When the weather turns sour in southeast Wisconsin, which it often does, we look indoors for our outdoor adventure recreation. Ironic indeed, but welcome to the midwest climate. Rock climbing has a small handful of midwest bastions for climbing outside on real rock with Devil's Lake the closest among them here in southeast Wisconsin. However, the indoor climbing gym scene here has added a new local bouldering gym in downtown Burlington, Wisconsin. Climb @ the Loop is a legitimate bouldering gym that is not only a great place to begin to learn, but also to challenge seasoned climbers.
This is a "bouldering" gym, and bouldering is
an aspect of rock climbing where climbers do NOT use ropes with harnesses, and do NOT climb incredibly high off the ground. Typically no higher than around 10 feet above the ground. In a bouldering gym the entire floor is very thickly padded for comfortable falls. Whereas, outside on real rock the climbers bring thick pads called, boulder pads, and utilize climbing partners as spotters to adjust pads under a climber and to guide a falling climber down to the pads. It is a fantastic way to begin to learn to climb as the cost of entry to the sport is minimal, and here at Climb @ the Loop you can rent the climbing shoes you'll need to get started. Gym staff are happy to give you an introductory tour of the place and the way it all works as well. Staff are also typically floating around if you have questions. Other climbers can be really helpful too as this can be a somewhat social experience as well. Engaging with other climbers is a great way to learn. You'll find everyone here from brand new climbers to local regulars setting their own routes. That is a sign of a great climbing gym culture.
^Climbers getting vertical with the thick black floor padding visible underneath them in the climbing area pictured above here. There are a few basic rules and etiquette for everyone's safety in the gym which the staff will gladly introduce to folks when they arrive for the first time.
^Great for young and new climbers...
^... and veteran climbers to train and work out some moves.
^Nestled in downtown Burlington also makes it an ideal adventure to include a meal at a local restaurant nearby, of which there an ample variety. Part of outdoor adventure recreation is always about experiencing the local environment, but also the local towns' culture through the restaurants, bars, ice cream parlors, and more. Being an indoor aspect of adventure recreation the Climb @ the Loop is located right in the heart of all of it in downtown Burlington, which is seemingly another benefit to the irony of finding adventure recreation in an indoor space.
^The staff like folks to try to schedule a time to help manage traffic flow in the gym, but it is simple and much more relaxed than a "tee time" like golf so don't sweat the punctuality stress too hard. The website is the best place to start for your climbing adventure at the Loop Commons so click HERE to get started.