, October 30th at 10:00am MDT. Host Chris Ryan of Chris Ryan Studio will lead this webinar as part of the ongoing CBJ Climbing Gym Management Series.
CBJ Members: RSVP Here for Free Access**Not a Member? Purchase Access Here for $59
All staff of CBJ members are invited!
**Live webinars are offered as a FREE member benefit to staff of CBJ member businesses at the Biz level and above (check if your employer is a member here). Each staff member must RSVP, although managers can RSVP for multiple staff.
On-demand video recordings are available to staff at Plus or Premium member businesses and individual purchasers. Questions about accessing these recordings? Email us at info@climbingbusinessjournal.com.
See All CBJ Webinar Recordings Here
Meet your presenter:
Chris Ryan Studio, led by building design and development consultant Chris Ryan AIA, works with climbing gym owners to turn their ideas into successfully completed building projects and thriving businesses. Together, we organize top-tier projects with a combination of advising, financial planning and analysis, and visualizations.
www.chrisryanstudio.com
We are delighted to announce an important milestone for the Canadian climbing community: Climbing Escalade Canada (CEC) will be organizing, in collaboration with Accès Grimpe, the very first National Para-Climbing Championships on February 8 and 9, 2025, at the Campus Escalade Voie located in Victoriaville’s Complexe Promutuel.
This historic event, which will be coordinated by the Access Grimpe team, represents a major step forward in our commitment to inclusivity in our sport and offers an exciting opportunity for para-athletes to showcase their skills on a national stage.
CEC has teamed up with Accès Grimpe, an organization with unique expertise in para-climbing in Canada. Accès Grimpe has already organized several provincial competitions, and accepted the challenge to make the first National Championships a success! The strength of their network of partnerships and volunteers, as well as their expertise, provide us with a solid foundation for organizing this major event.
The National Para-Climbing Championships will also form an integral part of the National Team selection process for the 2025 season.
More details, including registration information and specific competition formats, will be shared in the fall. For now, mark this date in your calendars and stay tuned for more information! We look forward to welcoming athletes, coaches and the entire climbing community to celebrate this historic event.
Save the Date: February 8-9, 2025 Venue: Complexe Promutuel de Victoriaville
Together, we’re making Canadian climbing more accessible than ever.
CBJ press releases are written by the sponsor and do not represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.
Great variety of freshies for you this week. Talks with legends. Lessons from marginalized communities. An exploration of belaying. An Olympian’s story. Comp announcements. World Cup news. Webinars for gym staff and managers. Updates from industry trade shows. A huge new outdoor wall in Spain. Good stuff.Make sure you vote in the Grip Showcase SLC by Sept 29!See The Freshest Job Posts Here
CBJ hosts the most active job board for climbing businesses and organizations. Below are the latest posts from this past week…RoutesetterHiClimb
Honolulu, HI
“The Route Setter is an experienced setter who will work directly for the Route Setting Manager (RSM) to help shape the team as well as set. For this position you must be highly proficient in rigging and setting roped routes. You will also be expected to set high quality boulder problems, based on community needs while still expressing your individual style and skill.”
JOB SEEKER TIPS:
Career Capital: Definition, Importance and How To Leverage It
By Indeed
“Career capital is any skill, piece of knowledge, credential, personality trait, financial resource or connection that helps you produce economic value or produce a greater influence in the future. Professionals often use these skills and experiences as leverage in initially building their careers. Career capital typically helps professionals invest in themselves and develop a breadth of traits that help them advance in their careers.”Read the full article here
Background photo of Movement Design District by Michael Emery Hecker, courtesy of MovementOpening a new climbing gym is not a small undertaking. It takes a labor of love to go through the research, business planning, financing, staffing, design, construction and other essentials required to bring a new gym project to life. Yet those hurdles haven’t discouraged gym developers stateside from taking on the challenge and opening multiple or (in a couple instances) over twenty climbing facilities in communities around the country. This article highlights the climbing gym businesses with the most locations in the United States, based on CBJ’s proprietary dataset.
Each business on this list has a unique story, but one thing they all have in common is that every one started as a single-location facility going through the grind of a first-time gym operator, before bringing the benefits of climbing to more people and places. That rite of passage is a good reminder that, for all the recent growth, the climbing gym industry is still relatively small compared to other industries out there, and even the largest gym businesses in the industry have humble beginnings behind their success and expansion.
Without further ado, below are the gym developers that have grown their small businesses into the largest climbing gym brands in America. In conjunction with this report, be sure to check out the Largest Climbing Gyms, Largest Bouldering Gyms and Tallest Climbing Gyms in America.Photo of FA Station Square by Tara Bennett @tarascends, courtesy of First Ascent Climbing and Fitness
9. First Ascent Climbing and Fitness
Open Gyms: 7
Region: Midwest
States: IL, PA
Roped/Mixed Gyms: 3
Bouldering Gyms: 4
Self-Built Gyms: 7
First Ascent is part of a three-way tie for the 9th-largest climbing gym developer in the U.S., with seven open gyms between Illinois and Pennsylvania. First Ascent’s first locations opened in the Uptown and Avondale neighborhoods of Chicago in 2015. Since then, First Ascent has steadily opened four more gyms in Illinois and even expanded into Pennsylvania, opening FA Climbing & Fitness Station Square—the Largest New Bouldering Gym of 2022—in the Pittsburgh area two years ago. In total, First Ascent operates four bouldering and three roped gyms across the two states.Photo of High Point Mid City, courtesy of High Point Climbing & Fitness
9. High Point Climbing & Fitness
Open Gyms: 7
Planned Gyms: 1 (FL)
Region: South
States: AL, TN
Roped/Mixed Gyms: 5
Bouldering Gyms: 2
Self-Built Gyms: 6
Acquired/Merged Gyms: 1
High Point Climbing, tied in 9th place with seven open gyms, is a Southern climbing gym developer with roped and bouldering facilities scattered throughout Alabama and Tennessee. The first High Point location opened in 2013 in downtown Chattanooga, and the Tennessee-based gym developer has added five more self-built gyms since then—including High Point Mid City, the Second-Largest New Climbing Gym of 2019. In 2015, High Point added a second Chattanooga gym by purchasing Urban Rocks (now High Point Riverside), which originally opened in 2008. This year, High Point is expanding into Florida with itsOrlando project, the gym developer’s eighth location. In addition to its climbing gyms, High Point operates a Zip Adventure zipline based on Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga.Photo of VITAL Brooklyn by Madeleine Chan Stanley, courtesy of VITAL Climbing Gym
9. VITAL Climbing Gym
Open Gyms: 7
Planned Gyms: 2 (NY, WA)
Region: Nationwide
States: CA, NY, WA
Bouldering Gyms: 7
Self-Built Gyms: 5
Acquired/Merged Gyms: 2
Since opening their first facility in 2010 in Carlsbad, California, the VITAL team has expanded their gym business to include seven locations, tied for 9th most in the U.S. VITAL initially focused its development on the West Coast but jumped across the country three years ago, opening VITAL Brooklyn—the Largest New Bouldering Gym of 2021 and one of the Largest Bouldering Gyms in America—and acquiring Steep Rock Bouldering’s two Manhattan gyms later that year. VITAL is well-known for operating bouldering-focused gyms (several with 24/7 access) and has two more on the way—one in Bellingham, Washington, and a project in Manhattan.Photo of PRG Oaks by Derrick Ruf of Iron Oak Studios, courtesy of Philadelphia Rock Gym Oaks
8. Climbing Collective
Open Gyms: 8
Region: East Coast
States: NC, NY, PA
Roped/Mixed Gyms: 7
Bouldering Gyms: 1
Self-Built Gyms: 6
Acquired/Merged Gyms: 2
The 8th-largest climbing gym developer in the U.S. is Climbing Collective, an East Coast business with eight facilities across North Carolina, New York and Pennsylvania. The first location, Philadelphia Rock Gym (PRG) Oaks, opened in 1994, followed by four additional PRG gyms around the Philadelphia area, then Hudson Boulders in New York last year. Also in 2023, PRG’s parent company, Climbing Collective—not to be confused with the Climbing Collective in Colorado, which is a separate business—was formed and acquired Inner Peaks’Matthews and South End gyms in North Carolina, bringing the group’s total gym count to eight.Photo of Rock Spot Peace Dale, courtesy of Rock Spot Climbing
7. Rock Spot Climbing
Open Gyms: 9
Region: New England
States: CT, MA, RI
Roped/Mixed Gyms: 5
Bouldering Gyms: 4
Self-Built Gyms: 8
Acquired/Merged Gyms: 1
New-England-based Rock Spot Climbing is the 7th largest climbing gym developer in the U.S., with nine open gyms (five roped and four bouldering-focused). The team’s first location opened in Lincoln, Rhode Island, in 1995 and was originally named Rhode Island Rock Gym, before the gym moved to a new facility in 2002 and rebranded to Rock Spot Climbing. Since then, Rock Spot has opened seven other facilities and acquired an early 1990s gym—Prime Climb, in Connecticut—in 2022. Already in 2024, Rock Spot has added two new bouldering gyms to its Northeast footprint—in Brookline, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut.Photo of Hangar 18 Riverside by Daniel Viayra, courtesy of Hangar 18
6. Hangar 18
Open Gyms: 11
Region: West Coast
States: CA
Roped/Mixed Gyms: 7
Bouldering Gyms: 4
Self-Built Gyms: 5
Acquired/Merged Gyms: 6
Hangar 18, in 6th place for the largest climbing gym developer in the U.S., operates 11 gyms in California. The West Coast business opened its first location in 1998—Hangar 18 Upland—and has since expanded throughout Los Angeles through a mix of self-builds and acquisitions. In 2012, Hangar 18 made its first acquisitions, purchasing The Rock Gym (now Hangar 18 Long Beach) and Beach City Rocks (South Bay); the team then purchased TruHold (Mission Viejo) in 2013, Thresh Hold (East Riverside) in 2014, Arcadia Rock Climbing Gym (Arcadia) in 2017, and The Factory Bouldering (Orange) in 2020. Altogether, Hangar 18 operates seven roped and four bouldering gyms in the Los Angeles area.Photo of Austin Bouldering Project Springdale by Travis Perkins @travperk, courtesy of Bouldering Project
4. Bouldering Project
Open Gyms: 12
Planned Gyms: 1 (WA)
Region: Nationwide
States: AZ, DC, MA, MN, NY, TX, UT, WA
Roped/Mixed Gyms: 2
Bouldering Gyms: 10
Self-Built Gyms: 8
Acquired/Merged Gyms: 4
Tied in 4th place for the largest climbing gym developer in the U.S. is Bouldering Project (BP), with 12 gyms nationwide—all but two of which are bouldering-focused. The first BP location opened in the Poplar area of Seattle in 2011. In 2015, BP then opened its first build outside Washington, in Austin, Texas, and expanded into Minneapolis two years later. In 2022, BP took a big leap on this list by acquiring three Brooklyn Boulders gyms in Boston, Brooklyn and Washington D.C., then opened a new gym in Salt Lake City, Utah, later that year. Already in 2024, BP has acquired Oso Climbing Gym in Dallas. Today, BP runs 12 gyms across eight states/districts—including four of the Largest Bouldering Gyms in America—and has a 13th gym in the works, in the University District region of Seattle, the city where it all began.Photo of The Gravity Vault Marin, courtesy of The Gravity Vault Marin
4. The Gravity Vault
Open Gyms: 12
Planned Gyms: 6 (NJ, NY, PA, VA)
Region: Nationwide
States: CA, NJ, NY, PA
Roped/Mixed Gyms: 11
Bouldering Gyms: 1
Self-Built Gyms: 12
Also in 4th place for the largest climbing gym developer in the U.S. is The Gravity Vault, with 11 roped gyms and one bouldering-focused gym. The Gravity Vault opened its original location in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, in 2005, then added a second location in the state (Chatham) in 2009. In 2014, the team made headlines by opening the first franchised climbing gym in the U.S. and has since started several other franchised locations—including one on the other side of the country, in Marin, California. Currently, The Gravity Vault founder Lucas Kovalcik owns and operates four climbing gyms, while the remaining eight are owned and operated by five franchisees. With six new gyms in the works across four states, The Gravity Vault is set to grow its gym count by 50% and has more planned gyms announced than any other developer on this list.Photo of The Post, courtesy of Touchstone Climbing
3. Touchstone Climbing
Open Gyms: 17
Planned Gyms: 1 (CA)
Region: West Coast
States: CA
Roped/Mixed Gyms: 12
Bouldering Gyms: 5
Self-Built Gyms: 17
Touchstone is the 3rd-largest climbing gym developer in the U.S., with 17 locations across the state of California. Touchstone opened its first climbing gym in San Francisco in 1995, then expanded into the Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose, Fresno and Los Angeles areas. In addition to opening new locations, the team at Touchstone has also expanded existing locations, adding 9,000 square feet of climbing to Pipeworks in 2015 and 6,000 square feet to Dogpatch Boulders in 2016—the latter of which is the Largest Bouldering Gym in America. Touchstone also operates the Largest Climbing Gym in America—Pacific Pipe Company, which unsurprisingly won the Largest New Climbing Gym of 2021 award. In 2024, Touchstone has already opened a new gym in the Los Angeles area (Class 5 Torrance) and has a second one on the way, in between San Francisco and San Jose.Photo of CRG Boston, courtesy of Central Rock Gym
2. Central Rock Gym
Open Gyms: 28
Planned Gyms: 3 (FL, NY)
Region: East Coast
States: CT, FL, GA, MA, NY, RI
Roped/Mixed Gyms: 14
Bouldering Gyms: 14
Self-Built Gyms: 24
Acquired/Merged Gyms: 4
The 2nd-largest climbing gym developer in the U.S.—founded by Joe and Ed Hardy—is Central Rock Gym (CRG), which operates 28 locations throughout six states. Originally based in the Northeast, CRG opened its first gym in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 2009, then added new builds throughout the state as well as in Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island. In 2023, CRG expanded into the South for the first time, opening two gyms in Florida that year, in addition to three gyms in the Northeast. This year, CRG further expanded its footprint in the South, acquiring the four Stone Summit gyms in Georgia—CRG’s first acquisition. Although not first on this list, CRG does wear another crown: the only climbing gym developer in North America to have opened more than 20+ gyms entirely through self-builds (i.e., not part of mergers or acquisitions). Three more self-built gyms—in Troy (NY), Miami and Fort Myers (FL)—are in the works, making CRG one of only two developers stateside with 30+ open or planned climbing gyms.Photo of Movement Design District by Michael Emery Hecker, courtesy of Movement
1. Movement Climbing, Yoga & Fitness
Open Gyms: 30
Planned Gyms: 3 (CA, PA, VA)
Region: Nationwide
States: CA, CO, IL, MD, NY, OR, PA, TX, VA
Roped/Mixed Gyms: 21
Bouldering Gyms: 9
Self-Built Gyms: 8 (as Movement brand)
Acquired/Merged Gyms: 22
The largest climbing gym developer in the U.S. is Movement Climbing, Yoga & Fitness, the first climbing gym business to operate 30 open locations across the country, from coast to coast. Movement’s origins date back to the 90s, with the founding of Maryland-based Earth Treks by Chris Warner and California-based Planet Granite by Micky Lloyd. In 2017, the two climbing gym companies merged under the El Cap parent company, which later acquired the Colorado-based Movement gyms in 2019. Mark and Anne-Worley Moelter opened the original Movement location in Boulder, Colorado, in 2009, then added two more gyms in the Denver area over the next decade. Following the acquisition, America’s largest climbing gym network unified under the Movement umbrella and continued to expand across the country through self-builds and acquisitions, purchasing four Summit gyms in Texas and acquiring The Cliffs’ five gyms in New York and Pennsylvania. Movement also boasts some of the Largest Climbing Gyms in America—Englewood (3rd-largest), Rockville (6th), Lincoln Park (7th), Design District (9th) and Crystal City (10th). With 30 open and three planned gyms on the way—coming to the San Jose, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia areas—Movement’s total gym count (open or planned) makes it the largest climbing gym developer in the world. In 2024, Movement named Anne-Worley Moelter as the new CEO of the company, a title she held 15 years ago as co-founder of the first Movement gym. (Click here for an exclusive interview with Anne-Worley Moelter, following the appointment.)
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Our climbing families in the Southeast have been severely impacted by Hurricane Helene. As they continue to fight through the devastation, the Regional Coordinators in Division 7 have received numerous requests from our membership expressing a desire to help with the relief efforts in the affected communities.
There is an immediate and dire need for basic provisions – clean water, food and shelter. For those who want to help, USA Climbing is supporting donations to the American Red Cross to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene.
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CBJ hosts the most active job board for climbing businesses and organizations. Below are the latest posts from this past week…
We are delighted to announce an important milestone for the Canadian climbing community: 
CBJ hosts the most active job board for climbing businesses and organizations. Below are the latest posts from this past week…
