ASCEND Erie — Attraction in Erie

A very open facility with friendly staff and members. The climbing community is awesome at making newcomers feel welcome, even when I am old enough to be their grandfather, and I am talking about adults here. I am also attending Yoga classes to improve flexibility. There are also physical fitness classes for members. I find the membership costs to be quite reasonable. The climbing walls are exceptional and are changed often. I was most concerned about safety. The ways climbers are kept safe is incredible.

This picture was from Friday, April 25. At ASCEND Erie (Erie, PA). I am at the top of a rope wall, about 50 feet tall. This is the easiest climb of that height. I am rehabbing a strained right elbow tendon (it was not injured while climbing), so I am sticking to less challenging climbs (except for the height). Why the selfie? I needed a little more challenge!

It is hard to believe that two years ago when I started climbing, at age 75, I was afraid of heights. I guess it would be more accurate to say I was afraid of that sudden stop at the bottom if I fell. The rope and harness are not visible in the picture, but they are there and I would not climb this wall without them.

This climb has an automatic system to "belay" if I fall. In this case, I actually dropped intentionally shortly after taking this picture. Coming down is actually fun for me.

Some otherclimbs on this wall require a partner to belay you. That is even safer with a trained partner, and even more fun. Your partner will catch you if you fall or let you rest if you tire. You can then continue the climb instead of having to go back to the beginning.

The climber community here is wonderful. Most of the climbers are young enough to be my grand children. I am welcomed enthusiastically, so is every climber. I am told the climbing community around the world is like this. There are many places where people that are different in some way are tolerated at best. This is a place where they are enthusiastically welcomed.

The staff is friendly and highly competent. The facility is kept in first class condition in all ways and kept clean.

I would say to anyone who is just a little adventurous, come and get...

This place is fantastic! I’ll start off by saying I’m an Erie native, but have lived in SoCal for the past 8 years. I’m an active climber of 6+ years (indoor and outdoor) and love a good climbing gym. My wife and I were stoked to visit Ascend Erie during our most recent Erie trip. Ascend is the most perfect addition to Downtown Erie and a beautiful space overall. The gym itself has a great flow, it’s super clean, it’s bright, and it has plenty of downstairs and upstairs walls to explore. The route setting was soooo fun, creative, and challenging (shout out to the excellent route setters!). We had a blast bouldering.

I loved that this gym has auto-belays, which is a rarity at climbing gyms these days. Ascend’s process of training new members about how to use auto-belays and requiring them to pass a test is a concept that I haven’t seen before, but a great idea to ensure safety and awareness around the common, but avoidable injuries surround auto-belays. Props to Ascend for implementing this great process!

Final thoughts: The staff is very helpful and friendly. Thanks to Jenny for giving us a great tour, auto-belay walk through, and an overall great experience during our first visit! The merch is super cool. There are plenty of lockers, clean bathrooms, and comfortable seating / common areas throughout.

If I lived in Erie, I’d be a member here hands down! This is my go to spot during any future Erie trips.

I highly recommend Ascend whether you’re a first time climber or experienced!...

Here's a secret if you are hesitant about trying climbing- Ascend is only $5 on Fridays, and the harness is $6, so you get to try it out for only $11. You sign waivers, of course, and they give you climbing shoes and chalk for your hands.

If you are bigger, don't worry. Heather and Josh were so kind, patient, and informative and will answer any questions you may have.

The climb activated every single muscle in my arms and legs, and I was breaking a sweat in no time. You are free to go at your own pace, rest, and come back.

I climbed all the way to the top and most of the way back down. You are supposed to fall back and use the wall to come down like a graceful gazelle.

No shame, I'm not coordinated and preferred to grab on to the rope to free fall like a potato, flopping like a fish down on the mat.

I am still a little sore hours later, but the activity made me feel really good for the rest of the day. It does scrape up your nail polish, so know that and keep them short if possible. That was limiting. They even sell nail clippers there.

Exercise gloves might be a good idea because the...