How far do/would you drive to a gym?

[Buckshot]

Two quick questions for those of you who attend a climbing gym:

How far do you currently commute to get to your climbing gym?

I know it depends on how good the gym is but how far is too far? 20 min? 30 min? 45 min?

 

[chubler]

5 minutes from the office for a lunch session, BUT I willingly drive 45-60 minutes to the same gym from home to climb with those I aspire to. It's not about how long does it take - it's about choosing what's important...to me, the time en-route is worth it for the experience.

[Drederek]

5 minute drive, thirty minute walk. I'd measure too far to regularly drive at 30 mins.

[pcg]

25 min. and at that distance I am weighing building a climbing wall here at home.

[telemarker]

Hey Buckshot,

 

Are you planning on building one? If you do, put it in Chelan or Douglas county, please. Wenatchee is in desperate need of a climbing gym.

[Lodestone]

In the winter time I drive 25 minutes (once a week) to my favorite gym. I wouldn't drive any more than that unless I had no other options.

 

 

Chad

[miladugga]

20 minutes, doesn't seem like a big deal, but I live in the burbs, it takes 20 minutes to get anywhere.

[murse11]

Hey Buckshot,

 

Are you planning on building one? If you do, put it in Chelan or Douglas county, please. Wenatchee is in desperate need of a climbing gym.

 

Seconded. Hell, a small bouldering gym would be awesome.

[Rad]

Depends on the location and the availability of other options. For example, I could never see joining VW or Stone Gardens (15 minutes w/o traffic from my home and work) when I have free access to the UW gym 2 minutes from my work. But when the SBP opened up I signed up as a member. One of the main reasons is that it is really easy to get there from my house and it is open until 11pm most nights. So location and hours of operation played a big role in my decision. It sounds like SG Bellevue is a great gym and the new VW Seattle gym will also be great. But I doubt if I'll become a regular at either because I'd have to cross a bridge or the city to get to either. Again, location is key.

 

In Seattle we have lots of choices, so people can be selective. Out by Wenatchee or other spots where there is nothing close at all, people might be willing to drive farther. Also, if they're used to driving 40 minutes to the Icicle to climb/boulder they might be willing to spend the same amount of time to get to your gym.

 

If you're thinking of a gym, talk to founders of other gyms and find out where they make their money and what their customers want. As long as you're not competing they probably would be willing to share info. Another idea is to talk to VW and see whether they would consider opening another franchise/satellite. That might help you get things going faster.

 

Good luck!!!

 

[telemarker]

Out by Wenatchee or other spots where there is nothing close at all, people might be willing to drive farther. Also, if they're used to driving 40 minutes to the Icicle to climb/boulder they might be willing to spend the same amount of time to get to your gym.

 

Not sure where 40 minutes from Wenatchee would be other than Leavenworth. 40 mins east of Wenatchee would be odd. Quincy? An indoor gym in little Bavaria seems like a tough sell for 9 months out of the year, especially with the Michael gym in E Wenatchee, which rules!

 

However, the TCCC in Kennewick, as small as it is, seems to be very popular. I bet a modest gym in the Wen. Valley would be a hit.

Edited November 22, 2011 by telemarker

[kevbone]

Now that the Source is open it is about an 8 minute drive from my house. Say goodbye to all the Portland gyms.

[Sol]

I keep telling my friends if they were ever interested in starting a climbing gym, Wenatchee is the place and now is the time. DO IT!

 

I can't see any other locale on the east side of the mtns working if that's what you're getting at.

 

a wenatchee gym would be a big hit.

[bwwakaranai]

Whats the scoop on the new B-ham gym? Is it still just a concept? or have they actually broken ground. Im ashamed to say that I partake in gym road trips all too often. Mount Vernon has zip, B-ham has 3 really lousy gyms (rather do push-ups) Everett VW is within reach but for $16+fuel...ouch! I even get desperate enough to hit Coquitlam Cliffhanger, which is the best gym around BTW, but at 1+ hrs to get there or one of the other VW's, its enough to get you thinking about taking up video games for the winter. Seattlites, consider yourself lucky this time of year. Come summertime I love Mount Vernon for its centralized location to some great climbing but we need a gym up north! The private sector cant seem to get one going. Might be worth a look/see for Vertical World, or Stone Gardens???

[Rad]

I just pulled the 40 min out of thin air. Insert your own numbers.

 

[Stefan]

20 minutes when gas is a decent price

5 minutes when gas is expensive

[JayB]

I'd add traffic predictability in there as a variable that matters, on top of time and distance.

 

I'd gladly drive an easy and predictable 30 minutes much sooner that I'd drive a heavily congested and cluster-prone route that could vary between 20 and 60 minutes.

 

 

 

[sobo]

However, the TCCC in Kennewick, as small as it is, seems to be very popular.

It is very popular, and the only climbering gym for miles around. The next closest one I can think of is on the Whitman College campus in Walla Walla, and it's outdoors. The TCCC is 5 minutes from my house...

 

telemarker-

How do you know about TCCC? You get over here much or sump'n?

[112]

The next closest one I can think of is on the Whitman College campus in Walla Walla, and it's outdoors.

Whitman has a new indoor gym, but you might need a Sponsor to climb there!

 

To the OP:

 

I currently drive ~20 minutes each way. 30 minutes is probably my max.

[telemarker]

However, the TCCC in Kennewick, as small as it is, seems to be very popular.

 

telemarker-

How do you know about TCCC? You get over here much or sump'n?

 

yes I do. The routes are super sandbagged too. Do you hear me Spencer? I guess given the limited space you have to squeeze as much pump as you can. I haven't seen you there before...

[sobo]

yes I do. The routes are super sandbagged too. Do you hear me Spencer? I guess given the limited space you have to squeeze as much pump as you can.

Spencer still setting routes? LOL

 

I haven't seen you there before...

I, uh, have been, uh, busy. Yeah, that's it...

[Swanny]

30 minutes max. Living in Des Moines, I hardly ever visit one. Wish the Kent valley had a good indoor gym.

[Pete_H]

I keep telling my friends if they were ever interested in starting a climbing gym, Wenatchee is the place and now is the time. DO IT!

 

I can't see any other locale on the east side of the mtns working if that's what you're getting at.

 

a wenatchee gym would be a big hit.

 

Nooooo. Wenatchee is too far. 11worth!

 

 

[mike1]

Now that the Source is open it is about an 8 minute drive from my house. Say goodbye to all the Portland gyms.

6 miles from home or 6 blocks from work!

[Lisa_D]

15-20 minutes is probably the max for me, but that's because driving and parking in Seattle is miserable. If I lived somewhere were traffic wasn't an issue, I'd probably be willing to drive a bit longer because I'd tie it in with other errands on the way to or from the gym.

 

I'd be more inclined to drive to a rock gym if it included a few other basic gym things, like cardio machines and some weights (preferably in a room that wasn't filled with chalk!), so I wouldn't have to have a 2nd gym membership. Yoga or Pilates classes in the same location would be sweet too - you could do some sort of cooperative with fitness instructors who wanted to teach classes in exchange for a free climbing membership!

Edited November 26, 2011 by Lisa_D

[Otto]

That's just the way the new Vertical World gym in Seattle is gonna be - separate weights and stretching areas, separate kiddies area, a lounge area... I took a tour of it last Friday, it is gonna be nice. Open next month, perhaps.