After much deliberation, research, consulting, and brainstorming, I've decided to push for the effort of a dedicated training facility in the Layton, UT area.
Without going into those details (message me if you'd like), I'd rather like to share the concept with you and get the idea out there. There is a crowdfunding effort taking place at gofundme.com/stoketraining, but even a comment of "I'd go if you opened it" is just as valuable. This was designed to be a temperature gage and not so much a must-have amount prior to starting. Your feedback, comments, and concerns are welcome!
Before the meat, though, a concept floor plan based on space available:
Potential floor plans.
The website is stoketraining.com and the concept is reiterated here:
The sport of rock climbing continues to grow in size and popularity. The Outdoor Industry Association puts the number of active climbers (both indoor and outdoor) at ~7,000,000 participants yearly within the United States, with about a 5% growth over 3 years. Those participating in traditional, ice, or mountaineering-climbing has nearly doubled since 2011.
Yet despite this increase, the number of high-performance athletes in vertical sports continues to be relatively small. The web database MountainProject.com estimates that only 14.7% of climbers have climbed 5.12a, 3.6% have climbed 5.13a, and only 0.2% have climbed 5.14a or harder. As the sports pioneers continue to push the boundaries, the general populace has lagged behind.
The way to improve in these vertical sports is sport-specific training. While avenues exist to train in gym environments, many gyms put in training areas as an afterthought and can be lacking what the Mountain Athlete needs. Observing this deficiency, I am developing a plan and business that directly targets the Mountain Athletes training. It is the first of its kind to address the training needs of the Mountain Athlete for an affordable price without the frustrations that accommodate the modern gym climbing experience.
The popularity of training has also increased. Popular and well-regarded books in the training market include: Training for Climbing by Eric Hörst, Training for the New Alpinism by Steve House, and The Rock Climbers Training Manual by Mike and Mark Anderson. There are also online-only venues such as TrainingBeta.com.
I have a vision to open a training facility in Layton, UT which directly caters to the Mountain Athletes needs. The Wasatch Front has arguably some of the best and most diverse climbing outside of a metropolitan area. Within an hours drive you have access to limestone, quartzite, granite, sandstone, conglomerate, and variations therein. Expand the horizons to 6 hours and you can reach major climbing destinations such City of Rocks, ID; Lander, WY; Moab/Indian Creek, UT; The Wind River Range, WY; and Red Rock Canyon, NV. Its no wonder the sport is so popular in Utah and is seeing an expanse.
Beyond the scope of standard training equipment, the Mountain Athlete needs motivation, convenient gym availability, customization, and last but not least: space! Many a training session can be thwarted by unavailability of a climbing wall space or another piece of equipment.
In a nutshell, this training facility can be envisioned as an elaborate training area in someones gigantic garage. 24/7 access, akin to many serious lifting gyms, would allow flexibility to the user offered nowhere else. It would be based on a co-op model where the users feel like its their gym. Id like to further explain my plan to you addressing Equipment, Community, Expansion, and How You Can Get Involved.
Equipment
This training center would have all of the standard climbing equipment: hangboards, campus boards, 15 degree traversing wall, a Moon board, and a 30 degree systems wall. Non-standard climbing equipment would include an adjustable angle systems board, crack simulators, and a Treadwall. In addition, users will have a selection of holds to choose from to adjust a training route for their goals and projects.
For those with alpine objectives, standard tools will include at least one of each of the following: a Stairmaster, incline trainer, and a squat rack. Non-standard alpine equipment would include Ice Holdz and/or holes in the wall for ice tool utilization.
The exact number of each piece of equipment is contingent on starting space and funding. However, floor plans have been developed for small starting spaces (1,000-1,500 sq. ft) with the goal of growing.
Community
Many gyms feel like a free-for-all for the user. A goal with this training facility would be to bring Mountain Athletes together, encourage others to become Mountain Athletes, and to share goals and accomplishments together. Imagine going someplace where the other users are as excited about your projects as you are! This unique feel is missing from many climbing facilities.
Expansion
Start small, grow big. The initial startup costs and size of this training facility are small and designed to pose very little risk to those involved. After all, most of us are weekend warriors who need to put dinner on the table. That is why the time-value of training cannot be overlooked. It is the most efficient way to get better. As the facility becomes more popular, more equipment can be purchased or built. Eventually, it may even become a full-service climbing facility, but the main focus will always be on training.
How You Can Help
If you have insights into the training market, that information would be invaluable. If you have experience owning or operating such a facility, your advice would be envied. Finally, if you have any training equipment or funding youd like to contribute to this effort, Id be beyond grateful and gladly offer advertising or honorable mention space at the facility and on the website. I need to raise $20,000 for a basic facility, or $50,000 for a facility with more options.
If youd like to find out more about the project or if you have specific questions about market research, demographic research, floor plans, or other inquiries about the research and planning done thus far prior to supporting, please do not hesitate to contact me.