Had a great time here as a newbie. They give you a little safety training which is important to attend, and it was very helpful. Enjoyed my experience here for the hour I purchased. Really good workout, and it's cool watching the experts read more

The staff is super nice and the top rope walls are so tall! Like SO tall. Im not sure how I feel about the rubbery ground in the top rope area, but overall it was just a great space. I'll probably be back. read more

My favorite location out of all the VE! Such a variety of paths to climb. Plenty of auto belays across a decent range of levels. Large facility. If it was closer to where we lived- I would definitely consider getting a membership. Besides the walls and bouldering options they also have a small gym and offer a small variety of classes. read more

Absolutely fantastic experience! First off, thank you Echo for the professional and thorough orientation. When we arrived to the gym, we were greeted by several staff members who go us oriented with a day pass ($22) and gear rentals ($13). As experienced climbers, we are always thrilled to try a new gym, but this gym beat ALL expectations. Everyone is required to have a orientation before any climbing which goes through and allows guests to try to connect to the auto-belays and how to safely manage themselves through the gym. Guests are also allowed to use the weights and other non-climbing equipment (not always common in rock gyms). Myself and my brother were then allowed to test out on the belay test and then rent an ATC belay device for $5. You are allowed to use both an ATC or a GriGri in this gym. The flooring was a perfect material (cut up loose rubber) for descending from the tall walls. Each route was clearly marked with difficulty level and a single color for the holds rather than tape. Overall, wonderful experience and I hope to visit again during my next trip to Minneapolis! read more

Vertical Endeavors-Bloomington - Auto belay tall walls - Rock Climbing Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

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Been coming here for a couple months. Even if there's no parking out front there's more spaces in the back. There are plenty of auto belays and bouldering options if you come solo. It's also nice that as a VE member the basic top rope class is free so you can learn to belay a partner. There doesn't seem to be strict consistency with the belay qualification test but at least all the staff I've seen is careful about safety and want to make sure you know what you're doing. You can ask for a piece of practice rope if you want to work on knot tying. They switch out routes every couple of months so you can always have a project to work on. There are also treadmills, weights, MoonBoards and non wall things if you want to take a break from climbing. read more

Vertical Endeavors-Bloomington - Bouldering - Rock Climbing Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

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Cons: Climbing is ok, but routes are reset extremely infrequently. The place is almost always too busy. The staff and managment are stuck-up and the climbing team is always getting in the way. The boulder problems is usually not very creative. I've heard VE uses the same team of routesetters for all locations, but I don't believe that because the problems at VE Twin Cities Bouldering are much better. Pros: Spacious building with high walls read more

This is my regular Vertical Endeavors and it's almost perfect for what I need as a late beginner. Plenty of auto belays for when your alone and a large variety of walls to climb with top rope or lead. There's usually one or two sections changed per week, so for everyone but the most regular climbers you won't be disappointed. read more

Of all the VE locations, this one takes the cake. The wall space for ropes is abundant, and their boulders always seem well-set. Honestly, when I come to this location, I plan on spending all my time rope climbing. Their lead walks are fantastic and varied (slab, overhangs, roofs, dihedrals, etc.), and if you're not up for leading there are plenty of top-rope and auto belay options to keep you busy. In regards to grades, I've always thought the boulders here seem a bit stiff while the ropes seem soft. Either way, the setting is pretty great and the hold selection is quality! The training area is nice too. System boards, campus wall, good selection of hang boards, etc. If you're planning on visiting any of the VE locations - check this one out! read more

Super fun activity with the kids! The staff was very helpful and the environment was relaxed and clean! Looking forward to going again! read more

Vertical Endeavors-Bloomington - Rock Climbing Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

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Lots of auto-belays and a good mix of tall and short walls to climb on. The Bloomington location has a lot of variety for your climbing needs. I used to be a regular at the Minneapolis one until I settled down and bought a house in the 'burbs. This is my closest gym now, and I feel they've done a good job designing it. Lots of tall and short routes, a weight room, and a sizable bouldering area. Their greatest asset, for me anyways, is all the auto belays at this location. They have 27 total, the most out of all their locations. I'm also currently part of their adult climbing league. It's been nice getting the chance to meet people and always have a climbing partner, but I feel it could be ran a little better. It's the third week and we haven't had any emails updates, so the scores I've been shooting for every week are essentially non-existent, at least in the competitive sense. Minneapolis is still my favorite location but this one isn't bad by any means. If you're in the area and a fan of climbing you should check it out. read more

Vertical Endeavors-Bloomington - Bouldering wall - Rock Climbing Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

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This location is definitely better than the Minneapolis one. Safer, cleaner, and more expansive. There are many autobelays, some cool top top rope routes, and a bouldering area. The weights/kilter board area is a little small. Plus, all the bouldering is overhung - little to no slab. Bonus points for lots of lockers and storage for water bottles and such. read more

All the fun of Vertical Endeavors in a location closer to work! Although not completely finished with the buildout, it's up and running and open to the public. Looks like it has a lot of promise. Subtracting one star because they went with cubbies instead of lockers (at least so far, maybe things will change as they finish building). I'm not confident just leaving my wallet, keys, and cellphone in a cubby. I'd prefer a standard locker. Also I felt the bathrooms were kind of small for the square footage, but it was opening day and maybe the crowds were exaggerating the crowd beyond what a typical day will end up being. read more

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I really love VE and am so sad that I'm moving too far to attend anymore! The Bloomington location is huuuuuge and has so many different places to climb and boulder. They also have a lot of options for heights. The only con is that if you come at the wrong time, you can get overrun with children. And they... hate to say it... are the worst. Be very very careful if you're climbing with kids around. read more

Typically, my idea of a good time is lounging on the couch, eating pizza, and not doing any physical activity. But Vertical Endeavors makes me want to get my butt off the couch and actually do something due to how easy and affordable it is to start climbing, even if you've never done it before. I've been here a couple of times, and they make it easy to get started. If you don't know how to lead climb or top rope climb, they have plenty of auto belay systems for your use in two separate climbing areas (or bounding if that's your thing!) First time visitors have to fill out a waiver, which you can do ahead of time, and then attend an facility orientation that shows you how to use the auto-belay systems and a general introduction to the facility and the types of climbing offered there. Rentals are cheap - if you're only doing auto-belay, a harness is only $5. The day pass makes it easy to climb for an hour or two, take a break for some food, and come back to climb more. It can definitely get busy on the weekends, so try to come around when it's not so crowded for a great experience, unless you don't mind waiting to use some auto-belay machines. There are cubbies to store your belongings, but try to minimize the valuables you bring, unless you rent out a locker. read more

My family of four enjoys coming here for the auto belaying and the bouldering. You usually don't have to wait long to climb but sometimes it can be very busy with young children and you do have to wait if you only use auto belays like us. Overall we have had positive experiences when we go. read more

I've come here a few times now and I really love this new facility! Honestly, Eat Street was probably not the best location to put a rock climbing facility. I don't know if the Minneapolis location was built before Eat Street was developed but it's just such a random spot. Parking is also always a disaster. Therefore, I'm so happy they opened up a new location in the suburbs. This new facility is in the industrial area of Bloomington and I'm happy to say they have a private parking lot that isn't shared with other businesses! Staff are just as friendly here as they are at the other location. If you are new or haven't been in several months, they make you do an orientation and make sure you know the rules and how to strap in before climbing. Waivers are good for a year or two and you have to orient every four months in case you forget anything. Inside looks similar to the Minneapolis location. There's a front "lobby" area where you sign your waiver and check-in/pay. There are two locker rooms, one for guys and one for girls. There are couple private rooms for parties. There's a section with treadmills and weights. All of their walls are on one floor. They have their bouldering section and a variety of shorter and taller walls - differing in levels of difficulty for each. I could spend hours here and not get bored. The prices are reasonable. It's $18 for a day pass and $5 for each equipment you rent. I suggest wearing your own shoes and just renting a harness which is all you really need - unless your palms get sweaty easily then you'll probably need chalk too. This is a great activity to go with your family or a group of friends. If you go with a group of 10 or more, I suggest getting the 10-visit punch card and using it for your whole group. You will save at least $5 per person! read more

A brand new amazing gym with a few poor decisions. At first look the gym is amazing! great walls, great holds, nice auto belays, nice bouldering areas!! The tall walls are a huge plus as well. However after a while I found some pretty decent negatives about the gym. The decision to use the RUBBER PELLETS once again in another VE was a sad addition. They get every where! You can't sit down to take a break without them getting them all over you. You can't walk without shoes on. And since they're new, they oil up everything. All over my shoes. And the first couple holds on each route better be huge or your foot slips right off. DEAL BREAKER. And the other more minor negatives were the bathroom design. One shower. No space. Blah. Also, our initial walk through, auto belay, top rope, and lead belay tests, took 65 MINUTES. FOREVER. I understand being safe, and maybe for a brand new person a 20 minute tour would be nice and 20 questions asking about how to climb, but I don't think every one needs the same treatment. The gym wasn't completely finished in October so hopefully the other part of the gym will be better. All in all, this gym has great climbing of course, if you can get up the first few holds that is. But I'm not too excited about this place. read more

Yes to brand new climbing walls! I went here for the grand opening and it was packed. Otherwise on the first weekend post grand opening, the gym has been pretty good. Small crowds. I love how there are so many walls here. Plenty of options for top roping, lead climbing, and bouldering. A good amount of auto belays too. There's even a natural wall. In addition, they have a weight room with some treadmills! Construction is still underway for parts of the gym. It looks like VE is adding a new wall. Lockers for your personal belongings are coming in soon. I'm not a big fan of the rubber shavings on the ground. It gets into my shoe and it's everywhere. It does make the ground softer but many other gyms use padding. Also, it would be nice if VE made everyone wear climbing shoes. Kinda gross when kids use their shoes that has been everywhere. Despite the negatives, I still really enjoy VE Bloomington. Great place for climbing. Remember to rent shoes. ;) read more

As a climbing gym I would probably give Bloomington VE a 4 star rating. I like climbing there. The one star rating was given because of the rude, insensitive and egomaniacal disposition of some (mostly one) of the employees there. One episode of this kind of behavior, while not acceptable in a people based business, can be ignored or chalked up to a bad day. Two episodes is annoying and perplexing. Three or more episodes of such behavior is inexcusable. I have been the recipient of four reprimands of a very sadistic nature in the past year and a half. None of them for safety issues. Things like stepping back when my partner says "take"; wearing a glove on my brake hand so they couldn't see what my fingers were doing; giving my partner some slack when they were on top rope and wiping the dust off my shoes with a bit of spittle (I admit I shouldn't have done this but the way it was handled was atrocious.) All of these "issues" could have been handled in a discreetfully respectful way but the employees ( mostly one employee named Brandon) chose to point them out loudly while instructing groups during orientations. Does Brandon think it makes him look like more of an authority figure to the "newbs" when he finds occasions to embarrass and humiliate long standing patrons in publics? VERY unprofessional!! I've been a climber for longer than he's been alive. I've been a VE member since VE opened. I'm tempted to give up my VE membership if these cocky, elderly-phobic employees aren't taught some basic manners when it comes to customer relations. VE management, are you listening??!! read more

Wow! What a great new facility! VE seems to have really pulled out all the stops with their new Bloomington gym. My only experience with TC climbing has been the Uptown gym, which, while unique and challenging, is on the small side and in the midst of the very dense traffic-laden jungle that is Uptown. This new location is in a warehouse in a commercial/industrial area of Bloomington. This left a space with plenty of room to build and grow. There are some mega-high top rope and lead climb walls with a good number of auto-belays for the newer climbers or those looking to top rope alone. A natural rock surface with some cracks was available to climb and will have supplemented route holds soon. There are two bouldering areas which are adjacent to each other with loads of great routes. One area with a lower ceiling and more auto belays was closed off, so I'm excited to check that out next time I return. Finally, there a big space which will soon house a pretty decent-sized gym. They already have some free weights, pull-up bars and benches. I'm excited to see how it grows. Staff were friendly. I will say that, as someone who has climbed before, our orientation was lacking in certain details regarding safety. This was kind of scary since two other instructors were being trained in. Desk peeps were cool and commented on my super-old punch card. read more

Great fun for beginners to advanced. Staff is very helpful & friendly. My kids ranging six years to 17 love it. Just Give It A Try!!! read more

Vertical Endeavors-Bloomington - My 6 yr old taking on the rope ladder. - Rock Climbing Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

It's so... big! The newest Vertical Endeavors location is their best. With extra-tall 65 foot walls, more auto-belays, two separate bouldering walls, and a private parking lot, this location solves a lot of the problems that plague other locations- especially Minneapolis. The Good: The tall walls offer a more challenging, endurance-based climb than the relatively short St. Paul and Minneapolis locations. Of course, there were some taller routes in St. Paul, but they were trad climbing only, and for beginners to intermediate climbers like myself, they might as well not have existed. The new Nicros handholds feel very much like granite, and are very easy to grip onto. I think the handholds alone were the reason I sent my first 5.11a. I simply trusted their texture. The parking lot is very large. The bathrooms are new of course, and feature Dyson dryers and paper towels. The staff is kind, friendly, and attentive. Although perhaps a little less so compared to the St. Paul location. The best part, however, is that their new non-climbing workout area is NICE! Benches, squat racks, kettlebells, dumbbells, a treadmill, 4 stationary bikes, a few different campus boards, and two sets of gymnast rings! I've seen a lot of people coming here just to exercise in the non-climbing area. It's awesome! Normally I do kettlebell exercises at home, and I can now do them after I climb at the gym! Really nice. The Bad: The changing area in the men's bathroom is really small, and around 5:30 on the weekdays is crowded. There's also only 1 shower, so don't expect to use it if you go there after work. The crushed up rubber on the floors gets inside your chalk bag, and prevents you from sitting down. It's also new and oily, and my sore ankle from slipping off a relatively large foothold can prove it.. They're still building some of the walls and areas, so there are parts that are roped off and clearly under construction, giving the gym an unfinished feeling. Overall this place is really, really nice to climb in. I wish I didn't have to crowd around everyone else to change, and they'd use a different floor material than crushed up rubber, but those inconveniences are nothing compared to the quality of the facility overall. read more

I really like VE and regularly go to Bloomington and Nicollet. I've noticed lately that the exercise equipment is in disrepair in both locations. One treadmill was out of order today at Nic and all treadmills slip some and need maintenance at both locations. The ex bikes at Nic are beat up and at least one of two was broken. I would get an annual membership if the ex equipment was properly maintained. read more

The staff are really nice, helpful, and personable, especially Dana and Brett! I left my harness and atc here by accident and when I realized it I was already 250 miles away with no return to Minnesota on the schedule. When I called they were super helpful and ended up taking the time to ship it back to my house! So nice! In terms of climbing I was a bit injured but the training area was pretty good and the boulders seemed creative and steep so good for getting strong. Thanks for the great experience! read more

I have only been climbing for about a year, but I have had opportunities to climb at a variety of gyms across the country. I have belay-tested at at least 7 different gyms, including two other VE locations, and I have never had such an awful experience. I can understand not using a grigri for a belay test, but I do not understand the logic or safety of being made to use a belay device that I am not familiar with. Or the fact that the staff member, Josh did not make any effort to point out any features of the device to make sure that I could relate this basic model to the other ATCs that I have used. I truly feel that he set me up to fail, and I was not given an opportunity to succeed. My boyfriend and I drove an hour and a half to the cities to have a fun, and special weekend, and Josh definitely didn't set the tone for a great experience. I was very disappointed that my boyfriend and I were not able to belay each other, and that there were no auto belays on the 60 foot walls. I have climbed at a LOT of gyms, and I have always found the climbing community to be very friendly, open and helpful to other climbers. Except at VE Bloomington. I would not recommend this location for anyone who is accustomed to the friendly, fun climbing community. I wish I had read the reviews before I went, as rude staff and staff who are on a power-trip to purposely fail people for belay tests seem to be a common theme. Shame on you VE Bloomington and the black mark and bad taste that you give people for a sport and community that is known for friendliness. read more

I'm a newbie to climbing (started in September) living in Eagan. The Bloomingtom location is a little inconvenient to get to (the river is in the way), but it's totally worth it! They have a great range of auto belays from very kid-friendly grades to the stuff that looks nearly impossible to send (in my eyes anyway). It makes it very easy to find your comfort level and then work your way up the grades from there. Bathrooms are always clean, and staff are very friendly and happy to help if you have questions about climbing, buying gear, or membership info. A couple of cons that aren't huge, but could be better I suppose: 1) cubbies are not locked or hidden in any way. On week-days when it's more serious climbers, I totally trust my stuff to not be stolen. When it's the weekends and there's a bunch of kids and families there, I worry that someone will steal my stuff when I'm up on a wall. There are lockers, but very few for the number of people there at any given time, and you need to bring your own lock with you each time you go. 2) The rental shoes reek of BO and nasty anti-bacterial spray. I bought my own shoes after a couple weeks of climbing, but those rentals STINK! 3) I was under the impression that routes would change over every 3 months or so. The paper by each route that tells you the grade say that they were to be switched on 12/1/17, but they haven't been changed yet. Routes are starting to get boring (I go 2-3 times a week). Overall, it's a really great place to go climbing. Parking is hardly ever a problem, it's easy to find, routes are well-developed and spread out over different grades, staff is courteous, walls are very tall, and it's fun! :) read more

I've never been rock climbing before but for my first experience it was fun. I can see this being a good alternative to going to the gym since its exercise, indoors for the winter, and fun. This place is new, clean, and has a nice variety of walls to climb. The prices seemed to be ok if you were gona go every once in a while but I can see it getting expensive fast. I would definitely come back. read more

This is an awesome gym for top roping or lead. They have two huge atriums that are probably 60ft high! The setting is great, although I would've liked to see some top ropes set up for their arch routes. The staff is fairly serious about belay certification, which is fine. The gyms I've been to tend to be friendlier, but I safety first (and I suppose it sets that precedence as well). They have a small bouldering area with different kinds of features, primarily slab or overhung, which is nice. Overall the setting for bouldering is also great, but I think their strong-suit is in their sport climbing. The gym can get a little crowded, but with so many different routes in such large atriums I didn't have issues not finding a route to work on. I think one thing I would like to see is a few more tables so people can hang out and eat snacks, unless I missed those...hoping I can stop by another time to lead climb because that arch is a must try! read more

Gorgeous new facility. First time back on a wall in many years, and had so much fun! Will be back for sure!

I have always enjoyed my time coming to this gym. I felt like it was a really great facility with so many routes available, but unfortunately will no longer be returning after a displeasing experience I had with one of the staff members, Brett. I have not been into the location for quite a while, so naturally, I needed to go through the belay certification again for safety purposes. This is of course understandable, and as a regular climber, I felt confident that it was just a small obstacle I had to get through before being able to climb for the day. Unfortunately, Brett did not think that I should pass my belay test for various reasons. He felt that although "it's obvious that you are a regular climber," he had concerns. The various reasons were that: my belay device was flipped into an uncomfortable way which "isn't a safety issue, but is unnecessary" and the rope that I tied was too far into the rope, which again, is not a safety issue. So, I began to ask myself, if a clearly experienced climber is getting their belay certification revoked and it's not for safety issues, what could it be for? MONEY issues perhaps? Vertical Endeavors unfortunately has such a monopoly on Minneapolis, that they can perform whatever kind of unethical practices they like. What's most infuriating is that you already have to pay for the day before they decide whether or not you can belay for the day. It also seems like Brett may get a bit of satisfaction having the power to be able to deny an experienced climber the opportunity to belay for the day, but unfortunately Brett, the reality of the situation is that the customer is the one with the power, not you. I will no longer be visiting this gym, and I advise everyone to instead check out Minneapolis Bouldering Project, if you'd like to pursue some rock climbing. Although it's not the same as top rope, the community is wonderful, and the staff is much more passionate about the activity instead of the amount of money that is going into their pocket. read more

This is the best location to rock climb in MN. My friend and I went there and once we got there every staff member was super friendly. Later on after several hours there we got hungry. So we asked if they knew any good places to eat. Insantly they began search places to eat. When we got back from eating, all our items that we left there were still there. Than my phone battery died and they didn't even hesitate as one of the staff grabs their charger to loan to me, for free. Than afterwards the man at the front desk told some pretty good jokes. Overall 11/10 community and staffing. Would go again!!! read more

Had a great time in the new Bloomington facility! Great bouldering facility.