By Timothy Kelly
Some of the Climb Nittany community. Photos provided, collage by T. Kelly
In the latter half of the last decade, Josh Helke, owner of Philipsburg-based climbing gear company Organic Climbing, reached out to the owners of the Vertical Adventures climbing gym (now 5.Life, based in Columbus, OH) and suggested that State College would be a great place for a climbing gym. As a result, Climb Nittany, an indoor climbing destination in Boalsburg, PA, opened its doors in October 2020. It is a tribute to Helke’s read of the local market that the gym survived the pandemic and continues to grow.
Meeting market demand
Rock climbing has experienced an uptick in popularity due in part to recent documentaries like Free Solo and the addition of sport climbing to the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Climb Nittany sees 500 to 700 new customers per month, according to Kathleen Ammon, Marketing and Community Relations Manager. Ammon said customers travel from over an hour away to climb there.
Climbing a route to the top produces a rush that’s hard to beat.
Since the 1960s, rock climbing has evolved into several sub-disciplines. One is bouldering: climbing short routes that require the climber to focus on power and technique. Sport climbing is climbing routes with permanently fixed anchors for protection. According to Ammon, Climb Nittany is “central Pennsylvania’s only dedicated indoor rock climbing gym that offers both bouldering and sport climbing.”
Climb Nittany features bouldering and fitness areas. Photo: T. Kelly
Indoor climbing emerges as its own opportunity
Indoor climbing started as a means for climbers to train for outdoor climbing. But now more than half of all climbers are indoor climbers, according to the 2019 State of Climbing Report by the American Alpine Club, or AAC.
It’s not hard to see why indoor climbing is so popular. The weather is the same year-round. The landing zone in the bouldering area is uniform, flat and well-padded. The anchors and other gear are engineered and maintained to be safe. There are no bugs or snakes. The gym is accessible to anyone who wants to try the sport. The staff is friendly and helpful. And climbing a route to the top produces a rush that’s hard to beat.
Climb Nittany sees 500 to 700 new customers per monthClimb Nittany sees 500 to 700 new customers per month. Photo: T. Kelly
Building community
The team at Climb Nittany focuses on building an inclusive community. Ammon said that the gym is a meeting destination for friends and a place for getting away from the grind of daily life.
Climb Nittany sees 500 to 700 new customers per month. Some travel from over an hour away to climb there.
Climbing is a sport open to anyone willing to try it. Through their Community Days program, the gym has set aside days each month for select affinity groups in order to encourage connection, diversity, and accessibility. “One of them is a Stonemasters Day… for the 50 and above population,” said Ammon.
Climbing is emerging as a lifestyle activity to maintain health and wellness for people of all ages and Ammon said that Climb Nittany is working with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Penn State and several occupational therapists to develop programs for those 60 and older who want to maintain an active lifestyle.
Ammon said that the gym is a meeting destination for friends in the center region. For others, it’s a place to get away from life for a while. For still others it can feel like a home away from home. And Climb Nittany is one more reason Happy Valley is a great place to live.
