Very Sad Day in AZ

ClimbMax Climbing Gym in Tempe has shut down....completely out of nowhere. This was hands down the sweetest rock gym in the state, and I spent all of my free time there. This is completely out of nowhere and it sucks! Damnit! Phoenix Rock Gym does not even compare....

That sucks. As a Tucsonan I usually dislike the PHX crowd but the climbers I have met have been cool/nice enough. Hopefully they will be able to work out transfering memberships to the other 3 gyms in the area. Thankfully Rocks&Ropes down here is actually opening a 2ed location so I dont think this will be happening to us any time soon. (Fingers crossed)

For some strange reason, I'm not waking up from this nightmare, regardless of the amount of times I repeatedly pinch myself.

I was so happy with cmax! There walls were painted in mimic real rock, unlike the elementary-school-esque painted walls of the PRG, the angles were steep, the lines were aesthetic; what more could we have possibly have wanted in a gym (except 20 more feet of vert)?

This is sad. This is real sad.

My question is: Who is going to invest the money and create the next real climbing gym in Tempe that offers the same things that cmax offered?!? SOMEONE PLEASE STEP UP!!!

DAMN! PRG is going to be crowded!

RyanJames1984 wrote:For some strange reason, I'm not waking up from this nightmare, regardless of the amount of times I repeatedly pinch myself. I was so happy with cmax! There walls were painted in mimic real rock, unlike the elementary-school-esque painted walls of the PRG, the angles were steep, the lines were aesthetic; what more could we have possibly have wanted in a gym (except 20 more feet of vert)? This is sad. This is real sad. My question is: Who is going to invest the money and create the next real climbing gym in Tempe that offers the same things that cmax offered?!? SOMEONE PLEASE STEP UP!!!

Paul Dief,

I know you check this site from time to time. I have one request for you; PLEASE review your policy on taking shirts off while your patrons climb in your facility!!! I cannot climb in PRG in the summer because of the lack of A/C. I know MANY climbers that live near PRG and drive by and out of their way to climb in A/C'ed gyms. With all the new memberships you will be selling and years of profit you have had; maybe you will consider installing A/C at PRG next spring.

Fingers crossed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your consideration, really!

so much for bouldering....CMax was amazing for that....

GrandeCorda wrote:Some one should make a couple calls and jump in head first. Looks like a turn key climb gym is up for grabs. Maybe it was an insurance policy issue? Family issue? or a rental agreement issue? Could be be a simple fix.

I'm so depressed, NONE of the other gyms compare. I was just gonna go do some great bouldering at ClimbMax tonight too... :(

The State Press has an interesting story about it...

check it out:

statepress.com/2011/09/14/c…

"Can't comment"

Sounds like lawyer speak and smells like a lawsuit.

now close the rest of em

I'm gonna go ahead an assume it was incompetence on the owner's behalf....otherwise, why would it be such a secret? this is so frustrating.

BASE1361 wrote:"Can't comment" Sounds like lawyer speak and smells like a lawsuit.

I'm not sure it's a financial issue, but if it is, we should organize some sort of fundraiser or something

too bad sounds like some jobs were lost

I wonder if the employees were given more of a notice than the customers

I remember when SRG in Deer Valley and Estrella Mountain closed back in '09, that was a sad day as well. We were given about 48 hrs notice. However, working there we could tell something was up. Not only was there practically no business in the summer, but the owner said we could only set so many routes a week. Sucks just thinking about it. I believe the owner needed out for financial reasons that were obvious.

ClimbMax held the Reel Rock Film Tour last year as well, I was looking forward to that again... Now the only venues are Flag and Tucson.

Huh, that's too bad.

I just moved down here a couple of months ago and I've been going to AZR due to its proximity to my house, but I did want to check out ClimbMax at some point.

This city really could use a new world-class gym though...

kirra wrote:too bad sounds like some jobs were lost I wonder if the employees were given more of a notice than the customers

well, I just got a little insight from an employee. He couldn't tell me exactly what happened because he's been asked to not talk about it, but this is what I did get when I asked "is there any way to save the gym?".

nope only people that can change it are the owner and the landlord. and there are currenty no plans to change it :( its for a very very very stupid reson that they wish me not to discuss

that was copied and pasted....looks like we're screwed