Of the 3,500 health clubs that Association Insurance Group insures, only 15 of them have climbing walls, says Ken Reinig, senior vice president. The group requires owners of those clubs to complete a separate application that addresses the exposures of a climbing wall, including questions about the height and width of the wall, material used in the landing area, staffing, and safety and training rules. Club owners also should have their climbers sign a liability waiver.

“Knock on wood, we have never had a claim filed as a result of a climbing incident,” Reinig says. “We surcharge the clubs that have climbing walls $1,250 to $1,500 a year.”

Bouldering, a style of rock climbing usually done without ropes and within a limited height, has also come under fire lately as a potential source of injury, but Reinig says that, on the whole, bouldering is safe and of little concern. None of the clubs interviewed for this story reported any serious injuries from their climbing or bouldering walls.

“A member is much more likely to get injured on a treadmill,” Reinig says.

Because bouldering walls are shorter and their addition doesn't require a remodel, many clubs add them to their facilities. That was the case for Broadwater Athletic Clubs and Hot Springs in Helena, MT. Seven years ago, operators installed a 20-foot wall in a racquetball court. The wall has four pitches and an overhang for climbing. Users can boulder up to 12 feet. If users go higher than that, they must be in a harness and have a certified belayer working with them, says Mike Taylor, club manager, who adds that the club offers a climbing certification course.

“We figured two people at a time were using the court, [but by] putting in a climbing wall, we could put 15 people or so in at a time,” he says. “It was space management.”

New School

Although climbing walls are not a common feature in health clubs, they are becoming popular in university and college recreation and fitness centers. Many schools use their walls for educational purposes.

Weber State University in Ogden, UT, opened its climbing wall in January for just that reason. The wall includes three sections. The first two sections are each 35-feet tall and 35-feet wide and are used for general climbing. The next section is a 15-foot tall bouldering wall that stretches across 45 feet.

Although some might call the wall recreational, programs that use the wall make it educational, says Daniel Turner, coordinator for wilderness recreation at Weber State. In the first three months that the wall was open, about 2,000 users tried the wall during open climbing times.

“Climbing courses and classes have been taught at Weber State for almost 30 years,” he says. “We have good access to climbing in the area, but this a controlled environment that can be taught safely to students and beginners.”

The wall, which cost almost $500,000, also is used for intercollegiate and high school competitions and for local climbing festivals.

The climbing wall at Mort Harris Recreation and Fitness Center (MHRFC) at Wayne State University in Detroit is used mainly for general fitness and sport, says Chris Nolan, director of campus recreation. However, the climbing wall is also used by the university's Outdoor Adventure Group and by the students of Life Style Activity 1310: Rocking Climbing, a one-hour credit course that teaches the basics of rock climbing. MHRFC personal trainers also use the wall with their clients, Nolan says.

“With such a positive response throughout the campus, the MHRFC climbing wall is here to stay,” Nolan says. “Over the years, the climbing community at Wayne State University has become a vibrant part of campus life, and we are an integral part.”

The wall also is used for a kids camp, she says, where urban youth ages 4 to 16 learn how to overcome challenging situations. Climbing serves as an educational metaphor.

Many times children are the most attracted to — and are not afraid of — climbing walls, says Paula Potter, club manager of the Airport Health Club in Santa Rosa, CA. In fact, kids are the biggest users of the Airport Health Club's climbing wall.

“Kids summer and holiday camps have brought in the most revenue,” she says. “We charge to rent harnesses and shoes. We also charge for a kid's climb four times a week where our staff will belay the kids and provide harnesses.”

Other facilities are having success with parties. Big Vanilla Athletic Club offers one- and two-hour rock climbing parties. Fees for the parties range from $90 to $285 and include information on rules, harnessing and climbing instructions.

“The rock wall is one of many amenities we offer that is attractive to both parents and children, thus increasing our potential membership base,” Zdanavage says.

Climbing wall manufacturers say facilities are on the right track by targeting younger members, since they are the next generation of climbers and members.

Rocky Revenue

When it comes to deciding whether or not a facility should invest in a wall, operators should look at their demographics and location, in addition to the finances and staff available to make a rock climbing wall work. All fitness facility operators interviewed for this article noted that adding a rock climbing wall is a steep commitment.

The climbing wall at the Airport Health Club cost the club $60,000 when it was installed in 1997. Since then, the club has not seen a return on its investment, Potter says, aside from it being a good marketing tool when potential members tour the facility.

“I am not sure I would recommend an indoor wall,” she says. “It takes up a lot of space, and in our club, the percentage of members who use it is very low.”

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