The Climbing Wall Association's blog is a place for indoor climbing professionals to find useful and relevant information from industry and business experts. Stay on top of best practices, thought leadership, and trends by subscribing to our newsletter!
The indoor climbing industry witnesses a continual flux of personnel, with staff members transitioning to new opportunities, being let go, or advancing within the ranks, leading to recurrent gaps that need filling. For facility operators, prioritizing hiring becomes imperative. While selecting... Continue Reading
Developing a new climbing gym can be incredibly rewarding. But it’s not a simple process. Carefully balancing many factors—from the business model to the budget, real estate to construction costs—is needed to build a facility that will provide a good return on investment. We sat... Continue Reading
As a climbing wall worker, each day demands a delicate balance between exerting energy to set routes and boulder problems and allowing enough time for recovery to enjoy climbing yourself. Click here to view photos and videos of the exercises described in this article Climbing wall workers are... Continue Reading
“Well, it is that time of year again . . .” . . . is how I was going to start this article about how to implement new ideas into your gym. I am writing this in January, 2024, deep in the New-Year-Resolution-Boom (NYRB) of gym usage. You are likely reading this near the end of Q1,... Continue Reading
In our last article in this series, we outlined the benefits of focusing resources and energy on engaging your members, community, and employees in community-building programs. The research we cited is clear: by engaging your community of support, you increase your market presence, engage new... Continue Reading
When it comes to working with local climbing organizations (LCO’s), often the first thing that comes to mind are organizations that primarily focus on access to the outdoors. However, there are LCO’s out there who are working toward expanding the indoor climbing community.... Continue Reading
I am going to start by expressing a potentially contentious opinion: I love The Catcher in the Rye. While not everyone familiar with the novel may have enjoyed it, the story always resonated with me: a coming-of-age tale where the protagonist struggles with his perceptions of adulthood,... Continue Reading
Consulting work is often caricatured as a hot shot in an expensive suit and Porshe 911, swooping in, pointing fingers (Toby McGuire Spider-Man double guns even), telling you how easy it is to make a million bucks. In three distinct phases of my career, Amazon Operations, Summit Climbing +... Continue Reading
The Climbing Wall Association (CWA) is excited to announce legendary climbers Tommy Caldwell and Alan Watts as the closing keynote speakers at the 2024 CWA Summit. Caldwell and Watts join previously announced opening keynote speaker Sasha DiGiulian to form a climbing all-star lineup that will... Continue Reading
The Phoenix, founded in 2006 and now operating in 48 states, is a national nonprofit created to help those who have been impacted by addiction. With a variety of programming, including a focus on indoor rock climbing, the Phoenix serves to connect individuals who have mutual passions and shared... Continue Reading
, Why is it so difficult to decide on what grading system to use in a climbing gym? Indoor climbing gyms continue to open every year and more people begin their climbing journey on plastic. As a result, the language we use to describe indoor climbing difficulty is continuously evolving. For... Continue Reading
The Climbing Wall Association is excited to announce the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City as the location of the 2025 CWA Summit. The 2025 CWA Summit will take place from April 15-19, 2025. Continue Reading
