Basecamp Adventures Queenstown Climbing Centre — Local services in Otago

Partner and I like to checkout local bouldering gyms while we're traveling. The bouldering section was super small, essentially two long walls and a small "cave" area. Route setting was ok, most of the problems felt repetitive and didn't really challenge you to get creative with your moves.

The most detracting part of our experience was what felt like very intentional alienation of us by other climbers (read: racism). We were the only two people of color in the gym, and both of us -- independently, as we were climbing on different walls -- noticed that the white people around us would consistently move away from us. There was always more than enough clearance for several people to be working on the same wall, but people would jump down from their climb, and move away when we would sit down to join. No one would talk to us, only stare and look over occasionally. There was a woman with a dog who would let several other people in the gym come over and pet her dog, but would literally walk from one end of the gym to the other to move her dog to a new area whenever she saw me petting it. People say New Zealanders are friendly but maybe that's only for people...

A rock climbing gym with a lead/toprope wall with some Clip n Climbs, a bouldering wall with a Moonboard and a fairly big Clip n Climb space for the kids.

We were there only for the bouldering. There was a moderate amount of boulder problems and at our level there isn’t much left to climb for a second session. The routesetting on the bouldering side was mediocre but passable with some fun problems.

There is a small gym area, equipped mainly with dumbbells, hangboards, rings and an exercise bike. No showers.

You can buy basic climbing gear here, including the new edition of the Queenstown climbing guidebook. You can also rent bouldering mats / crash pads here. Better selection in rental pads than at Small Planet.

Staff was super friendly and opened the door for pad rental before...

Went to Basecamp in Frankton today with our three year old. We got him into the harness but he was too scared to get clipped onto a single climbing frame. We were in there for all of five minutes before deciding to go, so he wasn't frightened. When we asked if we could get credit for the session to try again another day, they said no as their policy is 'once in the harness' your session is counted. I understand this policy for most people, but for a toddler trying for the first time this seemed a...