Planet Rock — Attraction in Scio Township

Don't go here if you value safety in a climbing gym, at least until they change their practices. On my first visit, I went with two friends who had just taken their top roping course here, and one of them dropped me while lowering me at the end of a climb. Fortunately I wasn't seriously injured.

It would be easy to say it was her fault, but I've heard a former employee joke that drops are pretty common here, and when I was dropped, the employee who talked to me said she was dropped a few weeks before. I've spoken to more avid climbers who have said that they have never seen someone get dropped at a gym, ever, in their life. And in the last few months, I've had the chance to visit a few different climbing gyms around the country, and other gyms employ safety practices, instruction, and equipment that Planet Rock does not. I hope they fix these things, so I want to outline all the things that I saw wrong here, even though I only went for a single visit.

For top rope routes, rather than passing the rope over a pulley or a large mounted cylinder at the top of the climb, they simply pass them through a carabiner! You can even see this in photos posted online.

There are a bunch of things wrong with this. One of the big issues is that this provides considerably less friction on the rope, which directly contributed to my partner dropping me. Another issue is that it may not take as much weight off the belayer. You can see that this is the case, because at Planet Rock, they have clips all over the ground for belayers to clip into, and even top roping with a partner who is 70% of my weight, she needed to clip into the ground to belay me!

In the top roping introduction, they didn't teach communication or partner checks. My belay partners had no idea what I meant when I said "On belay?", and were surprised when I asked to check their harnesses (and one of them had failed to lock her carabiner).

Tangentially from the last point, when you rent a belay device, they use carabiners which need to be screwed to be locked. This isn't a huge deal IF you teach partner checks, but either way I think it's better to rent out auto-locking carabiners.

When I was took my belay test, they never watched me lower anybody, and I don't know if they covered lowering in the belay instruction. I believe part of the reason I was dropped is because my partner was lowering me by loosening her grip on the rope and letting it slip, rather than always maintaining a firm grip with at least one hand and using your arms to lower. I know some places would say this was okay, but for beginners, I don't think so. Before I was dropped my partner was lowering me too quickly, which heated up the rope near her belay device, and it got too hot so she let go without thinking about it.

This gym gets CROWDED, and the climbers here aren't taught that not interfering with others is part of safety, and no one enforces it. In one day I saw multiple people walk under each other's ropes, including one person get lowered onto the head of another passing underneath (slowly, fortunately, so no injury), and I had to stop at the crux on one of my routes because a fast climber came up behind me on an adjacent and overlapping route. Most gyms don't instruct on these things explicitly, but do warn people when they see it happen, and foster a culture of safety and looking out for each other. I've also never seen a gym get as crowded as this place in the evenings, which is where this culture is most necessary.

This last one is more of a medical comment, but after I was dropped, the employee asked me a bunch of questions about how I felt, while I was still sitting on the ground where I fell. She did ask whether I thought I could stand, and I think she had good intentions to not make me get up. But now I've done a little bit of medical training myself, and I think that an employee should probably do a spine assessment after a drop, or at the very minimum, ask the person to get up and walk around, to verify that there isn't a...

Tucked away inconspicuously just off of Jackson Rd, there exists a portal to a world that could only be described as "Planet Rock." It's as if all the Subarus and Jeeps in the universe conspired to form a vehicular parade leading to this peculiar spot. And the people? Oh, they're like a mix of over-caffeinated puppies and seasoned explorers, bounding in with enthusiasm and a hint of exhaustion. Regardless of age, they saunter in wearing outfits that range from "I'm here to conquer Everest" to "I just woke up, who even am I?"

But buckle up, because the rabbit hole goes deeper than a spelunker's dream. Behold, the enigmatic white substance! If you thought it was an art studio doused in a snowstorm, you'd be half-right. You'd imagine these folks are crafting clay sculptures that will someday grace museums or painting masterpieces that'll make Van Gogh roll in his grave. Alas, dear friend, the plot thickens.

Venture forth into this den of eccentricity, and you're slapped in the face with a caffeine-loaded wonderland. A coffee shop in one corner operates with the energy of a supernova, while a store beckons you with the allure of an enchanted bazaar. It's like a fusion of a pirate's treasure trove, a mad scientist's lab, and a magician's hat—all rolled into one. Expect ropes that Jack Sparrow would've considered grand theft, shoes that were clearly designed by the Cheshire Cat, chalk that might've been mined from unicorn caves, tapes that defy classification (and maybe the laws of physics), and enough gadgets to make Q from James Bond blush.

But wait, dear seeker of the extraordinary! The climax awaits, and it's the sort of oddball spectacle that only "Planet Rock" can offer. One chamber plays host to the "Muscle Minstrels," a troupe of half-naked, sweat-soaked demigods that could easily fit into Thor's friend circle. Their grunts could shake the foundations of Mount Olympus as they wrestle with the walls. These modern-day titans wage a gravity-defying battle with an array of chromatic faux stones, as if they're playing a life-sized game of Candy Crush for the adrenaline-hungry.

And then, my fellow wanderer, enters the "Gravity's Ballerinas." These lithe souls are as delicate as dandelion fluff yet as audacious as skydivers on a sugar rush. Picture ballerinas with a dash of Indiana Jones flair. They strut around adorned in harnesses that blend safety gear with futuristic fashion. Their stage? Towering walls that reach for the stars, mocking any sensible notion of staying grounded. With a single rope as their sidekick, they pirouette up the walls like nimble spiders, challenging both the laws of physics and your skepticism.

And so, dear traveler, you wonder what this curious realm might be named? Behold, the gateway to all this peculiarity and adrenaline is none other than "Planet Rock." It's a sanctuary for the brave, a haven for the unconventional, and a carnival for the audacious. It's where everyday folks and daredevils collide in a symphony of madness, where white substances are badges of honor, and where both gravity and reason are mere afterthoughts. Welcome to "Planet Rock," where coffee flows like rocket fuel, tape is the key to unlocking your wildest dreams, and the walls are canvases for the stories you'll tell for...

I kept hoping I was wrong about Planet Rock. After climbing here for a year, I think the gym is a 3 if you know how to climb and a 1 if you don’t.

If you know how to climb- the settings are alright. There are some interesting ones, but I wish there were more where body positioning is why it’s rated harder rather than smaller holds that are further apart trying to climb with someone who’s heavier than you? You’re gonna have a hard time. Unfortunately top rope is less safe with little friction at the top. The ropes are old and tend to get twisted when you’re lower a climber. Which I guess introduces some friction… but not when you need it. there are often people hanging out in the bouldering area that will walk under you while you’re climbing. The walls are close to one another, there’s nowhere to safely look at climbs for the back wall, and staff doesn’t seem to ensure safety. So be aware -the gym is the dirtiest I’ve been to in my twenty years of climbing. I’ve seen bandaids on the ground for weeks. I don’t think they wash the holds between settings. It’s wild. the hours suck

If you don’t know how to climb, drive to Detroit for Dyno. Climbing is dangerous and Planet Rock is not going to set you up for success. staff has told me they’ve had to rescue multiple climbers because their partner did not know how to belay. This is a problem with their safety check before climbers can belay and lack of oversight. I’ve seen so much dangerous behavior on auto belay, top rope, and lead climbing.

Today a group of young teens came in and staff showed them how to use the auto belay for less than 5 minutes. They did not ask any participants to show that they understood. And then the staff left. These kids had no idea what they were doing. Another climber and I had to help them. Staff never checked to make sure they were climbing safely or even attaching the auto belay safely.

Do I still climb here? Yes. But if another gym opened up closer, I would switch in a heartbeat. And I never take new...