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Rec Center to Open New Rock Wall for Classes Soon

The new addition to the climbing wall. On the upper right is the end of the old wall.

The Rec Center is hoping to open their new rock wall this tuesday for classes. According to Dennis Munroe, construction should be complete soon but the wall won’t open for recreational climbing until safety light equipment gets in. Munroe explained that the wall won’t be given an after dark operating permit until the lights arrive.

The renovation began “the afternoon classes ended on dead week” said Munroe. Teams have been working for a little over a month now and the result is a great looking new wall. Munroe explained to me that the wall is adding 12,000 square feet, with an average of 3 holds per foot. All this translates into 36,000 new holds. The wall also boasts two whole new areas and two new cracks for crack climbers.

The old wall has been entirely refinished to look like Smith Rock.

The first is a section for lead (climbing while setting safety anchors as you go) climbing, providing a great way for new climbers to get used to leading and experienced climbers to keep their skills sharp during the winter.

The new bouldering (unroped climbing under 20 feet) pit is also a highlight, featuring a bouldering arch between two columns. The pit has also received improved safety features, from all around wall padding to rails and safety glass. Munroe told me the pit is set up to allow climbers to top out, that is letting them climb on top of the boulders.

The new bouldering pit for the rock wall.

But  students will have to wait for the wall for now. Munroe told me that the earliest we can expect to use the wall will be a week from this tuesday, the 26th. But as for the current state of the classes and staff, “Dan Crowe’s been about ten feet in the air.”

  1. ChossBoss says:

    Looks awesome. Props to the Rockwerx crew.

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