Your first climbing gym visit
What to arrange before you go, what happens when you arrive, and how to leave your first session wanting a second.
READ THE GUIDE✳ YOUR LOCAL CLIMBING FIELD GUIDE
GET OUT
OF YOUR
HEAD.
Get onto a wall. Find a gym, discover local rock, and make climbing part of your Bay Area life.
FOR FIRST-TIMERS, LUNCH-BREAK BOULDERERS
& EVERYONE WITH ONE MORE TRY IN THEM.
& EVERYONE WITH ONE MORE TRY IN THEM.
SAN FRANCISCO+EAST BAY+PENINSULA+SOUTH BAY+NORTH BAY
01 / CHOOSE YOUR TERRAIN
A good day starts
with a place to climb.
Real places. Practical details. A little less guesswork before your first move.
INDOORS / YEAR ROUNDChalk up.
Real rock.
Everyone
Chalk up.
Clock out.
Compare Bay Area gyms by area and climbing style. Find somewhere you will actually go back to.
EXPLORE THE GYMSOUTSIDE / CONDITIONS MATTERReal rock.
Real perspective.
Sandstone, neighborhood boulders, and a different kind of weekend. Start with access and stewardship.
EXPLORE LOCAL ROCKFIRST SESSION / ZERO EGOEveryone
starts somewhere.
What to wear, what to ask, and how to choose your first session. You do not need to arrive knowing the language.
MAKE YOUR FIRST MOVEYour next project
doesn’t need a screen.
A new problem. A patient partner. A familiar face at the gym. Make room for something that gets you moving—and keeps you coming back.
Build an after-work routine02 / FIELD NOTES
A little beta goes a long way.
Bouldering or ropes?
Understand the different rhythms of bouldering, top-rope climbing, and lead climbing before choosing your first experience.
READ THE GUIDEAfter rain, make a different plan
Why a clear forecast does not settle sandstone conditions, and how to avoid turning a weather decision into group pressure.
READ THE GUIDE03 / KEEP IT LOCALFive regions.
Five regions.
One very good backyard.
Bay Area rock climbing,
from the first visit onward.
Find indoor climbing in San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, the Peninsula, and the South Bay. Read about outdoor destinations, learn how climbing styles differ, and understand the questions worth asking before you go. Every venue profile points you to its operator for current hours, classes, and prices. Outdoor guides point to land managers for access and restrictions.
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