Stone Age Climbing Gym North — Attraction in Albuquerque

Wow. Excellent gym. I work at a gym and have been to quite a few gyms across several states but I was genuinely impressed with Stone Age. For starters, the facility was large and clean, good sign. In the entrance area they had a wide selection of climbing shoes and gear, as well as guidebooks and literature; I’d almost say extensive, but not as much as a dedicated climbing shop - but certainly a better selection than most REI’s I’ve been to.

The staff was knowledgeable and helpful when I asked about local climbing areas and ethics. My tour ended upstairs in the bouldering area and I went to check out the rooftop deck where yoga classes happen occasionally. Stellar view of the Sandias. Take note, everyone else; us climbers love them views. I also noticed the good amount of community development ‘stuff’ from crag days to the ‘Yank n Yard’ climbing competition. Always nice to see a gym get involved and help their community grow into outdoor climbing responsibly. I think they also offer outdoor guiding but I can’t be sure as I didn’t ask.

I went in solo, so I was only able to go bouldering and climb on auto-belay climbs, of which there were many. The routesetting itself was thoughtful, fair and fun; good job, setting team! I especially enjoyed the comp-style ‘Petrie dish’- type area with the ungraded problems upstairs. Not a fan of scaled boulder grading but it’s not uncommon and shouldn’t cost anyone a star rating, especially with quality sets. I did notice that the autobelay routes only went up to about 5.11 and there was only one 5.12, which makes sense for auto belay, but leaves a bit to be desired if you’re ARC training on higher grade stuff or you’re without a partner. The lead and top rope routes did look really fun and there are a ton of them on varied terrain. Don’t be at all discouraged if you’re looking for autobelay climbs though, cause there are more than enough of those to keep you busy, especially for beginners and moderate climbers; lots of routes in the 5.7-5.9 range.

The fitness area seemed nice, but I didn’t go in it. Bathrooms were clean. Facility is well kept. Stone Age is kind enough to offer a discounted industry pass for climbing gym employees and I’m thankful to have been able to use such a nice, state of the art gym while on the road. Hopefully the other gyms I visit in the future will be as nice as Stone Age but I think that’s going to be a difficult thing to find.

Should mention that I’m not from the Albuquerque area, but if I was, this would, without a doubt, be the gym I would get a membership at

Thanks for a great...

A fantastic climbing gym, and even better guides! Whether you want to climb indoors or outdoors, Stone Age is the place to go!

While visiting ABQ for a week, we spent an evening climbing in the gym and also booked a day of guided climbing outdoors. We had a wonderful time both days!

Cat was an amazing guide. She easily gauged our experience/interest and recommended a perfect crag for us to climb in the Jemez mountains. When one wall was surprisingly busy, she had a backup plan that we switched to with no delay in our day of climbing. She was a great belayer, beta-giver (not sprayer) and teacher! Because Cat is so knowledgeable and supportive, I felt comfortable lead climbing and lead belaying with her, which are both things that normally scare me too much to try. Not only was Cat always looking out for our safety, she also was conscious of our comfort--always checking that we were drinking water, eating snacks, and putting on sun screen. We had such a fun time and it felt like we were all just hanging out at the wall together.

From our evening in Stone Age (North location), it's clear that the gym is filled with wonderful folks like Cat. I've been to quite a few climbing gyms across the US, but Stone Age has the best culture of any I've visited. Their safety policies and procedures center education as a solution, unlike many gyms which take a punitive approach. This facilitates a community culture that can make everyone safer, because feedback can be given without sowing defensiveness. Although we were only there for one evening, the gym community felt very close-knit. Stone Age staff will make an announcement on the loudspeaker if someone needs a climbing partner and will ask for volunteers. Within a minute or so, someone volunteered to climb for my husband's lead test (something that takes a lot of trust!). That guest was so nice that we ended up climbing with him for most of the visit, with him taking us under his wing and literally showing us the ropes ("you should climb this route, you'll like it, that next hold is good, you've got this!")

I'm sad to leave ABQ because I wish we could take this wonderful gym, and its phenomenal climbing community,...

I’ve been a member of Stone Age for about 5 years. Stone Age is a family establishment where children run around unattended (for better or worse), there are children’s parties on weekend, children’s rock climbing classes during the week, etc. Our family has relied on Stone Age as a place to relax, have fun, and enjoy the same activities.

Up until a few days ago there was a full time white male employee (in charge of safety and maintenance) that has a violent criminal record.

When an Asian female employee brought up this violent history to the attention of the owner (Brian) she was ignored, silenced, and shamed.

Days later it came to my attention that not only did this man have a violent criminal background but also a current restraining order against him INCLUDING sexual abuse of a minor.

I have a small child that climbs at Stone Age. She has spent time with that male employee!

Let me be clear. This is not ok and I am exercising a tremendous amount of restraint as I write this.

I have no words.

Except these.

Brian, I don’t know you but your actions/inactions went against every basic consideration of safety and concern for employees, members, and the climbing community overall. Either commit to growing and learning how to be a more responsible business owner (and better example to younger climbers), or pass the torch to someone that...