Climbing Gyms Proliferate as the Sport Takes Hold

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(Photo Courtesy of Entre-Prises climbing walls USA)
(Photo Courtesy of Entre-Prises climbing walls USA)

Call it a sport. Call it a recreational activity. Call it a great workout. Just don't call it a fad. Participation in rock climbing has been steadily increasing for years, and climbing walls — already commonplace in campus and municipal recreation centers — are popping up in high schools and elementary schools, parks and health clubs, even stadiums.

All of this exposure to the sport has whetted newcomers' appetites, fueling the demand for dedicated climbing facilities. "We're at the base of the serious growth period for climbing," says Jason Stollenwerk, managing director with Entre-Prises Climbing Walls USA in Bend, Ore. According to Climbing Business Journal, 28 climbing gyms opened in 2013, a significant number considering each facility contains thousands of square feet of climbing wall spanning heights of 50 feet or more, not to mention a growing list of other amenities.

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