Not a bad place to indoor boulder and for the Groupon deal of $28 for 2 weeks, you really cant beat that! Staff are super nice, helpful and welcoming. From the person on the phone to the guy who got me all checked in. I think I have been spoiled by being in some of the best climbing gyms all over so at this point in my climbing journey, I have some comparisons. The entire place felt a bit dated and could use a face-lift. It reminds me of PRG back in Phoenix. Women's locker room needs a code to get in and its just really bare bones. Lots of lockers for your use (bring a lock), some showers available but its no frills. This place doesn't have air con and it was hot to climb today. I was sweating a good amount but did clear some V3s, so that was cool! I like climbing when its bit cooler so my hands aren't sweaty. There are two climbover walls and another small wall in the back. The thing is you are also sharing space with top ropers, etc , so the space felt very cramped. But, with that said, lots of good route settings and I enjoyed figuring out some routes and did enjoy climbing over to the top. There are also yoga clases here M-Th at 7pm and some fitness machines. Easy parking outside which is a bonus. Ill come back again and even without groupon, but likely I wont get a membership to this place. Im still doing a lot of research on what I want in a climbing gym. I have a hard time committing to something when I have tried other stuff that I like better. Its like if you try on clothes at the store and the outfit you came in still looks better, dont buy those new clothes... read more

Vertical Hold Rock Climbing Gym - Cleared the green - V3 - Rock Climbing Near Me - Poway, California

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I love this place, have been going there for a couple months now. The staff is so nice and talkative, the gym is diverse and has lots of stuff to do, also super clean. THANKK YOUUUU read more

I brought my daughter and her friend climbing yesterday at this location and staff followed them around and even took a drink from my daughter that I had pre-paid for, accusing her of stealing it. a staff member also pulled her friend down from a wall physically stating he was climbing to close to others. we have been climbing there for years and this is the first time we have had problems with a staff member. we will be reporting this today to VH management. read more

We had our 8-yr old's birthday party here and had a great time! We didn't really know what we were getting into; none of the kids had any climbing experience, but are all active/athletic and fun and the staff was so helpful and patient, everyone had a great time! In addition to the accessible climbing walls that kept the boys busy, we had a private room for the birthday party, with tables and chairs, and a ping pong table! We brought pizza, drinks and cupcakes. Two and a half hours was the perfect amount of time. I really can't say enough about the staff and how helpful, patient and kind they were. In addition, they trained (quickly) 2-3 parents to be additional belayers and that just made it all the more fun. Highly recommend for birthday parties! Our group of 8-yr old boys had a blast, and the two 7-yr olds had fun and got some good climbing time in too! I think it's probably perfect for 8-10 year olds. read more

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Super fun spot for all levels of climbing. They really took time showing my boys what to do and giving them great instructions. The place is huge and has free (no ropes) climbing areas as well. Definitely recommend you come and spend the day! WiFi for mom and dad, too read more

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Great experience! My daughter and I came here a few weeks back and we had a blast, many different climbs for varying skill levels, which was great for having a 6 year old with me. read more

I'm new to climbing, but I've had a good experience coming here and getting a good workout. The gym is clean, and there seem to be climbs available for a variety of levels. The bouldering area is a little smaller than some other gyms I've seen, but as a new climber, there's plenty for me to work through. In particular, I wanted to leave a good review here b/c the staff took good care of me when I suddenly fainted due to low-blood pressure shortly after I stepped off the wall. Two staff members came over and checked in on me to make sure I was doing ok. I really appreciated it. read more

We love this Gym. We have a family membership and it's a great value. On a recent visit Gina provided amazing support. She responded and resolved an issue with grace and a smile. Thank you for your help! This rock climbing gym is our favorite! read more

VHRCG operates a few locations around San Diego, and I believe this one is the largest. Catering to a range of age and skill levels, there are a variety of walls to suit everyone, and problems/routes are changed regularly to keep things interesting. The staff members are avid climbers themselves, and happy to give tips if you ask for help navigating a particularly tricky section. Otherwise, they'll pretty much leave you alone to do your thing. On weekends (before COVID), this location can get crowded, especially with excited groups of kids running around - no shade as I'm a parent myself, just stating facts. I suggest coming on a weekday if you want a little more space. read more

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I believe this is the location that started vertical hold. But it's great! You walk in feeling the same vibe as the San Diego location. Same music playlists, same just friendliness and welcoming spirit. This location though is much bigger and does have much more to offer regarding training and working out. I would say there is either more or the same top ropes.. (didn't count) but much less lead climbing available. San Diego really does have an amazing lead climbing cave. And bouldering opportunities, with top out. But.. not a lot of slab opportunities. And the big plus.. LOCKER ROOMS WITH SHOWERS!!! Just nothing feels better than a cold shower after a climb/workout. Wish San Diego had that buttttt that's alright! I will trade showering at home if it means a shower 15 min drive rather than 30! Also, i don't know why maybe I was just off my game today but It feels like climbing gradings are much higher here.. both bouldering and top rope. Anyways, this location is great if you are in the Poway area! If I lived smack in the middle of both locations I'd have a hard time picking which one to go to. read more

Vertical Hold Rock Climbing Gym - Moon board - Rock Climbing Near Me - Poway, California

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VH is amazing! There are problems for beginners, intermediates, and advanced. Pretty cool upstairs training area, as well as a mini gym with a squat rack, bench press, dumbbells, lat pull down area, and even a ping pong table. There are two self belaying devices, as well as a vast amount of top roping routes and lead climbing routes too. The boulder wall is small but the setters at VH are really good and rotate the problems every once in a while, but seemingly at the perfect times for you to go through all of the grades you can climb. The staff here is also very friendly and kind!! Pros: awesome staff, great problems, actually a vast amount of equipment to get super strong on. Oh yeah people here are great too! Everyone vibes with each other Doesn't get too crowded as well. ALSO they have showers and a locker room yay!!! Cons: Small bouldering area, the back boulder area doesn't have crash pads so unless you have your own or unless you are ok with not using crash pads there it's basically a useless area. read more

Vertical Hold Rock Climbing Gym - part of boulder wall - Rock Climbing Near Me - Poway, California

Came here with my bestie to try it out for the first time. AMAZING!! They do the belay lesson if you've never tried or it's been a while. It took me a bit to get the hang of it, but eventually I got it down. Conrad was super nice and patient with me. Showed me the proper way to belay, and I felt confident after the lesson. There are different routes you can take, and you just go with what you're comfortable with. When you get to the top, it's a great feeling, like you made it to the top of the world, lol. They also have a small weight lifting area where I kinda tried my hand for the first time. Bestie is a pro and she schooled me the whole time. I liked it a lot...so empowering!! It's located in an industrial area with plenty of parking. Their prices are pretty reasonable and they also offer memberships. Although it's not a huge facility, it has enough room for you to move around and do what you need to do. They also host birthday parties. There was a kid party going on when we were there, but it was nicely controlled by the staff. Employees are all friendly and I would definitely return! read more

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Am a fan! Came here with a girlfriend who recently got the membership with another one of her friends and got to get a free belay lesson along with rental gear. The belay lesson was v helpful. Learning the basics of belaying - how to strap yourself correctly and see that your partner does the same if you have one. We were there for about 2 hours. I got the thrill of climbing up...but the hardest part for me was trusting in the other person in coming down. It's just hard to let go. I managed to successfully do it, but it is still a fear of mine to let go. For beginners, the easiest would be the 5.5. As the numbers go up, it gets harder. And there aren't many easy ones to train on besides two walls which you could use any shape to climb up, the 5.5 and the 5.6 (the auto-belay) in the front. Lots of parking, not too bad of a drive if you live in Poway, plus its a few blocks away from In-n-Out too! My girlfriend E said that this location definitely was bigger than the other Vertical Hold locations. Bouldering is also available but a bit scarier as you don't have a rope securing you. But they have cushions around to break your fall. Overall, had a good experience, and I hope to go more often next year as this year, all my weekends are booked read more

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I used this facility during the shutdowns in 2020. Lovely little climbing gym with bouldering, top rope and mechanical belay device at the time and a full weight room, and nice professional staff. read more

Couple things to cover here, first the two outstanding staff members that make it memorable, Ryen and Alex. Really, customer service is not dead Ryen and Alex are there to prove it. The facility it self. Went here recently with a friend, had a blast! What a great way to workout and have fun. We were treated so nicely by Ryen, she took the time to really explain how to properly belay and top rope with my partner, which we are both complete noobs, even going up herself and I was her partner on the ground so that I could gain the confidence of how it felt. Ryen then explained all the different levels of climbs around the gym. Which helped, because its huge with climbs of all variance all over. She had our best interest at the top, sharing a passion for climbing and spreading the joy thereof into the customers. Basically we weren't just given some 5min explanation and sent out to fiddle fumble. I enjoyed it so much I returned with my children a few days later and signed up a membership with Alex. Talk about above and beyond. Alex took the time to explain the basics of the membership and perks at all three locations. While I was climbing with my kids, he would come around and offer guidance to all patrons including my daughter. I'm sure he could tell she was a bit timid at 5yrs old. He had a great way of being relatable with her and helping her enjoy herself more. Alex then took the time to give me my Top Rope certification and tutorial. He made sure I was versed in the figure 8 and ATC usage. Enough to were I confidently tied in my daughter and sent her up. At the end both Alex and Ryen were there and they both gave me an opportunity to top rope as they were my belayers (not sure if a word) while my children watched daddy go high! All in all, Alex and Ryan have made and continue to make my visits memorable and personal. If I haven't already said it, they are the definition of taking care of your clients. On belay, belay on. Climbing, climb on! read more

Vertical Hold Rock Climbing Gym - Rock Climbing Near Me - Poway, California

I'm 6 feet 3 inches and weigh 215lbs. I consider myself an athletic dude and work out at least 3 times per week. I'm close to half a century, but I've stayed relatively fit having played basketball since the 8th Grade, played competitive volleyball, and have consistently lifted weights throughout my adulthood. When one of my best buddies broached the subject of rock wall climbing at Vertical Hold, I thought to myself I can do that and I'd like to change up my fitness routine. Yeah, I was over confident and my fitness experience did not translate to rock wall climbing. Despite this, I had a blast monkeying around with two of my best buddies. Although this review falls under the Poway Vertical Hold location, please consider my review applicable to both Poway and the Hancock Street locations in the sense that the basics are similar, but each is different. My first rock wall climbing excursion was at the Hancock Street location and my second was at Poway. I recommend that you purchase the one week trial at either location for $40, which includes the harness and a pair of shoes each time you visit during that one week period. With regards to the climbing shoes, I suggest that you request shoes that are two sizes higher than what you normally wear. For example, I wear size 13 in regular shoes, but in climbing shoes I wear size 15. When I visited the Hancock St. location, I was told by the young lady behind the desk that your big and second toes were going to be bunched up due to needing your big toe to pivot on rocks and grips. She's definitely correct about needing to pivot, but she recommended I wear a size 14, which made my first rock wall climbing experience an uncomfortable one. When I wore size 15 at the Poway location, my feet were so thankful and my second visit was so much better due to being more comfortable. The friendly and accommodating staff will also provide you with instruction on wearing your harness, how to operate the ropes, and most importantly, how to belay. Both locations have lockers where you can place your valuables and the restrooms were clean and sanitary. As for the monkeying around, I had so much fun and I loved that I wasn't as fit as I thought I was at least for climbing and descending 20 feet rock wall faces. It's definitely a total body workout where every part of your body gets worked. After both visits, my arm muscles ached, my hands were sore, my legs pulsated, and my cardio was improved as I sweated throughout each session. I'm sure you might be questioning my assessment of rock wall climbing being fun because it sounds painful. There are many facets of why I considered it fun. It was fun because it was different. Rock wall climbing is not an everyday activity. It was fun because it was challenging. For each climb, there are different paths you can ascend. For each path, there are placards with numbers or numbers with letters. The higher the number after the decimal means the path to the top is very difficult. Difficult because there isn't much to grip on or minimal space to put your foot on. Finally, it was fun because you felt a sense of accomplishment after completing a path and reaching the top even when you didn't think you could scale a 20 or 30 foot climb. Once you touched the top, you swell with pride as you fast rappel down the rock wall face. I thoroughly enjoyed my two experiences at Vertical Hold. I'm thankful to my buddy for infusing some variety into my workout routine. I also have a better understanding and appreciation for mountain climbers and monkeys. Good times! read more

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I recently came here after purchasing a Groupon for myself and my boyfriend which included a day pass for climbing, rental gear [harness, shoes, chalk bag], and an introductory belay lesson. Overall, definitely worth the money. It had been a while since I rock climbed, and my boyfriend had never done top rope, so the lesson was much needed! Aria[?] helped us with this and she was very friendly and made sure we understood the process. It seems like there is only 2 staff members at any given time, or at least when we went. This was not an issue for us since we went on our own to climb after the lesson, but once families came in, I noticed children were freely running around whose parents may not have been able to keep an eye on them 24/7. That might be dangerous, but nothing went wrong during our time here. The facility had a good amount of climbing routes, as well as two bouldering areas - one had routes that could go up and over the top! They also have 2 auto-belay ropes I believe. They also have a small gym area with equipment for basic exercises, a slack line, some rock climbing/finger holds to practice on, and a ping pong table too! Overall the routes we were able to go on were very fun and just challenging enough - we will definitely come back to try other ones! read more

First- just got to say- Climbing is an excellent FULL BODY work out! And it's fun! This place is an older climbing gym, but it has everything you need and Super Friendly counter help willing to answer any climbing questions you may have and help you get going. Prices totally reasonable and there are Groupon deals, so if you think you want to climb but aren't positive, get the Groupon, it's worth it or just get the membership, it's totally reasonable. My whole family climbed here- 4 boys and the hubby on Mother's Day. We love it! Kids have birthday parties here, but I'm thinking about having my next b-day party here. Parking is plentiful- some hours of the day are a little too busy for me, but there are plenty of off peak hours. There is a ping pong table, old school work out equipment, a couple of treadmills, and Yoga on Monday and Tuesday. So, all in all- great place for a great, alternative and fun workout! Climb On-! read more

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Wow! All the staff members I met were super friendly and supportive. Instead of just, "Okay, here's the gear, you are ready to start." They told you how to USE the gear. They had this amazing rope climbing setup that most other places do not have. They had many different kinds of climbing stuff, which you do not see in many other places. Absolutely indescribable. The top of the smallest rock climbing thing, there was a roof of like, rock, and it had many places to sit. On the smallest one, when you climb up, instead of having to climb back down, you just walk across it to a bridge, walk across the bridge and walk down the set of stairs! That is why this place is the best! read more

Vertical Hold Rock Climbing Gym - Getting ready to climb on the rope thingy! - Rock Climbing Near Me - Poway, California

Great gym. Grades can be a little bit inconsistent but who cares. Super fun routes, good amount of ropes and bouldering; super friendly staff and awesome vibes. Would love to see a bit more lead climbing, but overall great gym. read more

My family yelped and this place popped up. It is very kids friendly place, adult is also welcome. My plan to get my 9 years old boy worn out and this place is ROCK (climbing)! Clean facility, less crowded, nice gym equipment even though is pretty limited. If you're looking for a healthy hobbies rather than regular gym, this place is a fun try. read more

Vertical Hold Rock Climbing Gym - Rock Climbing Near Me - Poway, California

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Such a great experience!! We had my daughter's 10th birthday here just yesterday and everyone left with huge smiles on their faces. We had 9 climbers (Mostly ages 9-10, and a couple of 7yr olds). The staff took the time to explain all of the safety items, and taught the adults how to belay with the harnesses. Meanwhile, the kids were getting prepared, and even had a chance to walk the tightrope. I was pleasantly surprised that every child was able to climb SO high, and they were so proud of their accomplishments. The party room felt a little dark and dingy at first, but with a few decorations and food, it became a great place for the kids/parents to take a drink break, and ultimately was perfect for cake eating. Tip- make sure to bring plenty of decorations to liven up the place! Can't thank Vertical Hold enough for the amazing service. Such a great memory for my daughter and her friends! I'm thinking of signing me and my daughter up for a membership. This is something we can do together! read more

Loved it here! My son had his 8th birthday party here and the kids had a blast. What an unconventional party idea well enjoyed. The staff is super helpful on and off the rocks. Can't wait to visit again! read more

Vertical Hold Rock Climbing Gym - Rock walls! - Rock Climbing Near Me - Poway, California

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We held our Girl Scout Rock Climbing badge event here as a party. I loved that our girls received instruction from women and that during our lesson the gym had climbers of all different age groups and abilities. We felt very welcomed and Sophie and Erin were super supportive, giving us all the important info without making the lesson overly long. After we were taught "the ropes", they were always nearby if a girl needed help planning her climb, but also letting the girls try whatever they felt they could accomplish. We'd absolutely come again! read more

Vertical Hold Rock Climbing Gym - Rock Climbing Near Me - Poway, California

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I went here for the first time in a long time tonight to use the restroom due to jogging/running around the area and the door to open the restroom was stuck & super difficult to open. I then went back to the front desk and told the team member and was able to use the Women's membership locker restroom thankfully considering I was full of H2O after exercising outdoors from this location. I have Rock Climbed here in the past and my experience was a positive one. It was when they offered $10 rock climbing nights or some type of deal on Fridays. read more

This place used to be "Solid Rock" and its the same exact layout. The only thing that really changed was the name, and every thing else stayed the same. If you go climbing a lot, I suggest bringing your own climbing shoes. But for those who don't climb, like myself, would have to rent some. They aren't the most comfortable, but you'll just have to deal with them, since it is a requirement to wear them. The staff is super friendly, and are there if you need help with anything. It honestly fun watching people that are super good, climbing. Lol. They'll teach you the basics that you'll need to know, which is awesome! The facility itself is clean and very welcoming. They have a locker room for you, if you are/ become a member. The bathroom in there is a lot nicer and probably cleaner, than the coed one they have for the general public. Other than that, it's a pretty great activity for all to enjoy, while getting a serious workout in! read more

My 12 year old has been here before with family members, but it was my first time. Staff was very friendly, polite, professional and helpful. The gym area was large and clean with lots of natural light. Had to take off a star for the dirty bathroom. We'll definitely be back when we visit family in Poway. read more

I love Vertical Hold and was a long time member when I used to live in SD. I now typically pass through for several weeks at most during vacations and holidays, and have regularly used the one month Groupon pass to access Vertical Hold at a small discount when I'm in town/without ongoing monthly commitments. I tried to use it today and had a terrible experience with the guy at the front desk. I was told that he couldn't honor the Groupon due to the 180 day purchase policy - the policy doesn't explicitly say that usage = purchasing. But more than that I felt like the customer service I got was really disappointing and left a bad taste in my mouth. The staff person was defensive, not apologetic about the situation, and the whole interaction felt like he was annoyed with my showing up, and asking questions. I hate to say this, but I don't know if I'll be returning after my month membership concludes. I will rarely be in SD for extensive amounts of time going forward but this interaction makes me reluctant to make Vertical Hold my go-to when I'm in town. Customer service and the whole experience matters. I hope management encourages staff to take a kinder tone with customers. read more

Joined a few months back thinking I might not like the vibe, however I was very wrong. I was a semi-experience rock climber prior, but the staff there is very friendly and eager to help you with refresher lessons if needed (Alana, Kenny & Josh in particular). It is also cool to see the all the kids learning this cool activity/sport, although they can sometimes be in the way. If you avoid the class times though (MW, 4-6) you will have plenty of top rope routes to explore and a boulder with problems for all levels. The gym equipment is a little old, but you can pretty much do any exercise you'd like, unless you're looking for specialized machines. For strengthening your skills on the wall though, there is more than enough. read more

This might be my new favorite gym! There are so much excellent routs for different levels as well! I felt like there were so many options. The workers were all nice as well and I have no complaints about them. I can't wait to go to this place. I'm looking forward to going back read more

I'm a member again. This place is super chill and doesn't get super crowded! I love that about this. Fun times. Great part about it is there is multiple locations. read more

I decided to go try climbing and brought my family! We had a blast! My wife who is not into doing things like this had so much fun. My 15 yr old daughter and my 6yr old son had a blast climbing up really difficult heights. Kenny and Adrian were wonderful hosts to us because we were complete beginners. Kenny even show me how to do some advanced stuff even belaying for me. I would highly recommend this place for some family fun or just a great full body work out. read more

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Vertical Hold used to be Solid Rock. From what I've heard they have changed management awhile ago. I used to go to Solid Rock during my high school years but now I want to get back into rock climbing again, so here I am! Since it's a different management, the reviews are cleared, my advice is not to base this place heavily on just reviews (even mine, haha!) and try it out yourself! But as always I'll give you my personal experience with Vertical Hold. Perks: Parking is great. As it is in a quiet business district so there is NO noise whatsoever. It's close to the private gym I go to so I can just drive 2 minutes down the road to climb so it's very convenient for me. But, this place has a gym which you can use if you have a membership I believe. The gym has a variety of machines to make all kinds of gains but I just prefer the gym I go to now! They have two really good bouldering sections and plenty, plenty of top roping areas for your enjoyment, with difficulties up to 5.10(+) and for bouldering V10(+); a range from beginners to the 'elites'. There are empty rooms around the building for party hosting and events! The last time I went there was a party and all the boys were running around trying to climb anything they can. It's not as busy when I usually go (9 am, 2-5 pm). At night when I was passing by it definitely looks more crowded so if you don't like forcing social interactions definitely go during 'work' hours! Customer Service: In my opinion it's pretty good. For my schedule I usually come and climb early, early as in when it JUST opens, 9 am! Lucilo was there to help and got me registered for my membership. He was really nice and I finished the procedure quickly and got my free Vertical Hold shirt and free rentals for a month! He also gave me a free complementary belay lesson so I can relearn everything I thought I forgot years ago. I've been going when I can with my busy schedule and he's always there to help me. The other staff I haven't talked to, as I just get occasional stares. I'm not going to assume they have an attitude or anything as I would love to have conversations with all of the staff which will probably happen eventually! But Lucilo would always greet me and say hello whenever he notices I'm there, so a shout out for him for sure! :) For the many times I have been there, I've personally had a great experience. Even though they changed new management, this place is still as great as it was before for me. If you are looking for somewhere to climb that's around Poway, definitely check this place out. read more

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My daughters loved the gym! Friendly staff! Will help you with whatever it takes to teach you climb! Very pleasant! read more

Alex was friendly and helpful! It was my first experience and I had fun! I'll definitely come back for more beginner climbs. I think this is a great way to challenge yourself mentally! read more

We had our son's 6th birthday party at Vertical Hold. The kids had a great time and Kenny was an awesome host! read more

Vertical Hold Rock Climbing Gym - Rock Climbing Near Me - Poway, California

Came here for the first time with some friends who have been rock climbing several times before. Vertical Hold is definitely beginner friendly, offering bouldering, several different difficulty levels of rock climbing walls, and upstairs they also have a couple of neat things including a nylon rope which they call slack lining. Once we got all of our gear, we weren't offered any assistance although asked if it was any of our first times, so I was definitely lucky to be with friends who have gone before. I did notice another beginner who came in and asked for some help as it was her first time. No biggie, just ask for some help if you need it. It was about $24 for shoe/gear rental and for rock climbing. I'd say definitely worth it! They do have year passes and they also hold yoga and a mini gym! As it is a huge work out center, it is extremely dirty so make sure you wash your hands 5 times after. Overall an awesome experience and I will definitely be back. read more

Today Josh and Ryen taught me and my friend how to belay and it was so informative. We felt so safe after their through instructions. Also their music playlist here is on fire. 10/10 would recommend this place :) read more

It was basically my first time ever climbing and i have to say this experience was amazing. One of the best customer service I have ever experienced. Tammy (hopefully I spelled her name correctly) did an absolute fantastic job at providing me what I needed and helping periodically with the chalk. She also was very kind. Thanks Tammy! I had an amazing time Nd I definitely will come back. My forearms are destroyed but in a good way! read more

Shoutout to Alex! He was so kind and helpful!! :) I had a great first experience rock climbing :))