Endurance Climbing Gym — Local services in Burlington

We enrolled our daughter in the kids' rock climbing class at the beginning of summer. She was in a challenging circumstance - long COVID has made high-simulation environments hard for her.

While the environment in these classes is definitely high-simulation, it's easy for kids to walk off to a calmer space, get a drink of water and some alone time, and take a break when they get overwhelmed - then join back in again once they can. The casual environment lets kids take things slow as they start, but encourages them to try new things and take risks (with proper safety precautions) when they are ready. The focus is on making a safe environment and providing kids with fun options and games, then letting them choose how much to participate with class activities or explore on their own.

And it works! Her younger brother has also joined the classes, and both of them are doing climbing feats that seemed amazing to them when they started just a few months ago. They come home almost every class telling me about a new route they climbed or a new friend they made. I haven't heard about a single negative social interaction - but tons of positive experiences! They are making friends across age groups, too, which is great. I can see the difference in their physical fitness, as well. Definitely a workout for both their bodies and their character, and well enjoyed!

This has motivated my daughter to learn about other adventure sports, and now she is exploring orienteering as well. It's so good to see her uncovering passions like this, especially after dealing with illness and quarantine for so long.

We've also done some day passes with the whole family, and the staff are great! Supportive, passionate, and eager to share their knowledge. I'd definitely encourage people to grab day passes here and try out rock climbing...

Small, but well worth the 30 minutes trip south of Bellingham. Closest rope climbing gym to Bellingham, and offers some interesting bouldering as well. Most routes range from 5.8 up to 5.12, and bouldering problems seem to range from V1 through V6, with a focus on the middle of that range. They don't seem to set often, some of the older routes are five months old, most are about 2-3 months old. Bouldering, top roping, and lead climbing all feel equally important here, despite its size. They have two auto-belays, so if you don't have a partner you can still practice longer routes.

Friendly staff, feels much like a climbing co-op. Upper area has coffee and water, as well as a small area to sit and read or study, overlooking the climbing area. No showers that I saw, just gendered bathrooms.

Not a fancy place but definitely worth a look. Their grades are harder than Vital in Bellingham, so I wouldn't recommend bringing...

I've only interacted with Brandon and Will but they have both been fantastic. I took the lead course with Brandon and he was extremely patient. He was so helpful, I've learned a ton, and I'm excited to take it outdoors once I practice a little more. Will was there to help answer questions on things like rappelling, leading, and climbing outdoors on another visit. Seriously a great staff and great atmosphere. Highly recommend this gym and I've never felt more welcomed! We move around a lot so I've been to a ton of gyms around the county and this one has been definitely my favorite place because of the people...