Climbing Center

Open Hours

Open to community members and guests with an entrance fee.

Special Hours on April 26th for the Annual Sweet Onion Crank: Gym closed for climbing, except for competitors.

Spring Semester 2025: Ending May 12

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 4–9:30 p.m.
• Wednesday: 4-9 p.m.
• Wednesday: 9-10 p.m. (Femme + Nonbinary Climb Night)
• Friday–Sunday: 2:30–6 p.m.
• Sunday: 12:30–2:30 p.m. (faculty/staff and families only)

Finals Hours: May 13–20

• Monday-Thursday: 5–8 p.m.
• Friday–Sunday: 3-5 p.m.

Summer Hours: May 21–August 24

• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 6–9 p.m..
• Sunday: 2-5 p.m.
• Closed for commencement May 25th

Orientation and Policy

Speed up your orientation at the wall by filling out the following electronic “waiver” and “safety policy” forms before you arrive:

• Liability Waiver
• Safety Policy

Climbing Center Contacts

• Director of Outdoor Programs: sheedybr@whitman.edu
• Climbing Center Manager (General inquiries): baym@whitman.edu, buckleyo@whitman.edu
• Climbing Center Outreach Coordinator (Kids Clinics, Special Events, Private Events, Etc.): gonzaler@whitman.edu, fernanda2@whitman.edu

Adventure Within Reach 

Whether you’re a beginner or a serious climber, Whitman College’s climbing center can help you develop the skills you need to reach your goals. Offering more than 7,000 square feet of climbable surface, the state-of-the-art facility has many sections designed to mimic a range of natural features, allowing users to get a grip on various types of climbing, from crack climbing to face climbing to steep overhangs bouldering.

Use of the climbing center—and gear—is free for students during open recreational sessions. Whitman faculty and staff can also use the climbing center and gear; fees apply.

Climbing Center Classes and Activities

In addition to open sessions, the Outdoor Program (OP) and the climbing center support a range of programs, including:

• Low-cost skill-building clinics that cover the basics as well as special techniques.
• For-credit Sports Studies, Recreation and Athletics (SSRA) courses each semester, from beginning climbing to instructor training.
• Events and activities for various outdoor recreation clubs, including the Climbing Club, the BIPOC Outdoors Club and other affinity groups.
• Practice and competitions for club sports climbing teams.

Climb Outside

Ready to use your climbing skills in the Great Outdoors? The OP runs climbing trips on a regular basis. See Outdoor Climbing Areas to learn more about the areas you could explore with the OP or with your own group.

More Information

• Art of Falling
• How to use the Petzl GRIGRI belay device
• HOW TO belay with Neox
• Climbing Center brochure
• Climb for a Lifetime video
• World's Worst Belayer

Forms

Top rope and Lead climb/belay proficiency tests

Climbing Center Staff Group Photo, Fall 2024