The Climbing Wall Association's blog is a place for indoor climbing professionals to find useful and relevant information from industry and business experts. Stay on top of best practices, thought leadership, and trends by subscribing to our newsletter!
When USA Climbing athlete Natalia Grossman launched up the final boulder problem of the IFSC World Cup’s second weekend in Salt Lake City, it was hard to stay seated. Everyone at the 3,000-person event was fists to the sky in all-out exuberance. Grossman took Gold, with Olympic athlete... Continue Reading
Websites are so often the first impression a climbing gym makes on the general public, so they carry a lot of weight. While it can feel disorienting to be writing about climbing during a global pandemic, a part of me still appreciates how small nudges to be better for each other can ripple out... Continue Reading
Starting in 2017, the CWA began establishing an industry research program to develop information that aides climbing gym owners, industry vendors, and prospective gym owners in their decision-making processes. Our goal is to provide reliable data and business metrics for industry stakeholders... Continue Reading
Get your climbers pumped to come back to the gym! The Inside Voices campaign supports climbing gyms recovering from the pandemic. Share the new video, which features the US Olympic Climbing Team - Brooke Raboutou, Kyra Condie, Colin Duffy, and Nathaniel Coleman! FACEBOOK Hit the share button... Continue Reading
Photo provided by Hailey Caissie Parents have spent more time with their children the past year homeschooling, overseeing dining room Zoom, and more. As we open our doors and rebuild our communities, it’s important to focus on parents who are coming in and engaging with children most... Continue Reading
In preparation for our Retail Webinar Series, we assembled a team of experts to discuss why retail is a great opportunity for climbing gyms, considerations for starting a retail program, and some common potholes to avoid along the way. Below are some of our favorite pieces of advice from the panel... Continue Reading
On Thursday, May 13 the CDC updated their guidelines for fully vaccinated people. There’s been a scramble across every industry in the US to understand how these new rules affect them. But what does this mean for climbing gyms in the US? The most recent announcement from the CDC applies... Continue Reading
Image provided by Caroline Treadway “But don’t you feel lighter?” I overheard this at my local climbing gym the night after interviewing Caroline Treadway, the documentarian who recently released her breakout film, LIGHT, about eating disorders in climbing. I’ve been... Continue Reading
Photo Courtesy of Keystone Climbing Consultants A retail shop contains several hidden benefits for your customers, employees, and your gym as a whole. Sure, the shop’s main objective is to make sales to turn a profit, ultimately adding to the overall value of your business. But a retail shop... Continue Reading
When planning a climbing season, climbing camp session, or any type of climbing program, the first thing to consider is desired outcomes. In other words, what are the goals you as the coach would like to see your participants reach? By identifying outcomes at the beginning stages of planning, a... Continue Reading
Photo by Kyle Somers/The Crag The first time I participated in a climbing competition was an absolute disaster. It was a citizen's comp at my local gym. I was 20, fairly new to climbing, and I showed up alone. I competed for less than an hour and was so disheartened that I threw my scorecard in... Continue Reading
Have you ever gone to a movie theater that doesn’t serve popcorn? I haven’t. The movie ticket is only $14, but then the popcorn is $6, and I’m going to need a Coke to wash that down, so that’s another $3. It’s a classic story of add-ons. Although I ended up... Continue Reading
