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!
From October 26 to 30, the CWA is bringing a full week of education and certification to Montreal. Two days of conference programming built specifically around Canadian gym operations, and five days of certification courses hosted at Allez Up. This is the largest gathering of Canadian climbing... Continue Reading
The Climbing Wall Association has always been powered by volunteers that work in the climbing wall industry every day. For years, committee members have dedicated their time, expertise, and energy to helping the CWA develop industry standards, strengthen certification programs, advocate for the... Continue Reading
The climbing wall industry is built by people who are willing to share what they know. Whether you've solved a tough operational challenge, developed a better community program, improved staff retention, or discovered a lesson worth passing on, the CWA has many opportunities for you to... Continue Reading
Running a climbing facility means managing risk daily. But one scenario that can catch any operator off guard is a formal workplace health and safety inspection. Whether it's triggered by a complaint, an incident, or a scheduled visit, inspections don't need to be a source of panic. With some... Continue Reading
Most gym operators have a gut feeling of where incidents are likely to happen. Boulders and auto belays, maybe the occasional slip and fall. But the climbing wall industry needs more than gut feelings.For the first time, the CWA and our CWA Insurance Program partner Monument Sports Group have... Continue Reading
After more than a decade of operating in a shaky legal environment, Oregon's climbing gyms, along with ski areas, fitness studios, rafting outfitters, and a wide range of other businesses, finally have some support for their use of waivers. Oregon Senate Bill 1517, signed into law in early 2026,... Continue Reading
Trends from the 2019 and 2026 CWA Indoor Climber Surveys, and what they mean for gym operators In 2019, the Climbing Wall Association set out to better understand who indoor climbers were, how they used gyms, and what they valued most. At the time, the industry was still riding a long wave of... Continue Reading
The Climbing Wall Association (CWA) is proud to welcome Josh Haynes (he/him) as its new Education Program Manager. Josh brings more than 25 years of experience in the climbing wall industry—spanning guiding, routesetting, programming, and education. Originally from Fort Worth, Texas,... Continue Reading
For decades, the Climbing Wall Association (CWA) has had representation across the entire spectrum of the indoor climbing industry via its Board of Directors. Michele Lang, CEO of Insight Climbing & Movement, will be the new Chair of the CWA’s Board of Directors, replacing Wesley Shih,... Continue Reading
In a significant milestone for the indoor climbing industry, the CWA has officially released the Fourth Edition of the Industry Practices (IPs), ushering in a new era of climbing-specific operational guidance for the North American climbing gym industry and beyond. This latest revision is not... Continue Reading
Climbing facilities face various challenges, from consistent operations that keep up with industry trends to finding new ways to engage members. You may not realize that the CWA has a network of committees working behind the scenes to address the issues you deal with daily. These committees are... Continue Reading
This year, the Climbing Wall Association (CWA) and USA Climbing (USAC) formed the new Competition Advisory Committee, to include indoor climbing gym operators in discussions of the industry, the future of competition climbing, and how to strengthen collaboration. “It has been a pleasure... Continue Reading
