Vancouver Climbing Walls

[rmncwrtr]

I want to take a intro/beginner rock climbing course and was wondering if anyone had experience with Firstenberg Comm. Ctr or Ballys. Not sure what specific classes Ballys offers, but Firstenberg has a four week course called Does on the Rock starting in April.

 

Would anyone recommend one place over the other or know of some other place on this side of the river that's better? Or would I be better off going to a gym in Portland instead? Thanks!

[kevbone]

Vancouver does need its own climbing gym. There is a lot of money in East Couv.....who is throwing down for the gym?

 

Into rock climbing? you are probably going to have to go to a Ptown gym if you want a serious gym. Or try the Mazama's.

[sinrtb]

I love Firstenburg its small but cheap and the staff is very helpful. The walls are lower then most of our local gyms but the quality i think is much higher.

[rmncwrtr]

Thanks, sinrtb. I'll check it out. Had a class at Club Sport last night and am excited to climb more!

[sinrtb]

Let me know how it compares to Club sport. I am curious about other gyms in the area as well.

[Farrgo]

I've tried a couple of the Vancouver walls. Not worth swimming through the hordes of 3 year/olds and soccer moms. Not even to mention that the walls really don't provide that much interesting or challenging climbing. You get more bang for your buck at the PRG or Stoneworks or Clubsport IMO.

[billcoe]

If you really want to learn to climb I would avoid every damn gym in the world and head to the Mazamas for their courses. Beginning, intermediate and advanced. The advanced course is top knotch, 5 stars, beginning gets 1 star and should be avoided if you can help it. Head for intermediate instead.

 

They have great courses, quality well thoughtout instruction and give the full meal deal for less $ than it should be.

 

If you want to just climb in a gym, then I'd just go to the gym for instuction, but the complexities of the outside world can, and most likly will, easily kill ya if all you get is gym instruction.

[rmncwrtr]

Let me know how it compares to Club sport. I am curious about other gyms in the area as well.

 

Sinrtb - I've only climbed at Club Sport a couple of times (and none of the other gyms in the area), but I went to the open climb session at Firstenburg today. Here's a quick comparison of the two:

 

Pros to Firstenburg - price $5.75 plus $2 for childcare (for 1.5 hours. It also cost $5 for my belay card which was free at Club Sport), location (much closer to where I live), good beginner routes for a newbie, open climb includes belayers (huge + for me since I know few who climb).

 

Cons - small wall, very crowded today (they limit open climb to 12 climbers. Can't remember how many were there today, but it felt very crowded to me whereas Club Sport is so big it's never felt that way), limited routes if you were an experienced climber.

 

Similarities - Both gyms use the gri-gri for the belay. At Club Sport you tie in to climb, at Firstenburg there's a biner with a figure 8 tied on it. Both gyms have friendly, helpful people working there.

 

If I had to choose, I prefer Club Sport if I have someone to climb with (and since I bought a couple of the half-price punch cards in April, it's more reasonably priced), but when it's me and my youngest, I can't beat the deal at Firstenburg-no partner or babysitter needed. I'll definitely be going there again.

[dwellcome]

club sport is a great gym, as is prg. the good things with firstenburg and ballys is they are in vancouver (big plus to those of us north of the river) and the price is much lower. ive only been to ballys once, but we were the only two there, and firstenburg has a monday,wed?, friday night climbs for belay certified only which cuts down on all the kids on the wall.

but at 5-6 bucks to climb, and short drive? works great for me.

till the weather clears up at least then its outside only!

[kevbone]

Where is this Firstenburg place?

[rmncwrtr]

Firstenburg is on 136th on the left before you hit WinCo on the right. North of Mill Plain Blvd. I was just there on Friday night for Family Climb. It's smaller, but close and as dwellcome mentioned, it's cheap. $5.75 if you have your own gear. They charge $5 for a belay card. If you go to one of the "open climbs", they belay you, but if you have the card you can go to the belay certified only climbs.