Editorial: Is it time for the great Phoenix climbing gym?

A bit behind

Climbing has always had a serious foothold in Arizona. While California may have been the birthplace of American climbing, Arizona has always been step for step with its neighbor. The history is here, and there are some legendary routes among the red rock giants of Sedona or even the humble must-do pitches of Camelback mountain. So, it is difficult to understand the state of Phoenix climbing gyms.

Now, this isn’t to say that Phoenix gyms are bad. They aren’t. The Phoenix Rock Gym is the perfect grungy gym. It is a cultural climbing experience, and the musty air and decades-old walls let you know right away that you among something with historical roots. AZ on the Rocks in Scottsdale is a newer gym that is great for families and provides a more well-rounded climbing experience. These gyms have just enough to be great home gyms. What Phoenix is missing, though, is the definitive powerhouse gym. It simply isn’t there, and it should be.

Look at California gyms like Planet Granite or Sender One. These gyms are huge and impressive, featuring hundreds of top ropes, massive dedicated bouldering areas and lead sections. And beyond the practicality, they aren’t afraid to be flashy when they need to. There is nothing wrong with spending some serious money to feel like a modern, dignified gym. Grunge is nice, but quality is better.

Perfect opportunity

The time really is now. Climbing has always been popular in Arizona, but the Phoenix climbing scene is absolutely exploding right now. The existing gyms are constantly jam-packed, and social media around here always seems to feature rock climbing. It intrigues people. But many of those people, even if the sport seems fun to them, probably won’t give it a shot unless they feel really comfortable.

Not feeling welcomed and comfortable, in my experience, is one of the major reasons people are turned off of climbing. And that’s a problem in Phoenix gyms right now. Customer service can only go so far, and a gym with the quality level of a Planet Granite could make the difference. There is a huge market of potential Phoenix climbers right now.

Look to other gym types like circuit training or yoga. People in Phoenix love experimenting with new types of fitness. Orange Theory and Crossfit have been very successful in Phoenix, so what is working for them? They offer a welcoming team effort and state of the art facilities. Climbing needs to catch up. And it has, just not in Phoenix.