I’m shopping for a full time climbing gym- one that I can call home.  In order to find the perfect fit,   I’ve devised the “ten route theory”.  The ideal gym will have:

4 easy climbs for warming up and cooling down.  They’re my first and last climbs of the day, and I know I can get up them every time.  For me these are in the range of 5.7 to 5.8, and generally have big comfy holds.

4 intermediate climbs that puzzle me and challenge my ability to read a route.   These are usually 5.9s; some of them are suited to my style, and I get the moves intuitively.  Others are more of a challenge- there’ll be a match, or a few slopey holds that I can’t hang on.  I may take a couple of falls, shake out my arms and regroup, but I’ll still send it in one attempt.

2 hard routes that I make a decent attempt at, but know that there’s no way I’ll on-sight it.  These are the projects that I’ll spend weeks working at, improving flexibility or strength training so I can make the critical move.  These are 5.10- for me.  I find the difference between a 5.9 and a 5.10- to be huge.  Gone are the jugs and 3 finger pockets; they’re replaced with big melon shaped slopers, tiny 3 finger ledges, and crimpy little nuts.  They are unforgiving, and the moves are much more technical.

Of course, the routes aren’t the only thing I’ll grade a gym on.  There are other variables like change room size (why is the women’s change room half the size of the men’s?), the choice of music (how frequently do they blast Jackson 5 over the speakers?), and the crowd (I like to climb with people who are down to earth and give good beta.)

In Toronto there are 4 indoor climbing gyms, and I’m going to apply my theory to each of them and see which one comes out ahead.

 Glossary term:

On-Sight – A clean ascent of a route without a prior attempt or tips.

Written by Ashley Lannigan