Getting Vertical

After a long day of cracking backs, chiropractor Jason Ross is ready to climb up a wall. Literally. So he leaves his condo in downtown Grand Rapids by mountain bike and pedals for Higher Ground, the indoor gym devoted entirely to rock climbing.

The facility offers more than 7,000 square feet of climbing surface. That includes a 23-foot high artificial rock wall for rope climbs. But Dr. Ross prefers the rooms dedicated to bouldering – a style of climbing that emphasizes power, strength, and problem-solving over a short series of moves.

“I didn’t realize it at first, but there is a mental aspect to this,” Ross says.

Like hang gliding or bungee jumping, rock climbing used to be considered an extreme and dangerous sport. It still is on the remote peaks of the Alps, Rockies, and other towering mountain ranges.

But climbing also has advanced into the mainstream. These days it can be practiced indoors, with state-of-the-art safety gear, under the watchful eye of trained professionals, and little chance of getting stranded on a cliff or plummeting hundreds of feet down to the jagged valley below.

Indeed, Higher Ground is housed in an old warehouse nestled among the trendy loft apartments, boutiques, galleries, and watering holes of the city’s Monroe North district. You can scale the wall a couple of times, slide through the showers, and then go grab a beer all within just a few blocks.

Who’s in Basecamp
For a growing number of people like Ross, the sport is gaining popularity as an ideal way to mix up a dull exercise routine or unwind after a busy day. And several places have popped up in metro Grand Rapids in recent years offering novices and experts alike the chance to scale new heights.

The David Hunting branch of the YMCA houses two 23-foot walls – one for beginners and one for more accomplished climbers. The facility also offers climbing classes for members and non-members, with introductory and advanced classes scheduled on evening and weekends.

A short drive from downtown, Grand Valley State University’s Allendale campus has a 26.5 foot instructional wall that attracts college students and local adventurers. Inside Moves in Byron Center; the main campuses of Ferris State University, Central Michigan University, and Western Michigan University; as well as several other area YMCA locations also all offer indoor climbing opportunities for young kids, students, and adults of all ages.

Most locations offer climbers all they need to get started, with equipment and shoe rentals, as well as convenient day passes. Comfortable or loosely fitting clothing ensures climbers can stay flexible and agile as they make their ascent.

“A lot of people are starting to find out about it,” says Ted Bingham, a climber and staff member at Higher Ground. “Some might think that they can’t do climbing. But that’s why we’re here. People of all ages and ability come to climb here.”

Gym Season is Upon Us
While all skill levels are welcome at Higher Ground, Bingham says the majority of climbers are young adults in search of an evening or weekend workout. The place is open until 10 p.m. most evenings, which seems tailor-made for the working professional or college student seeking relief from the stresses of the daily routine.

“It works out well,” says Jason Ross. “After work, I swing in and climb for a couple hours.”

Ross is no stranger to adventure sports or exercise. A former member of the U.S. national bobsled team, his training routine generally includes weightlifting, stair stepping, and biking. But he hadn’t tried rock climbing until last year. That’s when a desire to shake up the monotony of his typical workout and a climbing-related program he saw on television compelled him to check out Higher Ground.

“It’s a total 180,” he says. “It’s a workout, but its fun.”

Ross is a skilled athlete, though he still considers himself a beginning or intermediate climber. Climbing, he says, trains the body in ways that other exercises might neglect, particularly as it relates to strengthening the hands, arms, and upper body.

“It’s pretty addicting once you get into it,” Ross says. “There is a little more strength-to-balance ratio. You build the core strength you need.”

What’s more, indoor rock climbing offers avid athletes like Ross something many other sports can’t: guaranteed all-weather access. As the temps and leaves drop, Ross knows he can always climb in the temperature-controlled confines of Higher Ground know matter what’s happening outdoors. Customers there can even climb an ice wall.

“It’s awesome in the winter,” he says. “When the weather gets horrible, I just don’t want to be outside.”