San Francisco Climbing Culture (Gym Explorations) 🧗‍♂️

Conclusion: A quietly thriving, diverse, and community-driven scene—full of crushers! Near SF’s Union Square, I checked out two gyms, each with its own vibe. Both include small fitness areas, with memberships around ~$100/month (¥730). 🏢 Benchmark Bouldering Specialty: Bouldering only—their grading is brutally stiff (mostly V4 and up, with several V10s!). Vibe: Shirtless crushers everywhere (apparently, it’s a rule to strip before sending? 😆). ⛰️ Mission Cliffs Early Birds Welcome: Opens at 6:30 AM—by 7 AM, a dozen climbers were already on the walls. Popularity: Packed by 7 PM (20+ people in the bouldering area alone). Tried finding a belay partner—staff even made an announcement, but no luck (RIP). Community Board Gold: Posts about gap years in Europe for climbing, Ads for Chinese Dawn Climbing, Used climbing shoes for sale, Folks seeking regular belay buddies. Inclusivity: Saw a one-armed boulderer, A wheelchair user on top-rope, LGBTQ+ climbing group flyers. Route Style: Heavy on overhangs, light on dynos/balance—feels like outdoor climbing brought indoors. 💪 American Fitness Obsession Commuting = Warm-up: Bikes parked outside, folks jogging to the gym. Belay Certification: Took a $40 class (non-member price), passed in 60 mins—now I’m "licensed" to belay! #ClimbingLife #SFClimbing #BoulderProblem #GymCrushers #InclusiveClimbing #BelayCertified #OutdoorVibes