Climbing Business Journal

USA Climbing (USAC) and Climbing Escalade Canada (CEC) recently announced they are teaming up to launch a brand-new North American Cup Series. The series includes five events in total, with three competitions in each of the three climbing disciplines―bouldering, lead and speed―spread out across the five events. The events are scheduled to take place from June to October this...

Every climbing gym business that has ever existed has been powered in no small part by routesetters. If climbing routes are the primary products that climbing gyms offer, then setters are the rock stars ensuring the show goes on. Skilled and often charismatic, diverse yet sharing similar dedication to their craft, setters working hard behind the wrench set our...

Just a few thoughts With National Team Trials starting today in Memphis, back-to-back World Cups scheduled in Salt Lake City in May, and now a Paraclimbing World Cup coming to Los Angeles in October, there are big plans for comp climbing underway stateside. The prospect of the LA 2028 Olympics seems closer and closer on the horizon…for Paraclimbing too. Stuff for Insiders The Mawem Brothers – Liberté,...

After getting hooked on climbing in 2017, William Billingsley built his wall in Mount Airy, NC When Covid struck, he remodeled his carport-climbing wall and even refinanced his vehicle to make the upgrades he wanted. Check out past HWOW here. When did you build your wall? Was it a COVID baby? Originally in summer of 2017. But I knew nothing about...

USA Climbing recently announced that an IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup competition will take place at Sender One LAX in Los Angeles, on October 9-10, 2021. Additional cities included in this year’s Paraclimbing World Cup circuit are Innsbruck in Austria and Briançon in France. The Paraclimbing World Championships are scheduled to take place in Moscow, Russia. According to a press release,...

Editor's note: the following was sent from the business below and posted verbatim without edit or fact-check. SAN ANTONIO, Texas (March 23, 2021)—The J.E.D.I (justice, equality, diversity, inclusion) Training Film, a documentary following San Antonio-based climber Bree Jameson’s journey to becoming the first Black woman in Texas to bolt a new sport climb and achieve a first ascent—a process that...

As climbing gyms continue to navigate the ongoing pandemic crisis, there have been positive signs for the industry as Spring arrives. The 7-day average of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is at its lowest level since October, vaccines continue to be distributed, and in California gyms in all but 11 counties have exited the most restrictive tier and...

USA Climbing recently announced that portions of the upcoming National Team Trials will be broadcast on YouTube. Beginning this Saturday, March 27, viewers will be able to tune in for live action of the event’s semi-final and final rounds on USA Climbing’s YouTube channel. Alex Johnson and Meagan Martin, who have each competed in a number of USA Climbing...

Spotlight on the 90s is a recurring column that explores the iconic gyms of the 1990s—and examines how those facilities captured the essence of climbing and the ethos of the industry in that decade. Check back regularly for future installments of this ongoing series. Gym: Pacific Edge Location: Santa Cruz, California Opening Date: August 31, 1993 The humble beginnings of Pacific Edge can...

In the 15 years since John and I founded Vertical Solutions (or “VS”, as we affectionately call it) we’ve helped bring over 100 projects of all sizes to life. During this time, our unmistakable diamond-pattern-finish became the symbol of a VS wall, but the walls themselves represent so much more. Vertical Solutions, at its core, values innovation, quality, and...