Love this place. It looks small at first but it's not. I spent hours here and it's good exercise. Tiring and challenging. They do spicy it up and change the climbs a bit. Only thing is that at the top where there is the overhang they have a white plastic pipe on the edge. It's slippery and if they put a stepper rock on the bottom, it's very hard to get access and there is no grip. But I do see the pro with those white pipe. At least you won't get scraped. They have a few auto belay. Not bad. Had a great time here. First time here free rentals. Definitely coming back read more

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I came here with 4 other friends with a SocialShopper deal and they were very accommodating and good with reservations. Separate parking lot but street parking available if it gets full as well. As mentioned in other reviews (and I was really hoping they were wrong) the place has a deep smell of feet when you first enter, but luckily the nose senses get overwhelmed and you get used to it after a little bit. Other than that, my first time rock-climbing was amazing! After signing our waiver forms, Christian (our instructor) came out and greeted us. He was friendly, helpful and remembered all our names in a really short time! He took us climbing walls starting with easy to medium to hard. He was very informative in what muscles we should be using, giving us tips (like keeping your arms straight as much as possible decrease fatigue), encouraging us, giving us breaks, etc.. He was very flexible in what difficulty in walls we wanted to climb and gave us tips on which rocks to use if we got stuck. We went through 4.5 walls in our 2 hours and my arms were spent. Good workout for your body and mind, to figure out the best path and determination to get to the top. Overall, super great experience and he was an amazing instructor! I would definitely climb and hang out here again! read more

Hive - Rockclimbing Walla - Climbing Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I dropped by on a Monday night to join my friends who had just completed their Intro to Climbing/Belay course. They were thrilled to learn here and get the free 2 weeks of unlimited climbing (excl. rentals) to practice their skills. They raved about the great instructions on how to belay, the techniques to climbing and the instructors themselves. I personally had a great experience too. They have a decent sized gym with 5 auto belays, and a good variety of climbs including a bouldering area. It was pretty crowded though, almost every other rope was being used until 9pm. We also didn't get a chance to really try the bouldering area - too many people. The community feel there however makes up for it - everyone is willing to help out and give you tips when you need it. It took me a few climbs to get used to it here. They use coloured tapes to define routes instead of a colour per route as they do at the Oval. Occasionally from above I wouldn't be able to see the tape to find my next foot hold. Not too hard to adapt to though. Another thing I wasn't a fan of was the plastic piping on the overhang. I'm not sure why they put this up but it is slippery so watch out when you try to get over it. There are small changerooms available but no showers however so wear lots of deodorant! You can definitely smell everyone's hard work. Free parking is also available in the area. If you don't drive it's a close walk from the metro. Overall, fun place to climb at but it gets busy and it's an expensive hobby if I want to go regularly. read more

Tad bit small, but it would do. Smells like feet, but you get used to it quickly, and probably won't find yourself thinking about it when you're climbing to the top. 38 ft. Works every inch of your muscle. Staff was friendly, and helps you locate nubs when you're a noobie. It gets packed, and there isn't any stopping a more experienced climber to just by pass you, while you cling on to dear life. I've had better rock climbing experiences else where, but they are a lot taller.. so the fear kicks into me a lot faster and harder than the 38ft. read more

Came here to get in a workout as I was traveling for work. The gym itself isn't bad, though a bit on the small side. The tape system is a little confusing for those of you who are more used to the holds being all the same color, but it's not out of standards for older gyms. The routes themselves are pretty interesting and they have a crack that's pretty cool (though it's not easy to climb). I paid $20CAD for a day pass and planned to autobelay as there isn't an easy way to identify others that don't have a partner. I met up with someone else that wanted to climb though so took the belay test and climbed on top rope a bit. I haven't tried the lead climbing here so I can't comment on that. I'm not sure if I'll be back on my next work trip, but it's good to know there are options. There are small lockers that you can use with your own lock, or slightly bigger lockers that are coin operated. The friendly staff and decent facilities make it a possibility for a home climbing gym if you are in the area. They have a parking lot street parking. Also what appeared to be shuttles dropping people off. The area is a little sketchy if you're a solo female, so that is something to keep in mind if you're taking the sky train. read more

This place was strange. My partner and I just moved here from the US and UK, and we did a fair share of climbing there. We were in Vancouver for a few days, so decided to go climbing here for a day. We interacted with three people, overall we didn't feel very welcome here, there wasn't an overly friendly energy in the place. The first guy saw us bring our skateboards, and recommended that we try 'putting them up online' maybe he was just making a joke but it left us a little confused (attempt at dry humor with odd delivery?!) Then he asked if my name was real (again, slightly autistic). Then, we were supposed to take our belay test, but we realized it wasn't with the same guy but someone else who was standing behind us the whole time. We weren't sure because there was no proper introduction at any point. The guy who did our belay test was really friendly and we had a good interaction with him. The stars are for you, Rodrigo ! Thanks for the chat. After we passed our test and the guy and us got warmed up, it wasn't so bad. The routes were a little confusing though. Wondering if this gym wants to push more into the problem solving mental work out rather than the physical. Anyways there were some moments like 'why is that like that?' The last thing was a girl who was walking around and telling us to not do this or that (no bare feet at the gym, which wasn't stated anywhere, and the gym smells like feet anyways, no eating, no water bottle on the mat etc.). As we were leaving, since there was no WiFi at the place for us to yelp we asked her for some food recommendations nearby, but she wasn't of much help and asked us to go to a different city for the type of food we wanted (Korean food, which according to her, isn't in Vancouver). So yeah, strange interactions and overall an odd energy. The other BIG THING was that people seemed to be climbing really close to each other, which in other gyms we have been specifically told not to do, and none of the staff seemed to mind about this obviously dangerous thing yet seemed very vigilant about the other rules mentioned above. At one point another climber told me he was going to step on the hold my hand was on ?! It was also the most we ever paid for a day pass, which is saying a lot considering we were in Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco, and this gym, hands down had the least to offer (no showers, small changing rooms, no lotions, no WiFi etc) Left the gym with sad dry chalky non lotionned hands...it's the little things you know. Recommend somewhere else, if you can find one ! read more

The best climbing gym in the whole Lower Mainland. The staff have always been very friendly and helpful. I used to climb at the old Cliffhanger on Manitoba but this place was built from the ground up to be a climbing gym. Lots of variety in the routes. If you're a climber then this is the place to be when you can't get outside! PS: Can't wait for the expansion. read more

Holds are somewhat old and slimy. Smaller footholds are polished by the constant gym traffic and are now quite slippery. There are rarely large volumes as one encounters in bouldering gym or better climbing gym. Shapes of the holds are also not as diverse. Tapes are sometimes hard to see from above and often leave dirty, sticky marks on the wall. Maybe I'm too spoiled by Allez-Up in Montreal. read more

Hive - Climbing Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Tried rock climbing and bouldering for the first time, and I loved it. Cliffhanger Climbing is a great place to learn how to rock climb and boulder. Lessons are offered and if you need someone to belay, staff are available to help (please call ahead). This location is spacious, well ventilated and guaranteed to give you a good workout. The climbs are changed every few months so there will always be climbs that'll test your spirit and challenge your strength. I'm definitely returning and hopefully learn to belay soon! read more

This is a fantastic place if you enjoy climbing. The staff are great too. It is a terrific place to keep in good shape during the cool wet winter months. The gym is usually very quiet during the week days. read more

Hive - Soo many routes.... Limited endurance! - Climbing Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

If you're from Vancouver and you want to go Rock Climbing Cliffhanger is the place to go. It's always a perfect day to climb inside even in the city of Rainshine. Beware though, on weekends Cliffhanger becomes almost unbearably busy, but that's because it's the only place to go Rock Climbing anywhere near the Vancouver city center. It's around 25$ for anyone looking to rent equipment and even more if you need to hire one of the staff to belay for you. read more

This is a great place to go indoor rock climbing for everyone from beginner to advanced. I went on a Wed eve and it was pretty packed, perhaps daytime is less busy. There are different levels of walls to try and a couple of staff to help out. However, due to the busyness, many climbers come with belay training or someone who can belay them. You can rent all the equipment at the climbing gym. The cost with everything in is $28. There's also a bouldering/practice space up on the 2nd floor that you can use without equipment. Overall, it's a nice spot to practice rock climbing. I would just prefer more available employees for help with belaying. read more

Took the three hour belay course last night with some friends. Our instructor John was very good and thorough. Funny sense of humour but serious when needed. We learned a lot and by my 4th climb I was feeling less afraid of falling. My arms and hands are feeling it today and I think I may be hooked. The monthly membership is reasonable and you can rent gear if you need. If you're going to get serious though you should invest in your own gear. There are cubbies to keep your stuff and small lockers that you can put your valuables for only $0.25. There's a water fountain and you'll need it!! My kids used to go to camps here on their March breaks and it's also a great place for a birthday party. There is parking on the street if the lot is full. The gym has an overall slight aroma of feet and sweat and is loaded with strong, athletic people. Super impressed while watching some women do pull-ups in the upstairs area where there's also bouldering. Consider this sport for the long, wet, winter months! read more

Stopped in here to climb during a vacation. This is a new-seeming, clean gym, with a pretty good selection of routes. The staff (and pretty much everybody else there) was very friendly, and if you're there for the first time gear rentals are free. This was a nice plus, since we'd just brought our shoes. We went in the middle of the day, and had the run of the place, but it's not exactly huge. I could see it getting crowded. read more

I like it here. It can get quite busy and it's a tad small, but that's about the only thing that's really wrong. Oh! And they're expanding! Okay, and it's a bit smelly - but what do you expect? They keep changing up the routes and the staff are super friendly and nice. They are honest and rely on the honour system, which is refreshing. I also took the beginner one-time course thing and that was fantastic, it brought me up to speed. read more

I took my elementary school group to this location for a field trip. They asked us to get there at 9:50am, but we missed our bus and got there at 10:05. They were totally cool about it and got the kids set up and ready to go very quickly. The kids all had a great time! We had 24 children and they had enough staff for a 1:4 ratio, which meant none of the children had to wait very long for a turn at climbing. Every single child had a great time, even one who was afraid of heights. I cannot praise them enough for their patience and professionalism. I will definitely be making this a regular field trip destination, and will probably use their services for myself, since the kids had so much fun! read more

Yay first time climbing. Shoes and harness rental is free for the first timers. I started with easier one and did about 4 then couldn't do anymore! If you don't have a friend who can belay (hold your rope) then you have to pay for a staff to belay for you! Best to go with someone who knows how to climb. There's a real science to the climbing, and if you go first thing in the morning even on the weekend more chances you can try different levels freely without hitting someone next to you. read more

I didn't find anything that bothered me. Staff was friendly, helpful and funny. It was my first time so I was struggling a bit but by watching others I was able to pull myself up . The place seemed small at first but later I realized it was perfect for a fun workout . I'd come back on a rainy day ;) read more

sooo went here on recommendation from a few people because they all said that cliffhanger had bigger better and more walls than the edge, I was unfortunately dissapointed Because it was at best the same as the edge climbing gym, which has a much larger bouldering area and just a little bit less lead and top rope climbing. Both gyms have the same amount of auto belays. However and this is why you got four stars. Your employee koi was very informative to my little brother and got him belaying like a champ because I can't teach him in the gym so thank you koi for the help. So, long story short the edge if it is closer to you is well worth it read more

This is a wonderful establishment. Take beginners very seriously. Eric helped set us up and was easy to work with. Josh was a patient calm instructor. Very good considering we were from out I town and didn't have much time...they were very flexible. Lots of fun!!! read more

This is the second year we've held a client event at Cliffhanger and both times we have had an absolute blast and received just incredible service. I can't say enough great things about the staff here - they are beyond friendly and were so helpful both leading up to the event and on the day itself. I would absolutely recommend this location and will definitely be bringing clients and their families back again next year. read more

Best route setters in Vancouver... Especially "TC". Routes are varied and flowing. Three auto-belay cords allow you to warm up our train by yourself. Small but good bouldering venue. Staff ate knowledgeable and friendly. read more

I have been an avid climber for about 6 months now, ever since I first picked it up to get in shape when I was living in the Kootenays. Cliffhanger's perhaps the closest climbing gym to home (Burnaby) and probably the easiest to access by transit. The only complaint I have is that it is a couple blocks walk from the closest bus stop (Main and Industrial Ave.) which is no fun after 2 hours of climbing when you don't have a car. Also, it'd be nice to have shower facilities in the locker rooms as you do get pretty sweaty after just an hour or two of climbing and it's not fun to go home drenched in sweat. It's a well-maintained gym with lots of great routes and a diverse mix of avid climbers and first timers. On Saturday and Sunday, they have drop in climbing for $23 which includes equipment, belay service, and even a bit of coaching. Great for beginners looking to test the waters or those like me who are interesting in improving in the technique realm. I can't speak for the rental equipment as I already have all my own. The autobelay machines are nice for days when you don't have anyone to climb with and don't want to just stick to bouldering. read more

The gym itself is not terrible. The routes are kinda awkward, and the tape system they use is pretty confusing and kind of a mess, but the walls are nice, even though they're only 40 feet or so. But what really annoyed me about this gym is that they charge you an extra $6 fee for the privilege of registering, beyond what you would pay for a regular day pass. And then another $10 fee to allow you to lead climb. Neither of these fees include any instruction. And from talking to the people who administered the belay / lead test, they don't get paid extra from these fees. Purely a way for the owner to make more money which makes this place extremely uninviting for out of town climbers looking to get a work out. read more

This was a really fun new thing to try. I went with 2 friends and since we weren't experienced we used the automatic balays (prob spelled wrong) it was a good time! read more

Great place to climb. Many walls with various levels and amazing staff. I came with 2 other friends and we called in ahead of time so we could get a lesson with an instructor. After signing our waiver forms, we were immediately greeted with our instructor, Bruce, who I highly recommend. Super friendly, extremely funny, and very patient and encouraging. We were able to do 6 walls in a span of 2 hours and my arms and legs have never been so spent before. Be warned that when you first enter the building, there is quite an odour; however, despite my typical sensitivity towards smells, I quickly became accustomed to it and it did not take away from the great experience I had. Fun activity to do with your friends in a great and welcoming environment. read more

Fantastic experience. You have to try it to believe how fun it is. Stephanie was a first class belayer. It was our first time and she was so nice and helpful. read more

Some friends and I went to Cliffhanger for a Just Belay group session. The service was excellent, from the reception staff when I called to make the booking, to the onsite staff on the day. Everyone we encountered was helpful, attentive, friendly and professional, and we had a great time. I really liked the format of the Just Belay session; the cost, the duration and the instruction are all perfectly pitched. Our belay staff were amazing. The four of us were all first time climbers, and they put us at our ease, encouraged us and made the whole experience really fun and rewarding. One thing that had worried me was rental shoes and the harnesses - would they be comfortable/would I find the right fit, etc. The Cliffhanger staff made sure I was as comfortable as could be, and they did a great job making sure we were safe as houses too. There are lockers if you want to secure your stuff, clean bathrooms, and plenty of space to hang coats, etc. The smell of feet (which yes, lasted only for a very short time before I got used to it, heh) is really the only negative thing I can think of to say about Cliffhanger. And since it wasn't an issue after 15 seconds, I give them top marks. Can't wait to go again! read more

I have been to many climbing gyms in many cities and this was by far the worst. My boyfriend and I were in Vancouver for the weekend and wanted to keep up with our climbing, so we found Cliffhanger online. We showed up asking about either auto-belay or bouldering. Since they only have 5 Auto-belays we decided to boulder. However, the man working did not inform us that there was a children's bouldering class happening. So we paid, got changed and went upstairs to the (tiny) bouldering "cave" and could not find any space to climb as there were children everywhere. We went back downstairs to ask if we could switch to auto-belay and he told us that the kids class was ending and there was another showing up in a few minutes to learn the auto-belay. So, we stuck with bouldering and within 10 minutes the bouldering cave was filled with children again and no one was on the Auto-belays. Frustrated, we placed our rentals on the counter and left. No one asked us anything as we walked out clearly unhappy. It is very clear to me that this gym only caters to the regular and not the visitor from out of town. Do not go here!!!! It is not a warm, welcoming environment to a new climber. There was no quick tour of the facility or safety briefing. Most of the employees just sat around talking with each other instead of making sure that everyone else was having a fun, SAFE, time. read more

Cliffhanger is your best option for roped climbing in Vancouver. The gym has a reasonable variety of terrain and a decent mix of routes up to the high 12s. setting can be a bit hit or miss, but generally is fairly good - you have the routesetters initials on the starting tape, and each setter has their own style so you know more or less what you're getting into for a climb when you step up to it. The walls are 30ft tall (I believe after the extension they'll be 45ft), so they aren't the tallest in the lower mainland, but the gym is incredibly conveniently located and the ropes are all well maintained. There are 3 lead areas as well, which are shared with toproping and unfortunately closed during peak hours (6-8 pm on weekdays, variable depending on the weather on weekends) and OH BOY does it get busy during peak hours. Like, can't move on the floor busy. But otherwise, it's a pretty fun place and a decent way to spend $20. NOTE: If you don't know how to belay, you are going to need to call ahead and pay for belay staff to help you out or take a lesson. read more