A nautical term from the old english: "Be" to exist "Lay" to set down. A Belayer is an individual who secures a rope with the purpose of protecting the climber from falling by lowering the climber off the wall to set them on the ground.
Don't forget to sign a waiver! Grandparents or friends should be sure to have a parent or a legal guardian sign the waiver online prior to arrival. Be sure to bring a water bottle and athletic clothing for the best experience!
After you are checked in, we will teach those 14 years and older how to Belay. Depending on how many people are in a group, lessons are 45 to 60 minutes. This instruction will include Bouldering, Auto-Belay and general facility orientation for all ages. No appointment is necessary for the Belay Lesson. From the time we are open, lessons are done every hour on the hour. New climbers would want to arrive no later than three hours before close in order to have enough time for the class and climbing afterward. If you have learned to belay elsewhere, you may qualify to belay after demostrating your skills for a Belay Test. Lessons and Belay Tests are to be done by Climb Kalamazoo staff ONLY. After you are qualified to belay at Climb Kalamzoo, we will happily provide free belay refresher instruction for future visits, so please do not hesitate to ask questions.
No matter the age, we have climbing routes you will love!
Please note - appointments are necessary for groups of 8 or more people who are 14 and up.
Youth 3-13 years: With an adult belayer and supervision, this age group will love climbing tons of vertical terrain with fun, easy reaches. We provide a full body harness for our climbers age 3-6. Be prepared to provide supervision for this age group. For the safety of all of our guests unattended children are not permitted at Climb Kalamazoo. Drop offs are not permitted for those 13 and under.
Youth 14 years and older: this age group will be required to complete the Belay Lesson and Orientation on their first visit and are treated as adults with regards to belay and climbing. Once waivers are completed by the parent or guardian, this age group may belay and climb with only visual (non-participating) supervision from an adult.
No problem! We realize many guests are new in town or too busy to make arrangements for a climbing partner. Auto Belay stations allow a climber to ascend a high volume of routes in a short amount of time. Climb Kalamazoo offers a premium bouldering experience with two top out boulders, and a huge variety of routes and styles from beginner to elite.
Climb Kalamazoo staff is not available to belay climbers.
Our facility caters to many ability levels. We have a variety of fun beginner routes as well as extremely difficult advanced routes. If you have an existing medical condition, pregnancy or any other health concern, you may want to consult a physician before beginning a new sport or exercise regimen.
44 Climbing Walls, with 150 routes
30-40 routes with 12 ft top out routes and a dedicated bouldering cave
From Beginner to Advanced - we cater to many ability levels
25 -30 Feet high
10,500 Sq Feet of Climbing
Your one-stop shop for climbing gear, shoes & apparel
We have locker rooms with showers to make your visit comfortable! While you are climbing we also have vending machines and water bottle fill stations to keep you going! Feel free to use our picnic area for breaks.
Includes: Belay Lesson and Equipment Rental Package
$37
Available age 3 through adult
Includes: Climbing and Equipment Rental Package
$25
Not climbing but need to learn to Belay for your child or friends? Includes: Belay Lesson, and Harness Rental
* 1:4 belayer to child ratio max.
*Staff is not available to belay.
$16.50
Looking for a gift for your adventurer and want to support a local business? Give the gift of climbing at your local Climb Kalamazoo!
See how many people are climbing, now!
Address:
136 S. Kalamazoo Mall
Kalamazoo, MI 49007