Sacramento Pipeworks — Local services in Sacramento

This is my local gym and i climb here a few times a week, usually around v3-v5 depending on the boulder. Staffs great, the extra amenities are cool, its kept clean, the route setters do a good job at swapping out routes regularly, and the building its in adds a great aesthetic to the whole gym. All that stuffs great. 10/10. Yeah there's a lot of homelessness nearby, but that's really not something they can control.

Up until recently this was the only gym i really went to, so i didn't have much to compare it to. But recently i spent a few weeks traveling around the PNW for christmas, and i made it a goal to try as many new climbing gyms as i could along the way. And it really helped to give me perspective.

The route setting here is....boring. The worst out of any gym i tried. I actually got to talk to the owner of one gym and the route setter of another gym up in portland, both of which came from the central cali area (one from tahoe and the other from the bay). They both independently said that pipeworks is apparently infamous for having bland routes. Each one brought this up as soon as they heard me say Pipeworks, before they even heard my opinion. And now that ive been back for a bit, i find myself really missing the fun and creative routes i got to try elsewhere. My partner thought she didnt like climbing until i took her to some other gyms and she got to see some more creative routes.

Second off, the size of the bouldering area is really not big enough. The rope climbing area is fine. Not as many people do rope climbing and there are plenty of routes so i never really have an issue finding an open one. But the bouldering area gets so cramped that ive had to shape my whole gym schedule around going at obscure times. Because if you go at any time besides the most off hours, you have about 30 seconds to try a boulder before someone else cuts in. Forget about projecting, forget about going with friends and working on stuff together, you either flash it or you get out of the way. Sessions like that start to make me question why i even bother climbing, then ill have a session where the gym is less busy and ill instantly remember why i love climbing so much.

I know bouldering has exploded in popularity recently, and crowding is an understandable issue for a small gym. But pipeworks isn't a small gym. They have an absolutely massive section right next to their bouldering area that is basically empty except for some sparse weight lifting equipment that seems to rarely get used. Im sure they have their reasons, and probably have expanding the bouldering area planned as a "some day" task. But seeing how touchstone operates the largest climbing gym in the US with two stories of bouldering just an hour or two away from here, and seeing how they charge a noticably higher daily/monthly fee than any other gym i went to; its kind of absurd that they let the sacramento location get as crowded as it is despite having enough unused space to basically double the size of their bouldering area if they really wanted to.

I love having pipeworks so close to me, and im definitely going to keep going. I think over all this gym does a fine job and im very glad they exist. But touchstone has the resources and the ability to create a way better experience at their pipeworks location than they...

I hadn’t been to PipeWorks since pre-COVID — and WOW, this place has grown!

I bought a day pass to try a yoga class on a rainy night, and it turned out to be exactly what I needed. The warehouse was alive with energy, yet the yoga studio itself felt warm and intimate — a cozy, industrial loft vibe. The glow of the streetlights outside added to the ambiance, and the gentle music tied it all together perfectly.

Melissa was an exceptional teacher. She offered thoughtful adjustments that helped me ease deeper into poses I didn’t think I could reach. It was my first experience with Yin Yoga, and the slow, restorative pace was deeply soothing — the kind of class that leaves you floating afterward. I heard she teaches every Monday night, and I can absolutely see why people come back for her.

If you’re visiting Sacramento or just looking for a community-driven space to move, stretch, and reset, PipeWorks is a must. I didn’t even get to explore everything they offer this time, but I’ll...

A bit of context first - I’m only two months in to climbing and this is the second climbing gym I’ve ever been to. So far, I love this gym. It’s a beautiful building inside and out. The staff is kind and helpful. And last but not least, they have everything you need at what I consider a ridiculous price. At one end they have a CrossFit gym section that outshines most actual CrossFit gyms I’ve been to. In the middle of everything is a big bouldering area with a lot of beginner to intermediate climbs. I mostly stick to V3s and V4s at this point but they seem to have plenty of easier and harder climbs. Near the entrance is where you’ll find the top rope climbs. I haven’t tried these yet but they look fun. Next to the top rope section is the weightlifting and cardio area. It’s a bit limited, but even at the busiest time of day you can get the weights and machines you want with little to no waiting. Sacramento is lucky to have Pipeworks and I’m grateful that I get to learn...