Best rock climbing gym ever outdoor bouldering ever Isaiah deserves a raise same with Wilson and Olivia!!! Highly recommend!

I decided to stop by this climbing gym while traveling from Chicago to St. Louis because of the positive reviews here on Yelp. When I read that I would be able to climb inside a silo, that really got me excited. However, when I finally got there, my initial excitement quickly diminished. First of all, I didn't like the idea of being charged for taking a belay test. Also, the locker room/bathroom was rather small for changing. Although the outdoor bouldering space sounded appealing, you are required to either bring your own crash pad or rent one from the gym. The route markers were also quite small. If you think you would enjoy top-roping inside a silo, then you will be quite satisfied with this place. read more

Upper Limits - Bloomington - Outdoor bouldering - Rock Climbing Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

Before I begin, please know that I am a beginning climber - I first did so back in 2008 at college, and only recently returned. I have heard of Upper Limits many times before, but never had a chance to go. My boyfriend's father invited us to attend with his Boy Scout Troup, so we went. The boyfriend is a rather avid & experience climber and has been here before - he has talked it up quite a bit. My 15 year old brother, a first time climber, joined us. From the moment we walked in, every employee was helpful, friendly, and present. I love the fact that 1) the employees are actual climbers, and 2) they circulate throughout the facility to ensure safety guidelines are upheld. THAT is awesome. The facility itself is beautiful - 65 foot climbs inside old silos? Marvelous idea. The main room has lower climbs, but routes are still challenging. The wave wall is awesome (though too advanced for me!) and the opposite side is a "cave," perfect for ceiling & turn practice. Classes are available for newcomers, to learn technique & safety, but there are 6 auto-belayers through the gym for the nervous or very new. The required orientation for new people is helpful and thorough. We live about 2 hours away, but just the other day, my boyfriend said how much he missed frequent climbing, and wanted to know if I would go again - um, yes. read more

I was nervous at first, but everyone there is ridiculously friendly and I had a great time. Very fun, I highly recommend.

Long overdue in writing this review... My Wife and I were given passes for a Basic Belay Class and Passes to go to UL for so many times. We finally were able to take advantage of the class and have been to UL a few times...even with our kids. Which they seem to have the most fun. The belay class was awesome, informative and fun!! Johnny ruled!! We were the only ones in the class which made it fun and laid back. Johnny was still serious though about safety and testing us out for our final. I would highly recommend him as your instructor if possible. It may seem intimidating when you walk in and see everyone hanging beside you and over you like spiderman, but with the initial belay class and a few visits you get over that initial fear. After that it can sure become and addiction. read more

The good: excellent space, high walls, and the staff have been very friendly. The bad: I've complained multiple times about spinning holds on routes, and have sometimes avoided routes entirely because they don't get fixed. I don't lead climb so I can't speak for that aspect, but if it's similar to the bouldering or silo climbing, I wouldn't be surprised if some one eventually hits the deck for this reason. A spinning hold often leads to an uncontrolled fall which can be very dangerous from any height. Imagine standing on something, and then it's not there anymore. I've had this happen with footholds at Upper Limits (one even cracked under me). When I talked to staff, which I have on multiple occasions, I'm given reasons why they can't fix the situation. Reasons range from hold type, to wall type, to being short staffed. Until they come up with a way to run their gym safely, I'd suggest staying clear. I'll update this review if I see any improvement. Update: 2/11/18 I almost hit the light in the center of one of the silos today when a hold spun. Spinning holds are a danger and the manager assured me that there will always be spinning holds at this gym. read more

The weather outside was frightful...so climbing outdoors was out of the question. Having a day off from work, my climbing buddy gave me a call to see if I'd be up for a road trip out to Bloomington, IL. When I asked him why, he told me of an indoor rock climbing facility nearby that has some of the highest walls...well, silos really, in North America. You see, it's in a converted grain elevator building and so, has some of the most unique routes in Illinois. Upon arrival, the mere size of the building gave us insight as to what was in store for us. Getting set up was a bit unorganized as the staff was a little scarce. In their defense, however, the place was swarming with kids and so, they had their hands full (hint: check to make sure it's not a school holiday if you decide to check this place out). Once signed in, we'd discovered that our climbing opportunities seemed almost endless. Some key points of interest: 1) 65' high silo walls 2) 110 ft. outdoor wall with top roped and leadable routes in the summer. Lighted for night climbing. 3) You can rappel 120 ft. off the top of the building with an elevator ride to the top. 4) a 1,700 square feet Outdoor bouldering area It probably won't be a place you'll frequent, but for a nice change of pace (and a more vertical challenge than the norm), grab your climbing gear, fill up the gas tank and head out to Bloomington. I think you'll find it's well worth the drive. read more

OMGeeee I miss this place! Can NOT beat Upper Limits for gym climbing. Once you get past the cool novelty of a converted grain silo, you realize it is still a DAMN good idea. Silo walls are 65 delightful feet, much taller than most gyms. Some climbs take advantage of great features in the concrete. There are three round silos but my favorite is the space between their roundness--dihedrals and chimneys. Once you know how much I put my ass to use as a built-in shimmying appendage, that makes perfect sense. You can find opportunities for stemming, flagging, mantling, crimping, working your slopers, practicing sport leads, and so on. The routes change enough you can't get bored. Besides the silos, there is a large gym near the front door with maybe 30 foot walls, including a good overhang. A small, sometimes quiet boulder cave is tucked up the stairs, next to a wall with pull up and finger workout boards. If you boulder, the huge outdoor area is where it's at. There is also a 110 foot climb up the side of the building which puts you higher than most stuff in Bloomington for a big view. Sometimes they flood it for ice climbing in super cold winters. Not that I tried ice--once up in good weather with a micro-brief glance around was plenty enough for me. :) Their yearlong membership was a good deal, and I had crushes on the staff for being not just hot but kind and friendly (and hot). Find a silo to renovate in Austin, pretty please? read more

What gym climber would not love to scale the inside (or the OUTSIDE!) of a silo? This gym was a fabulous idea on somebody's part, especially given the dearth of available rock in this part of the world. The employees were nice; the lead test was fair-to-easy, and the silos are almost comparable in height to a single pitch out-of-doors. The main lead room has a wavy, overhung wall that has much potential for long, fun lead routes. They could use some sort of sound absorption in the silos, though -- it was really difficult to hear my belayer over the echo. And the fact that these folks don't climb out-of-doors much is painfully obvious when you try their routes. The setters make routes difficult by positioning holds farther from one another, or angling them strangely. On the silo routes, I never had to turn my hip in; never palmed; never gastoned. And the lead routes were simply confusing. To be fair, one setter there admitted that he could use advice from folks who climbed out-of-doors more. (Well, here it is, kids: try to force your climber to use a specific move, preferably NOT the same move over & over. When you are the climber, use features the way you would out-of-doors -- nothing there is out.) read more

I've been wanting to go climbing for a very long time. When I had the chance to tour the climbing facility at Siemens- I thought wow I'd love to try that. I enjoy alternative ways of exercising, so off I went. As I tackled the beautiful countryside drive from Champaign to Bloomington, I was a tad nervous but more excited; I searched the reviews of Upper Limits and I learned that they're beginner friendly and overall a good gym; the Yoga sold me a bit as well. Let's talk about customer service first. The people they have here are committed to providing excellent customer service. I didn't know we had to book the Rock Climbing 101 class; as I called to inquire later in the day, the gentlemen over the phone notified me that the instructor that taught the class had gone home since it was slow- I was momentarily stumped but understood, he assured me that if my party and I really wanted to take the class and was sure about it, that he would place me on hold and give the instructor a call. Not long after we were go for our adventure. The facility was clean and spacious. We were introduced to Mark; our main instructor, and Josh. Since I'm a toes in the water cheeks in the sand kinda gal, I was given climbing shoes (nerding out y'all). Our instructor was polite, funny and even offered to show us multiple times how to tie our ropes and do checks. It was great because they both walked us through the Climbing 101 class and made sure we were ready to climb as a team with or without the auto belay, and always while keeping in mind the safety of not only ourselves, but other climbers and the gym as well. Overall I'm giving this facility 5 stars; it really rocked to climb- no pun intended and I left feeling a sense of achievement. I wasn't a pro but I learned more than what I knew, so I'll definitely be driving back for more climbing knowledge. read more

My boyfriend (who loves to climb) has wanted to check this place out for a while, and me (a newbie climber) was excited to check it out as well!!! Needless to say, when the ole work day ended Wed. we were pumped to gather our things and be on our way.... Not being from Bloomington, this place was pretty easy to find. I think the concept of reusing an old grain elevator as a climbing gym to be super clever :) (I work near one every day...why didn't I think of that???). Our first trip here was mostly exploratory by nature, so we didn't take any lessons in belaying or anything (actually we didn't even harness up at all). We just did some boulder climbing and checked out the gym, which is AWESOME. I really like the way this place is set-up; they use their space well. After bouldering for a couple hours we decided we would come back for a lesson and try some of the bigger stuff. I can't wait :) Also, just a heads up, my bf has some sweet climbing shoes, but, sadly, I do not. It didn't matter, I was able to rent some out for just $4. Although, a word to the wise, they run a little small, so I would ask for 1/2 size bigger than what you typically wear. HAVE FUN!!!! read more

My girlfriend and I decided to take the Rock Gym 101 class for one of our first organized rock climbing experiences. We were welcomed into the gym the second we walked in, and we were taken care of every second after. The staff was absolutely amazing at making sure we were comfortable with the entire process and extremely friendly. Our instructor, Garrett, did an amazing job making sure we learned everything sufficiently and he made the class extremely efficient and enjoyable. The Rock Gym 101 class was a 2 hour class, but it didn't feel longer than an hour. After our class we were able to freely enjoy climbing for the rest of the day which was excellent. Staff continued to check on us for the rest of the day to make sure we were still comfortably climbing. The deals that were offered after the Rock Gym 101 class were also very nice. We received several coupons each and have already used two of them. We have since been back several times. Each time the staff has been beyond exceptional. Extremely friendly and helpful with our belay test the second time we came back. Then because we had enjoyed ourselves so much, the time came that we decided to purchase our own gear. Once again the staff was extremely knowledgeable and helpful with picking our own gear. They helped us get reasonably priced gear that fit our ability level and didn't try to take us for a ride at all. Huge thanks to the staff at Upper Limits, I'll be a regular there from now on! read more

This is practically the only indoor climbing in the area. They have long routes that will help you condition and a wide variety, not just straight up to the top. They'll keep you thinking about climbing smarter and which moves to use. The Cave is a nice feature as well because you can practice hanging upside down. They have a few auto-belays (4 maybe) that are not close to the best in the business (Vertical Endeavors holds that title), so bring a partner. For the warmer months, there's outdoor bouldering available for a man-made boulder they maintain (bring your own mats) and you can climb the outside of the silo - 110 ft! They can get quite crowded when there are groups, so call ahead to avoid; they'll gladly let you know what time the groups will clear out. It's $15 per day without a membership. read more

Climbing here is great. The high silos and the varying routes make this place a must climb. I drive down here from the city every couple months. It is never really busy, at least when I have been here. Climbing the high silos with good routes +1, routes that seem to cross over and sometimes you can't tell if your on route or not -0.2. Lead climbing here is great on the overhanging walls (I could spend day on these). I only have two real issues with this gym. Bouldering seems to be random and at the climbers discretion. Are there any routes? Children's parties are even worse. They are in the lead climbing areas and so if they are there (DO NOT LEAD CLIMB). I have had children try to climb below me, one dad moved my rope and actually caused a mess, then he proceeded to keep stepping on the rope, we actually just left after this. At the end of the day, if you work around the minuses then this gym is great and I suggest climbing here if you are ever in the area. read more

The staff at Upper Limits is very friendly. However the release form contains some fairly ridiculous clauses, including "we are not responsible for our own negligence". The climbing areas were fairly claustrophobic and the paths were poorly labeled. On a brighter note, reaching the top of the 60 ft tall route was neat. Probably wouldn't go again. read more

Wasn't a fan of the instruction as I thought the teachers were very young and immature. If you're going to teach a sport that can be potentially fatal, you should do so with a straight face and extreme professionalism. Not like you're goofing around. Not impressed. read more

Biggest indoor rock climbing facility in the world. Lives up to that reputation - love the walls indoor and out. Cave is great, too, although small. $10 per person, they provide all equipment. Walls are contained in old silos in West Bloomington over the railroad tracks. Clubs, groups, teams, and classes. Experienced staff there to help you. read more

In response to River F's review, I disagree about the level of customer service. I was at the state fair (2017) as well this morning, and my family had a wonderful time with the three gentlemen. They we very lively and enthusiastic about climbing and being at the fair. My kids still won't stop talking about them! There is indeed a route with a loose hold, but they explained that they didn't have the necessary equipment to fix said hold and would try to help the climber around it. My three year old daughter made it to the top with ease without their help anyway! I have no idea what it's like at their real gym, but they seem like a great group to learn how to climb with. read more

My review is not of their facility, but for their lack of customer service. I paid to have my son do 2 climbs on their portable climbing wall at Conservation World within the State Fair (2017). The purpose of this display (besides making money) is to advertise their business, I'm assuming primarily to families of children. On the second climb, 3rd hold, my son fell and told the attendant the hand hold spun upside down. The attendant said "yeah, some are loose" and unclipped his harness. I told the kid at the desk where we sign up and pay...he said "there are a few like that, we just haven't had time to tighten them". Neither even offered him a replacement climb...how simple would that have been? Thinking this is not a representation of the kind of service this company wished to display, I decided I would call their main office to just let them know. David, the manager, answered the call. Much to my surprise...he seemed almost more unconcerned about the image their company was presenting out here at the fair. Not impressed with the first (last) experience with Upper Limits. read more

I'm not a very experienced climber. It's something I enjoy and it's an awesome workout. My husband, myself, and two stepsons went recently, not exactly knowing what to expect. The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. We used the auto belays and the area upstairs that really works your hands. There were four auto belays in the main rock climbing gym with multiple levels of difficulty. We all had a good time trying the different levels, including our 8 and 12 year old. Something you won't find anywhere else is the silos. There are several silos to climb in. One silo has two auto belays in it. Climbing the inside of a silo is something you don't expect to ever do. We are definitely interested in returning and taking some classes to up our skill levels. read more

Great place for teens to exercise and socialize. The climbs are challenging and never the same.

Great climbing and routes. The bouldering is great and ranges widely. Belay test is fair and easy enough. Overall its a great place for off season climbing. That being said i probably wont be back. Climbers are jormally so.e of the nicest people ive ever met, but for some reason tge guy at the front desk was a complete ass. First time going with little to no knowledge about the place, i make a comment to my girl about showing her how to velay and was (very rudely) told "if you do that ill kick you out." I dont know what crawled up that guys behind but he was not polite at all and continued to be rude to us. Had we not driven almost 3 hours to climb id have walked out then and there. Sincerely hope this isnt a recurring theme for the company because the gyms are truely great, but one rude employee is enough for me to say confidently they wont be getting my money at bloomington again. read more

Wow, i just recently wrote a review for this place but I hadn't been there for about 4 months. I just went this weekend and they have really stepped up the organization. I think they finally have enough staff, and there were lots of new top rope routes, and i didn't find any loose holds this time. Also, the bouldering routes were clearly marked with tape, which wasn't the case last time i went. The indoor bouldering area is still a little sparse, and mainly dedicated to lead climbing. So, since lead climbing tends to be 5.10 and up, there isn't a lot of easy stuff in the indoor bouldering area, but it was a nice place to warm up or end up a few hours of top rope routes. I wish i knew how to lead climb, because there are some seriously awesome overhangs for lead climb routes. The outdoor bouldering area had a lot more routes, but i went at night and it was cold, so i didn't get to test them out. My other criticism from previous review is still true-there is not much available for kids under 10, due to distance between the holds. My nephews could do maybe one 5.6 route without cheating, but other routes were pretty reachy and way too few holds for kids. read more