Keeping Active all Year

During the colder months it can be hard to find ways to stay active, especially if you are accustomed to hiking, running outdoors and outdoor climbing. However, there are options available if you are looking to continue moving in the winter (and all year round).

The Gravity Vault is a rock-climbing gym on route nine here in Poughkeepsie, New York. It has been there for four years now and they have experienced exceptional growth over the years as interest in the sport is increasing.

Christopher Champagne, an employee at The Gravity Vault, stated that there is an increase in membership numbers during the colder months, but people keep those memberships for rainy days, literally. In the warmer months and when the weather permits, dedicated climbers will be outside climbing rather than only going to the rock gym.

One of the great parts about Gravity Vault is that everyone is welcome. They offer day passes and specials if you are not interested in becoming a full member. A large portion of the indoor rock gym are rope courses, but there is also a wall dedicated to bouldering. Bouldering is different because instead of being harnessed in, you climb a 14-foot wall and either climb down or jump onto a thick, padded mat.

Every few weeks a team will come in and set new routes on the rock walls, so they are always fresh and challenging. Here, you will find people of all ages as Champagne stated, “Our members vary in age from young twenties all the way to 84.” There are also kids who regularly climb at The Gravity Vault rather than going to the trampoline park.

Champagne alluded to other possibilities of why more people have been starting to climb again, “Rock climbing was popular in the 60's and 70's, but then died out a bit. We have seen that over the past years people are open to exploring it again and are seeing there is a lot of skill and technique that goes into it rather than it being a carnival game.” He also mentioned that people have been more adventurous as hatchet throwing increased in popularity.

Rock climbing will continue to grow in popularity and that is shown in the amount of rock gyms popping up around the country. The Gravity Vault is opening five new gyms across the country and will continue to increase interest in the sport of rock climbing whether it is in the summer or winter.