New Big Little Gym in Pennsylvania for “Endless Types of Movement”

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The Goat Fort will be primarily a bouldering gym, but it will offer instruction on other climbing disciplines too.
Logo of The Goat Fort, a new big little gym in Pennsylvania
The Goat Fort gym brand has had a unique journey, moving from barn to garage and now to a building downtown. With a focus on quality routesetting, the new big little gym in Pennsylvania aims to offer “endless types of movement.” All photos courtesy of The Goat Fort

The Goat Fort
Warren, Pennsylvania

Specs: New facility will feature 3,000 square feet of climbing “in a clean, open space with lots of natural light,” according to owner Dana Harrington. Harrington notes that the gym will be primarily a bouldering gym, although special classes will be offered occasionally to utilize the facility’s top-rope and lead walls.

CWA Summit Pre-Conferences

 

Harrington also points out that the focus of the gym will be “quality routesetting,” and the bouldering terrain will vary significantly—featuring 14-foot-tall walls and a 12-foot-tall top-out boulder. The new gym aims to be “the biggest little climbing gym on the map,” according to the gym’s Instagram bio.

As a gym brand, the Goat Fort is unique. The original building was an old pole-barn on a dairy farm. However, that building collapsed under the heavy weight of snow and ice amid the harsh Pennsylvania winters. The gym was then moved to a nearby garage—where it remained for 10 years—before a decision was made to build an entirely new gym. Harrington notes that the new facility sits along the Allegheny River in downtown Warren. The new building is shared with two local outfitters (Allegheny Outfitters and Pennwild Outdoors) and a restaurant/brewery (Bent Run Brewing).

Climbing at The Goat Fort, a bouldering-focused gym
The Goat Fort will be primarily a bouldering gym, but it will offer instruction on other climbing disciplines too.

Walls: Designed and built by the owner
Flooring: Designed and built by the owner
CRM Software: Rock Gym Pro
Instagram: @goatfortclimbing
Website: www.goatfort.com

In Their Words: “We endeavor to create aesthetically inspiring problems that engender endless types of movement. In addition to our main climbing walls, we have a training area with fingerboard, campus board, and rings. Plus, we have a cool overlook lounge above the main climbing area where our clients can hang out.”
—Dana Harrington, owner

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