If you visit or live in Utah, one great way to get a workout year round is to go rock climbing. Not only is there ample opportunity to climb in the great outdoors, but you can hone your skills at indoor rock-climbing clubs and facilities throughout the state. You can get lessons and the equipment you need at most rock-climbing facilities.
Salt Lake City and Park City
At the state's urban center you will find a variety of rock walls for all ages and abilities. The Front Climbing Club in Salt Lake City features a 10,000-square-foot wall, weights, 150 feet of bouldering and a top rope area. There are classes for all ages and abilities. Elsewhere in Salt Lake City you can try the climbing walls at REI and Rockreation. In Park City, Double-Diamond Climbing Wall at Black Diamond Gymnastics has lessons for kids and open wall time for those of all abilities. If you are new to the sport, bouldering is a type of climbing done over a low boulder-shaped area with no rope. Top roping is a type of climbing where your rope is attached to an anchor at the top of your climb before you begin.
Heber, Provo and Orem
South of Salt Lake City, you can continue to find ample indoor climbing opportunities. In Orem, Hansen Mountaineering and Out-N-Back both feature climbing walls for testing gear if you want to try out your equipment before heading to outdoor walls. The Quarry in Provo is a great facility with multiple options, including two floors of indoor climbing. For advanced climbers there are a series of cracks of varying widths and a bouldering area. Heber has another great facility called Fit Stop Rock Climbing Gym. Try out the 32-foot vertical walls, bouldering area, top ropes and boulder belays in addition to a full fitness center. Belaying is a method you use to secure yourself during your climb.
Ogden
North of Salt Lake City, in Ogden, you will find iROCK Utah and Weber Rocks Climbing Wall. At Weber Rocks, Weber State University's facility, experience a 20-by-30-foot imprint panel, a 20-by-30-foot freeform natural rock panel and a 40-by-13-foot bouldering wall.
Logan
In the northern part of the state, Logan caters to climbing enthusiasts with two facilities: Rock Haus Indoor Climbing and Ultimate Sports Arena. At Rock Haus, learn and challenge yourself no matter what your age and ability on more than 13,000 square feet of climbing, a top-rope wall and lead climbing areas, crack climbs, featured aretes, rappel ledge and a bouldering area with a free-standing boulder.
Aretes are outside corners of rocks that present climbers with a unique challenge. "Rappeling" is a technique you use when you descend a rock wall using ropes and a harness. "Lead" areas and routes are areas along the wall where you can secure yourself and your partners as opposed to using top ropes.
Cedar City and Washington
In the southwest corner of the state is Washington City Community Center in Washington and SUU Climbing Gym in Cedar City. As community facilities, both are very basic walls for fitness enthusiasts who enjoy climbing.
Sandy and West Valley City
On the southwestern outskirts of Salt Lake City are three more climbing centers for climbers of various ages and abilities. Momentum Indoor Climbing Gym in Sandy has 20,000 square feet of climbing wall, 40-foot lead and top routes, crack climbs, bouldering, weight-lifting and cardio. For smaller walls inside a fitness center, you can try Dimple Dell in Sandy and West Valley Family Fitness Center in West Valley.
Vernal
While you may not have many urban accommodations on the west side of the state, you will find a rock wall in Vernal at the Uintah Recreation Community Center. Try three different top rope climbs, two lead routes and bouldering.
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