Aloha. This week I attended an engaging top-rope certification course with Annik (I think that is their name). Annik was super knowledgeable, encouraging, and personable to me and the other students. They taught us the fundamentals of belaying and being belayed, and gave us ample time to practice actions, knots, grips, and verbal communication. They ensured we climbed several routes and safely supported us by being a back-up belayer as we learned the ropes (ba-dum-tss).
Great fun, great top-rope certification class! Kudos to Annik for being an energetic instructor and what I feel is a model HiClimb employee. Very proactive in anticipating the common understanding gaps of climbers newer to top-rope (and bouldering in general). Just from taking this short evening class, I can tell they are a joy to be around and work with!
~~~~~
A more singular experience at HiClimb during a subsequent night, which unfortunately soured my perception of the gym, was during a top-rope certification test. A different front desk person was the test administrator who assisted me. Completely different, as in a full 180 from the personality and vibes I got from my initial top-rope instructor, the yoga instructors, and other front desk staff, who have all been pleasant, welcoming, and warm while greeting and interacting with me and my friends.
This staff member did not introduce herself; I didn't get her name and didn't feel the need to ask afterward. I just remember she wore a red tank top and glasses on Tuesday night, 10/21/25, while working the front desk. I eventually got the sense she wasn't in the best mood that evening, and I definitely felt subjected to it as she directed that mood outward.
I did not pass the exam, nor was I offered a conditional practice card for the night. If I had been, I might have continued practicing to get the motions, communication, and safety conditions down, but by that point, the attitude given and experience itself were fairly demotivating.
Not as an excuse, but I did have a minor medical procedure that morning (just a routine blood draw), so I was catching up on hydration and gauging my capability to boulder afterward. My arm was still a bit tender. English is also my second of three languages, so deciphering speech in loud environments can be challenging. Which is why I asked her to repeat some instructions when using top-rope terminology that's still newer to me.
I completely understand I did not pass because of my own shortcomings in memorizing all the steps and having the practiced confidence for each answer. I don't take offense or hold any grudge, since in my line of work (research and medicine), I frequently communicate with colleagues, receive feedback, and provide guidance to others. I know it's for the greater good that standards of quality and performance are consistently met to reduce injury, accidents, and liability.
However, I had the confidence to attempt it since I was encouraged to take the exam while the instruction was still fresh. I'm simply learning new skills while having fun making memories with friends! My friend invited me to start a free month trial at HiClimb, and this one experience with an employee stands out, but not in a particularly positive way.
Plainly put, I did not want to continue interacting or learning from this individual, ask her additional questions, or be in a vulnerable belaying position with someone who brought that attitude to the workplace--or perhaps couldn't separate personal matters from a professional role. I don't know anything about her situation, her perception of me, or what it might have been about my presentation that warranted this energy directed toward me.
When she corrected my knot placement and mentioned a technique using terminology I wasn't familiar with--so I asked for clarification--her responses were curt and sharp, so totally lacking the patient consideration or warmth in teaching that I consistently felt from other HiClimb workers.
She gave me borderline glares throughout the time she watched my knotting and corrected my mistakes, which I felt was unwarranted. Perhaps it was partly her intense concentration? I understand that top-rope safety practices are critical, but the gravity of our situation didn't match her energy overall.
I know this since I had just taken a great class with Annik the previous night, complete with a fellow beginner partner to gain practical climbing experience, all while being observed, evaluated, guided, redirected, and corrected by an instructor.
Thank you very much for reading and considering my review. read more