Questions, answered

Come to Learn the Ropes on Wednesday evening or Saturday morning: two hours with a coach, shoes and harness included, and you finish with your belay test. If you’d rather try bouldering first, Bouldering 101 is Sunday at 10. Or just come in, rent shoes and ask the front desk for a few easy problems.

Stretchy clothes you can squat in, like leggings, shorts or athletic pants, and a t-shirt. Bring water and a pair of clean socks. We rent shoes ($6) and harnesses ($6), and chalk is $9 a bag in the shop. Leave jewelry and rings at home, since they snag.

Not usually. Most hours are walk-in. The exceptions are Tuesday and Thursday evenings (5 to 8 pm) and Saturday 10 am to 2 pm, which we cap at 60 to 70 climbers, so reserving a spot on the Schedule page guarantees you a place.

Yes. Bouldering is easy to do alone, and most climbers there will chat if you ask. For rope climbing you need a certified partner, but the front desk will happily introduce you to someone, or you can take Learn the Ropes and meet a partner that way.

Yes, everyone does, including people who only watch from the climbing floor. Sign it online before you come on the waiver page, and it covers you for a year. It takes about a minute and you get a signed copy by email. The first time you reserve a class or a spot, your confirmation email links to it.

A parent or legal guardian signs the youth waiver, once for each child under 18. It’s on its own page, also online, and covers a year of classes, parties and open climbing. A parent or guardian who isn’t at the gym can sign for a child at home.

No. We don’t ask any health questions. It explains the risks of climbing, asks you to follow the gym rules and releases the gym from claims as far as the law allows. If you’re pregnant, recovering from an injury or unsure whether climbing is right for you, ask your own doctor.

A 20-minute check with a coach that you can tie in, check a partner’s knot and harness, and catch a fall with a belay device. Pass it and you can top-rope with any certified partner. It costs $15, or it’s free if you took Learn the Ropes. Book a test on the Book page.

You can climb the auto-belay lines (which catch you automatically) after a short orientation at the desk. For other rope climbs you need to be belay-certified, or be climbing with a Basecamp coach in a class.

Yes, once you’re belay-certified and have taken our lead clinic (second Sunday of every month) or a lead test with a coach. Lead climbing is only on the lead wall, and only with a lead-certified belayer.

No. Come alone or with a friend; we’ll pair you up with another student for the belaying part, and a coach checks every knot and every catch.

Cancel or move it up to 24 hours before from the link in your confirmation email. Your spot or pack credit comes back. Later than that, it’s used.

Kids under 6 climb free with a paying adult on the kids’ wall and the low boulders. Little Climbers starts at 5, Youth Club at 8, Teen Night at 13 and the Youth Team at 10. Rope climbing with a staff belay is open to kids 6 and up.

In classes, yes: kids 8 and up can be dropped off, and parents stay for Little Climbers. During open climb, kids under 12 need an adult in the building at all times, and under 8 need one on the floor.

Climb & Cake is two hours for up to 10 kids: an hour of coached climbing on the kids’ wall and a bouldering area, then 45 minutes in the party room with tables, plates and a host to help. You bring the cake and food. Big Send ($545) adds a second coach, up to 15 kids, cheese pizza and drinks. A $100 deposit holds your date.

Yes. Freeze it for up to three months a year for travel or injury, at no cost. Cancel any time at the front desk. No contract and no cancellation fee.

Climber’s Yoga is free for members. Come on Monday evenings or Friday mornings. It isn’t part of a day pass, but it can be paid with a punch pass.

Day-pass and punch packs last 12 months; the youth pack lasts 6 months. They belong to your email address, so there’s no account and no app. Each reservation or class sign-up uses one credit, and a reservation for four uses four.

If you only tried them on at the shop, yes, within 14 days for another size. If you’ve climbed in them, we can’t take them back, so try them on in the shop first. We’re glad to help you find the right size.

Yes. Choose pickup at checkout, and we’ll email you when it’s ready at the front desk, usually the same day. Orders are held 14 days. Shipping is $9, free over $100.

We’re closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve we’re open 6 am to 3 pm, on New Year’s Eve 6 am to 6 pm and on New Year’s Day 10 am to 6 pm. Everything else is regular hours.

There’s a free lot of about 60 spaces in front of the building, bike racks by the door and a bus stop a block away. Saturday and weeknight evenings fill up, so overflow parking is on the north side of Pioneer Way.

Yes. Sunday 8 to 9 am is our low-sensory hour: music off and lights up. Weekday mornings (6 to 9 am) are the calmest time overall.