Just thought I would relay an experience we had at IROCK Climbing gym today. My wife and I had a couple of hours to kill today and decided to go check out the local climbing gym. Upon arrival it looked nice enough so we paid $10 dollars each and got ready to climb. We go to the 30' wall for a quick warm up, after witch we move around the corner to the 55' wall to climb some harder routes. When I untied the first set of ropes (toprope) they are so short that they don't even hang to my waist. I questioned the kid working the floor and his reply was don't worry about it we use them all the time. So we move over one set because I don't see a need to have to short rope it at a gym. After moving over and climbing a couple of routes we take a few minuet break. My wife looks around and finds a nice 5.8 on the 55' wall she wants to try. Again we untie another rope and this one is so short it barley comes down to my chest. When I asked the kid working the floor what was up he said "they are dynamic ropes all you have to do is tie in and then stretch the rope to set up the belay"

At this point we decided to pack up and leave. The kid on the floor asked why we were leaving. I didn't feel like rehashing the last 45 minuets with him and simply told him we would not be back. His reply was "Oh well". I left a message for the manager after leaving the gym but have still not gotten a return call.

I say don't waste your money.

Edit. I received a return phone call from the manager who seamed very concerned and did offer to give me a refund.

I've climbed there once and wasn't all that impressed with both the staff and the atmosphere. Weber rocks is the best option for gym climbing in Ogden.
Tom

Ha Ha I was there when this guy was climbing he is not only a liar, but a terrible climber. He dropped his wife like ten feet before catching her. Also in response to his rope comment, there is one rope that is short, but still climbable for anyone with a pair. This guy was rude rude rude to the people who worked there, they tried to tell him it was safe but he was just upset at everything. Also the hardest thing he climbed was a 5.7 and was sewing machine legged the hole way, not much of a climber to be judging the wall. In conclusion his wife even thought he was out of line, she came and said sorry to all of us after he left and said, "He is like that." So take it for what his opinion is worth. They have sweet routes from 5.8 to 5.13, and now with Anthony Chertudi setting routes for them they have some seriously sick boulder problems.

Cheers,
Ogden Climber #1

^^^^suspect. You just happened to be there and then happened to stumble onto this thread?

I've never seen anyone in there other than first timers and kids, it's really set up more for a tourist type place IMO.

Listen hippy, you are by first the worst kind of climber, the poser who thinks he is good and puts people at risk like you did with your wife using the grigri on the thirty foot wall, nice belaying. Second I admit that the ratings on the tags at the gym start at 5.8 but honestly anyone who has tried any of them knows they are truly 5.6 to 5.7, although an unexperienced poser like yourself would take them at face value unlike someone who knows anything about a recreational climbing gym who would know that they rate the lower climbs high as a confidence booster. So good job climbing the easiest climbs in a recreational climbing gym, your really cool. By the way I am not the managers friend as you claim, I was simply climbing at the gym, I noticed you first by your smell as you can with most climbers in their sixties, and second because you complained non stop as it seems is common for you considering your wifes reaction to your behavior. You are a nobody, simply put if you disappeared from the climbing world tomorrow nobody would either notice or care. So when you threaten to not come into a gym in the future we as climbers at that gym are happy to hear that, we can breath fresh air without your musk odor, and in a positive environment free from your non stop amateur climber complaints.

Ogden Climber 1, You registered on this site for the first time on August 26, 2008, which just happens to be, big surprise, today. If you don't care about this guy, why bother posting anything; why log onto some little internet forum for the first time just to insult someone you don't give a rat's ass about? You come across as an immature little prick. You shouldn't work so hard to reinforce the Ogden stereotype. And what's with the short ropes in the gym? Someone trying to cut costs by scrimping on 10 feet of rope?
Oh, and as an old geezer approaching his sixties myself, I really appreciated the smell comment. Why don't you just confine yourself to your hobbies of jerking off to internet porn and sending your "sick" Anthony Chertudi V1 gym boulder problems and stay off the climbing forums. You seem to be lacking in anything usefull to contribute.

I will be brief. I am an AMGA certified climber. I send v6 to v9 boulders, and I am leading in the 5.12 to 5.13 range. You dont know who you are talking to. So be careful with your challenges. I was not that boy in sneakers you saw.

I just signed up today as well, however for a different purpose. I am the manager that was on the floor. Allow me to say I am sorry for the way I treated you in the gym, to be honest I am sick of hearing that the rope on the 50' wall is short when there is nothing I can currently do about it. I agree whole heartedly that it needs to be replaced, but in an effort to conserve money we are trying to use the rope that was cut wrong by some of our younger employees until the time that we can justify its replacement. I feel that Ogden climber is our of line, and should be ashamed of the things he has said about those who have blazed the trails for us, and worked so hard to establish good climbing areas for all. I feel like this has gotten out of hand, and I am sorry it has escalated to this point. I will not dispute the truthfulness of either persons statements, however I will add my own.

I am sincerely sorry that you did not have an enjoyable time at iRock. I am sorry that you feel that it is an unsafe climbing atmosphere. I give you my word that I will do all in my power to replace those ropes with ropes that are considered by all to be safe. Sometimes when its not your company you kind of have to roll with the punches, ropes are one of those punches for us. Compiled with the lousy construction of the Entre Prises wall that uses a double quick draw Top Rope rather than a belay bar. We at iRock are doing what we can to progress as a serious climbing gym. Some of the efforts we have made include:

1. Hiring serious climbers to come in and set routes for all levels.
2. Have a standing order with a major hold company to send us large quantities of holds each month.
3. Purchased several new crash pads to ensure safe landing in our bouldering area.
4. To combat the size of our gym compared to others we have committed to changing all climbs in the gym monthly so that people will not get bored.
5. Shuffling through rope after rope trying to find one that holds up well in a gym environment.
6. Color coding all of our routes by hold color rather than color of tape to make it easy for all to follow routes.
7. Have 2 climbers do all rating in gym to ensure consistency.
8. In spite of the negative words mentioned about a certain climber who sets routes at our gym. We feel he is a valuable asset, and his routes are both fun and hard.
9. Put our employees through AMGA classes to ensure top levels of safety techniques in the gym.

There are many more things I could say. But I feel that this has been enough to ensure that although one climber did have an upsetting visit our customers safety and entertainment are always on our minds. Please allow us a second time to entertain you, come back and climb for free any time and I hope we can better serve you.

I appologize again for the sweeping blanket insults made by Ogden Climber. I think this will not only be my first, but my last post on this forum. I hope that the negativity will come to an end now.

Goodnight

" I am an AMGA certified climber"
And I am sure you will have a long and lucrative guiding career with those wonderful "people skills" you seem to have perfected. I know for a fact that beginner clients always tip well if you insult them throughout the day.

Ogden climber
Why does how hard he climbs have anything to do with his experience. Who the hell are you to judge. Oh ya... an "AMGA certified climber." Wow. AMGA certified could mean you learned to toprope. That title, im sorry, means very little to anyone. You are immature and rude, as well as a poor ambassador for the gym and the sport. Quite frankly I hope we never have to deal with your posts here again. Also, we are not impressed by whatever grade you climb. Sorry. Unless your name is Sharma, Caldwell, Sjong, Samet, or any other amazing climber im just simply not impressed nor does it matter.
Robert
It sounds like you may be overreacting a little. A rope that is a little short at a gym is hardly a major safety issue. Even if you were to lower off the end you would fall what, three feet??? I sincerely hope your wife does not have to constantly apologize for your behavior (sad). These people work at the gym and as stated are aware of the issue. Try to take it a little more easy. People are much more receptive if you are polite.
Hmm
Thank you for your professional approach to the issue. This is how I hope to see gyms manage such issues and deal with difficult customers. I for one would have no issue going to your gym (as long as ogden climber is not working there).

Fair enough

as a manager of a rock gym, if someone complains about something not being safe why don't you remove said object? Get rid of the "short" rope and buy a longer one. They're not that expensive. Or return your short rope to rei and get your money back.

I also am new here, but I've been lurking for about a year. Although I cannot comment on the original posters attitude at the gym I felt it was finally time for me to chime in. I also am an older climber 57yo Who has been climbing since 1968. I have gone to the IROCK gym 3 times in the last 6 months. Each time I was there I was treated like a 2nd class citizen. I also would not return. The children who work there are very rude and should seek employment at McDonald's or another such place suitable to the competence level they exhibit. I now do my indoor climbing at a gym in SLC. If the management would like for this gym to survive they ought to look at addressing their internal management problems. It would be nice to have a good climbing gym in the Ogden area. Why don't you folks step up and fill the need?

If we could just get enough people to sign up for Front Ogden we wouldn't have these conflicts!

I-Rock was never built to be a climbing "gym". It's a wall with a small bouldering area. No matter who is setting the routes or how often you change them, I-Rock will always have major space limitations. In fact, I was belaying once when a kid fell off the bouldering platform and bumped me from behind.

I-Rock is a great place for first-timers to try rock climbing without feeling intimidated. I've seen lots of parents belaying little kids while brothers and sisters play around on the boulder.

The big glass window gives spectators and tourists a great view of the climbers and possibly creates more interest in the sport. Unfortunately, I-Rock isn't open on Sunday. I believe they lose a lot of walk-in business since they're closed half the weekend.

The newbies, tourists, and kids can stay at I-Rock. The rest of us can really crank the holds at Ogden Front (if it becomes a reality).

The issue with the Weber climbing wall is the limited hours (only open evenings).

I have sympathy with the manager at I-Rock. The owner of the Gold's Gym is notorious for penny pinching. After seeing the ancient equipment at the Layton Gold's gym, I fully believe that funding for ropes must be difficult to extract. Employees are not treated well; one of the most popular group exercise instructors was fired for making a remark about the amount of broken gym equipment.

Hopefully we can create a cohesive climbing community in Ogden some day when a REAL climbing gym opens.