FIRST TIME CLIMBING
Helping Everyone Climb
First time climbing? Don’t worry or be intimidated! The basics of climbing are quick and easy to learn.
Discover Climbing
The best choice for beginner climbers
Join our 45-minute course designed for ages 14+ (younger climbers can join as “add-ons”). Learn essential Top Rope climbing skills, including belaying. Walk-ins welcome—arrive 15 minutes early to check in and gear up. Bonus: Enjoy 2 weeks of FREE facility access after your class. Take your first step into climbing today!
EXPERIENCED CLIMBERS
You Love Climbing – Come Climb at Vertical Adventures
Useful Tips for Climbing at 5.Life Locations
Sign The Waiver
First-Time Visitors: Save time and sign your waiver online prior to your visit.
Bring Your Water Bottle
The climbing gym is equipped with a filtered water dispensers, so bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated.
Take A Class
We are here to help you through your 5.Life journey. Learn the beginner basics and develop and diversify your skills.
Join a Community Event
Climbing is not just about the workout. It’s about the community and helping everyone feel welcomed and invited to participate.
Our Most Popular Classes
Discover Climbing
Join our 45-minute course designed for ages 14+ (younger climbers can join as “add-ons”). Learn essential Top Rope climbing skills, including belaying. Walk-ins welcome—arrive 15 minutes early to check in and gear up. Bonus: Enjoy 2 weeks of FREE facility access after your class. Take your first step into climbing today!
Explorer Kit
The best deal. THREE intro climbing classes; giving you all the tools you need to kick off your climbing journey. Plus a FREE month of climbing.
Develop Lead
In this 2 session course, you will learn the proper lead belay techniques and best practices for clipping, rope management, and falling.
What are our Guests Saying
Don’t just take it from us, let our guets do the talkig!
“The instructors here are nothing short of amazing. So helpful, so kind, and so fun. I’ve had nothing but great experiences getting comfortable with climbing and learning new things at vertical. Shoutout to River who is my favorite instructor and helped us progress in climbing so much”
“I hadn’t been in over 10 years. The new gym is terrific! Tons of routes for any skill level. My 4-year-old loved it. Shout-out to Zach for his help and encouragement!”
“LOVE Vertical Adventures. Madie was amazing with my daughter – patient and supportive and fun. Highly recommend!”
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to take a class or make a reservation to climb at your facility?
Walk-ins welcome.
Supervision guidelines do apply, see question below regarding kids climbing in facility.
We do recommend booking a High Five for the ultimate experience. Book Now
If you're new to Vertical Adventures, but not to climbing, here are some steps to get you on the wall once you arrive.
ORIENTATION
Everyone must complete an orientation before being able to climb. To save time when you arrive we recommend you complet your waiver prior to arriving. Waiver
TOP ROPE EXPECTATIONS
Everyone MUST have a Belay Card visible on their harness whenever they are belaying. Ask a team member about doing a Top Rope check when you arrive.
Top Rope Belay Check Requirements:
- Correctly tie in with a figure-8 follow-through knot.
- Correctly load and use a Petzl GriGri.
LEAD CLIMBING EXPECTATIONS
Everyone MUST have a Belay Card visible on their harness whenever they are lead climbing or lead belaying. Ask a staff member about doing a Lead Climb/Belay check when you arrive or call in advance.
Lead Climbing and Belay Requirements:
- Bring your own rope and belay device
– The rope must be at least 30 meters long - Assisted Braking Devices (ABD’s) are required to lead belay
- During the lead check, participants will be required to climb a 5.9, take a fall, and demonstrate proper lead climbing and belaying techniques
It’s my first time, what do I need to do?
EVERYONE entering our facility is required to sign a waiver and complete a brief orientation. Children under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign a waiver for them and watch the orientation video. Supervision guidelines apply to all youth climbers.
Can kids climb at Vertical Adventures?
Under 18 years old
A parent or legal guardian must sign a waiver and watch the orientation video.
Under 14 years old
Not permitted to belay (hold the rope)
Must follow these supervision guidelines:
4 years and under can climb within arm’s length of their supervising adult. Each adult can only supervise two children this young at a time.
5-7 years old can climb under direct supervision (can see and hear them at all times) of an adult. Each adult can only supervise two children this young at a time.
8-14 years old can climb under direct supervision (can see and hear them at all times) of an adult. Each adult can only supervise three children this young at a time.
Alternately, we offer youth classes check, them out here.
Can anyone belay or lead climb?
To belay or lead climb at our facility, you must first pass a proficiency assessment with one of our team members. Our team is available most days and times to conduct a proficiency test, no appointment required.
For lead climbing and belaying, you must provide your own rope, and use an Assisted Braking Device (ABD).
Kids 14 and over may belay after completing this waiver and passing a proficiency assessment with our staff.
What kind of climbing do you offer?
We have bouldering which is climbing on shorter walls with no rope and lots of padding; top rope walls where a rope has been fixed at the top of the wall and a climber requires the support of a belayer; and we have lead climbing which is where experienced climbers clip the rope into the wall as they climb up.
Do you have Auto belays?
Nope! While it’s always awesome to get a free ride, we are passionate about community…so we want you to meet new belay partners irl. We have partner finder nights. We have a belay partner board. We will make belay partner calls over the PA system. We WILL help you find a climbing partner.
What is good gym etiquette?
We’re so glad you asked! Climbing is dangerous, so you must always be aware of your surroundings while in the facility. Keep space between climbers, don’t walk between an active belayer (person holding rope) and their partner, and don’t hold ropes if you have not passed a proficiency to use them. When bouldering, stay off the mats until you’re ready to climb, down climb a few holds when possible to avoid jumping from height, and if you fall hug your arms to your chest, land on your feet, and roll onto your back to disperse the force. See our orientation video for more information!
We are on Instagram
May at Vertical Adventures is the perfect time to bring the family. 🧗♀️🧗♂️
Whether it`s your kid`s first time on the wall or your weekly Sunday tradition — we`re open and ready for you. Every age, every level.
Family memberships and day passes — Click the link in our bio
#VerticalAdventures #ClimbColumbus #indoorclimbing #rockclimbing #5Life #familyclimbing #kidsclimbing
Proof that age is just a number, here’s to Karl who is still crushing it on his 80th birthday! We sat down with Karl to ask him a few questions about his climbing journey.
Q: How did you first get into climbing?
A: Well I started out backpacking. And then, once you start getting into the mountains, it seemed like a natural outgrowth from that, and from there I got involved with The Ohio State Mountaineers as well.
Q:How long have you been a member of the gym?
A:Well, since the old gym opened. (1994)
Q:What keeps you coming back?
A: I enjoy the mental aspect of it, and staying fit. Equal with that is the people, the friendships and the community.
Q: What is one piece of advice you’d give to younger folks or newer climbers?
A: Balance. Don’t put everything in one basket. You know the other day, my wife and I went down to hocking hills to see the wild orchids that are always blooming on my birthday, and we’ve been doing that for 25 years. And listen to your body. When you need rest take a rest, when you’re feeling good go hard.
Every route on this wall started with someone standing in front of blank holds asking: what`s going to challenge you? What`s going to surprise you? What`s going to make you come back?
Our team sets, coaches, checks, resets — not because it`s a job, but because they`ve felt what it`s like to work a problem and finally send it.
That feeling you get on the wall? It was built for you.
Come climb what they made.
#vaohio #ohioclimbs #routesetting #gymclimbing #indoorclimbing #climbingby5life #5life
Vertical Adventures is closed today as we honor Memorial Day and the men and women who served. 🇺🇸
Adventure starts with freedom. We`re grateful. See you Tuesday.
#vaohio #verticaladventuresohio #ohioclimbs #climbingwithbenefits #5life
Watching our youth athletes grow is one of the best parts of Vertical Adventures. 💥
The focus. The grit. The look on their face when a hard move finally clicks. These kids aren`t just learning to climb — they`re learning to solve problems and believe in themselves.
Youth programs enrolling now — Click the link in our bio
#VerticalAdventures #ClimbColumbus #indoorclimbing #rockclimbing #5Life #youthclimbing #kidsclimbing
School`s out. Your kid`s next adventure starts here.
Summer is wide open — and so is the wall. Whether they`re climbing for the first time or chasing their first send, Vertical Adventures youth programs give them the challenge, the community, and the confidence to keep going up.
Youth programs. Family memberships. Real fun that builds real grit.
VA heads up — we`re closed this Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day.
Take the long weekend to get outside, touch some real rock, and remember what this sport is all about. We`ll be back Tuesday.
#vaohio #va513 #ohioclimbs #climbingwithbenefits #climbingby5life #5life
Take your lead climbing to the next level with our Develop Anchor Cleaning class at Vertical Adventures. Learn fundamental skills for cleaning, climbing anchors, and rappelling with confidence. This is a great class to learn an important skill for climbing outside!
Sign up online or at the desk!!
#VaOhio #climb614 #Climbingby5life #5life #boulder614 #asseenincolumbus #rockclimbing #climbstrong #WallsAreMeantForClimbing #columbusohio
Now here is another member, or should we say members, who deserve a huge shout out! The Pargeon family has been part of 5.life community for well over a decade, and we have enjoyed every moment they`ve been in the gyms!
You can usually run into them during the week at all three of our locations in Columbus, and you can bet that they`ll be crushing it! They embody everything it means to be a climbing family and they`ve contributed so much to the community over the years!
#VaOhio #climb614 #Climbingby5life #5life #asseenincolumbus #boulder614 #rockclimbing #climbstrong #WallsAreMeantForClimbing #climbingfamily
May at Vertical Adventures is the perfect time to bring the family. 🧗♀️🧗♂️
Whether it`s your kid`s first time on the wall or your weekly Sunday tradition — we`re open and ready for you. Every age, every level.
Family memberships and day passes — Click the link in our bio
#VerticalAdventures #ClimbColumbus #indoorclimbing #rockclimbing #5Life #familyclimbing #kidsclimbing
Folks often ask routesetters how they decide what to put on the wall, and the answer is loooooong, so buckle up.
We try to have a variety of different movements, hold types, difficulties, and experiences across the gym,and try to fill in any missing gaps
We also find inspiration from the latest climbing trip or viral video of wild movement
To mix things up for the setters, we have a grab bag or different words of holds, feelings, movements, pull a few, and try to set that
Sometimes, one setter picks the holds, a second setter puts them on with an assignment from a third
We also love hearing community feedback, and take requests!
Anyways, here’s Allana crushing this route request from a member for big moves and blocked holds
Every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 7-11 at VA you’ll encounter this eclectic cast of rotating characters. Whether it’s taking turns watching each other’s children, being unafraid to give an earful to a setter that missed the mark, or helping new lead climber’s practice their skills, this crew is something special. I could go on and on about just how wonderful these folks are, but I digress. Here’s to them 🍻
Contact
614 888-8393
6513 Kingsmill Court
Columbus, OH 43229
Stay Connected
Hours
Mon, Wed & Fri 11 AM- 10 PM
Tue & Thur 7 AM - 10PM
Saturday 9 AM - 8 PM
Sunday 11 AM - 6 PM
