While there are so many ways to get active at Mount Royal Recreation, the Climbing Centre offers a different experience for those looking to try some vertical activity.

With challenges for climbers of all experience levels, the 40-foot wall in the centre allows for top-rope and lead climbing. There are auto-belays for climbers who want to take on the wall solo, but there is also a great community at the Climbing Centre that can turn your visit into a social event.

"Climbing lends itself to lots of socialization, whether it be in-between or while you're actually climbing and participating in the activity," said adventure programming supervisor Jesse Sheets. "It's a good way for us to facilitate that social aspect through events or just naturally as people come into the space."

"We have lots of regulars, but it's also a good way for new students to build a community and find people with similar interests to hang out with on campus," he added.

Climbing comes with a series of physical benefits that might come a bit differently than your ordinary trip to the gym.

"Everything you're doing on the wall is going to be an amazing core workout," Sheets said of how climbing differs from other recreation activities. "Using one of the machines in the gym, it's very targeted. Whereas on the climbing wall, it's like, 'how can I be creative and move my body in a way and use parts of my body that I wouldn't otherwise?'

"It's a good way to engage both mentally and physically in the activity, to discover things about your own strength and flexibility that you wouldn't be able to in different activities."

For those looking to climb at MRU, it's as easy as just dropping in or registering online for one of the many programs offered. All bookings come with Association of Canadian Mountain Guide (ACMG) certified instructors and all the required equipment to get on the wall.

"If you've gone to the gym at Mount Royal, you've walked past the climbing wall," said Climbing Centre team lead and Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership student Foster Woodward. "I think a lot of people maybe don't realize that they can go and climb if they want to try it out."

"Whenever someone comes in for the first time — once they try it and see that everyone here is so nice and supportive — I almost always see them back. There's cool music playing and it's this fun and different vibe, [these are] the biggest thing[s] in growing the community."

As Sheets mentioned, one way that the Climbing Centre facilitates the social aspect of the sport is by hosting events that welcome climbers of all skill levels.

This October, the Boulder Bash competition is returning to Mount Royal for the sixth year, starting with the first round on Monday the 23rd. Wall staff will set up 30 boulder problems for climbers to tackle based on their desired difficulty level. 

"Folks can come in and sign up really quickly [either at the customer service desk or on the ePlay website] and then try it out," Sheets said of the event. 

"When you do sign up, it'll go in our system, and we'll know who's competing," Woodward added. "At the end of the four days [of the preliminary round], we'll see who's at the top, and we'll do a final on Friday the 27th. [There] will be six athletes in each category, and we'll have nine fresh problems — one for each category — for the finals."

"They'll have four-minute rounds, so as many tries as they want, but if they get it on the first try, they'll get more points."

With spectators coming to watch and Woodward emceeing the event, winners will not only get prizes for coming away with a victory, but they'll get to show their skills in front of the climbing community.

If you are curious about trying climbing at Mount Royal Recreation, check out our programs online, or stop by our Climbing Center on your next visit to learn more! The Climbing Center is open weekdays 11 AM - 9 PM and weekends 12 PM - 5 PM.