Climbing gyms in Salt Lake

I just moved to sugarhouse myself last week - got a membership at Momentum bc it's close to work and on my way home - looking for more climbing partners if you end up climbing there!

kenr wrote:What we noticed: * All the TR routes are very tall. * All are significantly overhanging (even 5.7 - 5.9) * The wall surface is pretty slick (not like outdoor rock most places we climb). * The setters are remarkably inefficient at using the wall space. I said, "Back home they'd have three times as many routes in this space."

4th class scramble at the Gunks

Brian in SLC wrote:most visiting climbers who want to climb and not ponder the difficulty of trying to get "lead certified". And who also may not be packin' a lead rope...

Surprisingly ...
Sharon and I visiting did bring our own Lead rope - (for down south when the Wasatch snow or weather isn't so great).
... and a couple days ago ...
I did get Lead-certified at Momentum Mill Creek.
Surprisingly(?) ...
Sharon was able to get Lead-Belay-certified (without getting Lead-certified) -- nice that Momentum offers that status.
. . (Note that it is a bit tricky at Momentum to get Lead-certified when your partner is not getting full Lead-certified).

Lead rope for visitors traveling light?
I see on website for The Front SLC that they will rent a rope for leading.
. . (in Europe, most non-bouldering-Only gyms will rent a rope for leading,
. . . but the price is usually much lower than at The Front SLC).

Ken

Brendan N. (grayhghost) wrote: Top-Roping is a useful perspective because it's the entry point for most climbers.

Yes.
It occurred to me later that Sharon could have been happier at The Front SLC if I had first climbed one of those overhanging 5.7-5.9 routes and then clipped some of the (permanent) draws while she lowered me. Then when she climbed she could have rested or blown a move without swinging out into space.

Which still would have left the problems that most of the easy routes there were rather overhanging (but with big positive holds) - (not what Sharon likes) -- and that there just weren't very many routes at all in the 5.7-5.9 range -- seems mainly because the setting at the Front SLC so far is so inefficient in its use of horizontal wall space - (Do they need to purchase a larger inventory of holds? Or are they afraid of setting a bad example for outdoor "squeeze jobs"?)

Anyway visitors interested mainly in sport Leading in the 5.11-5.12 range might be pretty happy at The Front.
. . (though I will guess that Momentum Mill Creek has at least as many leadable 5.12s, due to more efficient use of wall space).

Ken

It's worth noting that a membership at Momentum gym gives you access to all three of their gyms which is quite a bit of climbable square footage. even if it is plastic.

Chris Geaslin wrote:It's worth noting that a membership at Momentum gym gives you access to all three of their gyms which is quite a bit of climbable square footage. even if it is plastic.

Also worth noting that The Front gives you access to all three of their gyms which is quite a bit of climbable square footage. even if it is plastic. (however, one of the front locations is in Boise, ID, so really 2 locations that you could get to after work).

Ken Noyce wrote: (however, one of the front locations is in Boise, ID.

This was sold to ASANA a few years ago.

Brendan N. (grayhghost) wrote: This was sold to ASANA a few years ago.

Oh, good to know, I've never been there, just always heard that they had a boise location.

Ken Noyce wrote: I'm guessing that you are thinking of Charlie Stoker who was looking into opening a more training focused location. He was looking at doing it more in the Davis County area though, so not right in SLC. After having a difficult time finding a good space to put it in, I think he's kind of given up on that idea at least for now, it could still happen in the future though.

Shh!

There have also been rumors of a bouldering-only gym somewhere in Sugarhouse for the super-elite. But now we're merely speculating.

Compared to many other metro areas, you have a bunch of choices based on your location and preferences. My guess is you'll probably end up where most of your friends are going.

Charlie S wrote: Shh! There have also been rumors of a bouldering-only gym somewhere in Sugarhouse for the super-elite. But now we're merely speculating. Compared to many other metro areas, you have a bunch of choices based on your location and preferences. My guess is you'll probably end up where most of your friends are going.

I thought that was more than a rumor, I heard that it was going to be a momentum facility with problems starting at ~V6 or so. I could be wrong though!