Northwestern University and Climbing

Hey Midwesterners,

I'm going to be out at Northwestern this coming weekend for a grad school visit. I can't seem to find any info on a climbing wall--do they not have one?

Any info from current/past students about the climbing community at Northwestern, access to gyms, travel to outdoor climbing, etc would be useful.

Thanks!
Erika

I really don't know what the climbing gym scene is like around NW. If the weather is terrible, you are bored, don't mind driving a few hours, and want to check out a pretty cool gym...Upper Limits is in Bloomington, IL.

my buddy goes to northwestern, he says the gyms around there are mediocre and not worth going to.

In Evanston is Evanston Athletic Club. In Chicago there's LVAC and LPAC. All of these are in the same health club system and not super-friendly for just dropping in and climbing once. If you have a car, there are gyms in the Chicago burbs, Vertical Endeavors and Climb On.

In the city I would recommend just bouldering. Off Belay or Hidden Peak are your two main options. You can get to either (or close enough) from the train which you can take down from Evanston.

As far as outdoor climbing, its 3 hours to Devil's Lake (trad/TR/boulder) or Governor Dodge (sport, bouldering) and a little further to Necedah/Petenwell (sport). 6+ hours to Southern Illinois and a little further to RRG.

Go to the biggest gym around here; Vertical Endeavors out west of the city in Warrenville, just of I-88, the Reagan Expressway.

Thanks, everyone! Seems like I was right about Northwestern not having a climbing wall. I probably won't have time to check out any gyms during the visit weekend if they're not on campus.

Academics are going to make the decision, but the gym situation looks a little grim for commuting from Evanston. :/