‘Hub for the community.’ Centre County indoor rock climbing facility breaks ground
With an anticipated opening date of summer 2020, construction is underway on Centre County’s first indoor rock climbing gym.
Last week, 5.Life — an Ohio-based rock climbing gym company — broke ground on Climb Nittany, a 12,500-square-foot facility at 328 Discovery Drive in Boalsburg.
“We really started to get going on the project in 2017,” said Matt Roberts, co-owner of 5.Life. “To finally be breaking ground is, for all of us, a great relief, and it’s great to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
After the Harris Township Board of Supervisors approved the land development plans last year, Climb Nittany was projected to be open in late 2019, but due to inclement weather, the project was delayed.
Roberts said the goal is to get as much work done before winter and to finish in the spring.
“From here on out, weather is going to be the deciding factor,” he said.
Founded in 1994, 5.Life is a family-owned business. The company currently operates three gyms in Ohio, but this will be its first facility in Pennsylvania. Climb Nittany is slated to include rope climbing up to 42 feet, bouldering and a training area.
“(5.Life has) built a wonderful community of people, not just dedicated climbers, but people who enjoy the outdoors, people who enjoy adventure and people who enjoy a challenge,” Roberts said. “We really hope to bring that same thing to the Centre Region.”
Partnering with Josh Helke, Organic Climbing owner, Roberts said Climb Nittany will be a “hub for the community.”
“One of the things that makes climbing very special is that it’s something that can be enjoyed by people of all skill levels, all abilities and all ages,” Roberts said. “We very commonly have families from 6-year-olds to 50-year-olds that have memberships and can climb together. Then when time and everything permits, they take what they’ve learned indoors and go outdoors to climb and do it as a family.”
This story was originally published November 25, 2019 at 11:18 AM.
