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Find Your Community At The Commons: A Boise Indoor Climbing Gym

Last updated November 30, 2021 by Mariah Hebbeln

If you’ve lived in the Treasure Valley since 2018, you may have been familiar with the Urban Ascent climbing gym in downtown Boise. The owners, employees, and climbers of that gym came together after its closure with a new goal in mind. They created a bigger and better climbing gym! Complete with bouldering, top-rope, lead climbing, and dedicated training space, a full-service gym, plenty of yoga, community events, kids classes, and a competitive climbing team, in one whole place that will connect the passionate climbing community of the Treasure Valley together.

Despite opening in February 2020, and closing the following March for eight weeks at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve been able to find a whirlwind of success and have done just what they set out to do.

Keep reading to learn why you should look at becoming a member!

Find your Climbing Community at The Commons | 2021 Totally Boise Winter Mag Recommends

Get Your Climb On At The Commons

Climbing is a wonderful way to get your daily or weekly exercise that breaks away from the traditional gym experience. The Commons gym can be broken into two types of climbing: boulder or top-rope climbing.

The bouldering wall at The Commons is 13.5 feet tall with 110 linear feet of wall to climb. To descend the top of these walls you can either climb down the way you came or learn how to fall onto their 1-foot thick pads. The roped walls are 45 feet tall and are equipped with pre-placed top-ropes or a series of quickdraws for leading. 80% of this area can be top-roped and 50% is leadable. Once you reach the top, you can enjoy an exciting steady drop with the help of your belay on the ground or the gym’s mechanical belays.

Both walls feature a variety of routes, set from beginners level to advanced. Climbers can advance through the different levels of holds, each getting more technical to navigate and needing an increased level of bodily strength. You’ll be in great company no matter your climbing skills because the staff and climbers around you are there to help you work through problems and find success!

Find your Climbing Community at The Commons | 2021 Totally Boise Winter Mag Recommends

New Climbing Routes Every Week

The climbing never gets old at The Commons. Every Thursday, the bouldering wall resets about eighteen new bouldering routes, and every Tuesday their top-roping wall gets ten new routes. This means that roughly every five weeks, there is a completely un-climbed bouldering set of routes for you to work through. And every 3 months, the roped walls are fresh as well.

If you’re a seasoned climber and want to try your hand at more technical climbing, their larger climbing wall features three different cracks and a ledge.

Fun Fact!

Their gym features a 10m version of the speed route from the summer 2021 Olympics and the bouldering routes include competition style boulders similar to what will be in the Paris Summer Olympics in 2024. If you’re up to it, you can climb and train on similar routes as the professional athletes.

Find your Climbing Community at The Commons | 2021 Totally Boise Winter Mag Recommends

The Commons is the Place For Kids!

If your kids are looking for new and fun ways to spend a weekday or their summers, The Commons offers Kids Camp. Level 1 Kids camp takes place on Wednesdays from 4 pm - 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am - 12 pm. Level 1 is a great beginner/intermediate class and welcomes kids from 6-11 years old. Level 2 Kids Camp, the next level for intermediate/advanced climbers, ages 10-17 has class on Mondays from 4 pm - 6 pm. Click the links below to find prices.

To sign up for summer camp:

The Commons Summer Camps

To sign up for Kids Club:

The Commons Kids Club

If your kid is looking to take their climbing to the next level they should consider joining The Commons Climbing Team. Coached by professionals, they will have the chance to compete at the local, state, and national levels. The team prides itself on creating a welcoming environment that is well known for its sportsmanship and success. Membership for the team is $250 a month and trains 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

*spots for each program fill up quickly, so be sure to act fast and think ahead of time.

To sign up for Climbing Team:

The Commons Climbing Team
Find your Climbing Community at The Commons | 2021 Totally Boise Winter Mag Recommends

The Commons Has Something For Everyone

Along with their extensive climbing walls, The Commons has activities, classes, and events for everyone! No matter your climbing level, mobility, or age, you’re going to find yourself welcomed at The Commons.

Check out this complete list of all their classes and gym features,

  • Yoga
  • Dance
  • Fit & fall elderly class
  • Physical therapy
  • Cardio equipment
  • Free weights
  • Moon board (app-controlled)
  • Spray board (app-controlled)
  • Hang boards
  • Campus board
  • Treadwall (the only one in the Treasure Valley)

Need a break from climbing? There’s plenty of fun events hosted by The Commons gym featuring local bands, beer, and food. Check out some of the upcoming events for this winter!

The Commons Calendar

The Commons Climbing Gym is really the place that has it all! If you’re looking to try them out and climb for the first time, you can buy a day pass, and take their belay class. Boiseans are raving and encouraging you to come for the vibe, and stay for the community.

Learn more about and follow The Commons on their social channels:

Website: www.commonsclimbing.com

Instagram: @commonsclimbing

Facebook: @commonsclimbing/

Youtube: The Commons Climbing Gym Channel

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