Columbia University Rock Climbing Club
The Columbia University Rock Climbing Club is a group of undergraduate students, graduate students, alumni, faculty and staff at Columbia University who are interested in climbing and the promoting and teaching climbing at the university. The club welcomes and supports climbers of all levels, from first-time climbers to regional competition winners. The club currently runs both weekly trips to a local gym and several trips a year to local and regional outdoor climbing areas.
To join the club, see our mailing list information below.
Contents
Club History
The Columbia University Rock Climbing Club was formed in the spring semester of 2003 by friends, Stephen Wang, SEAS '06, and Mark Backman, SEAS '05. The club originally grew out of an email list maintained by the Hiking Club, and later, communities on social networking sites like CampusNetwork and Facebook. The club attracted campus-wide interest, collecting over a hundred signatures in its first outing during the Fall 2005 Activities fair. The climbing club forever holds a debt of gratitude to the Brazillian Ju Jitsu club and Chris Sweetgall for sharing their activities fair table with the then nascent and unrecognized rock climbing club. Armed with half a table, a poster board from Ivy League Stationers, and a black marker, history was made.
Following a series of meetings with Director of Intramural and Club Sports, Brian Jines and Associate Athletics Director, Ken Torrey, Mark and Stephen were given the green light to proceed with the club. During the Spring 2006 semester, the club gained recognition from the Club Sports Governing Board. The club was placed on a one semester evaluation during which no funding was provided and was subsequently awarded full status and funding in the Fall 2007 semester.
Following the graduations of Stephen and Mark, Christa Brelsford (SEAS '07), Emily Laskin (BC '07), and Ethan Coon (Ph.D SEAS '09) took over all aspects of the Rock Climbing Club, most importantly, maintaining the club's status as "totally sweet". Emily reigned supreme for the '06/'07 season -- the first with legit club funding.
Christa, Ethan, and a group of fresh, new faces took over the club for the '07/'08 season. After being smote down by club sports for being graduate students, Christa and Ethan stepped aside to advisory roles, leaving the keys with Stephanie Quan (CC '08) and an expanded executive board.
The club starts the new year afresh, with many of last year's executive board running the ship. Since its inception, the club has grown to over 100 members strong, and is in the process of expanding its offerings to more events for more climbers. The past few years we've grown from a weekly gym trip to multiple outdoor trips and an active competition team in regional bouldering comps. Thanks to Club Sports and the efforts of students everywhere, the club has grown to be a force in the rock climbing community of New York City.
Executive Board
The club is proud to announce its executive board for the 2008-2009 season:
- President: Steven Thomas
- Vice President: Nicolas Borensztein
- Treasurer:
- Secretary/Club Sports Rep: Damian Ansukevich
- Publicist:
Climbing Opportunities
Historically, the rock climbing club has met every Saturday at noon in front of 212 Lerner Hall. Saturday is generally when new members and interested students travel with club officers to the climbing gym. All skill levels are welcome to participate. The club offers belay instruction as well as assistance with climbing technique.
For those seeking freedom from the confines of a climbing gym, there are many outdoor options available to you. New York City has a tremendous amount of bouldering available (legal!) in Central Park, the majority being midtown and towards the north entrance. For the more adventurous, the Shawangunk Ridge ("The Gunks") is within a reasonable driving distance and features some of the best climbing in the United States.
Outdoors
The club runs about four trips a year to the Gunks, taking about 12 students per trip (as vans/drivers, guides, and gear permits). Most of these trips are available on an Animal Farm basis... all climbers are equal, but some climbers (such as those with gear, guiding ability, and club sport's ok to drive) are more equal than others. We do make a concerted effort to get anyone who climbs in the gym actively with the club regularly a spot on outdoor trips as well. Ability is almost never a requirement, but being active in the club often is.
Competitions
As the club has grown, local and regional bouldering competitions have been a big part of our activities. The club now has an impressive number of top finishes at American Bouldering Series (ABS) competitions, with more than a few Champion titles in both the Men's and Women's categories. Regular competitions include Midnight Burn (Philly Rock Gym), Cliffs at Valhalla competitions, and those at our home gym, Manhattan Plaza Health Club. Lately our women have been especially strong, medaling in all three amateur categories.
As competitive bouldering has multiple divisions, people of all abilities are welcome and encouraged to compete. The atmosphere of a climbing competition is incredibly supportive, and a ton of fun. See Nic for more.
Mailing List
To join the Columbia Climbing Club, simply subscribe to our mailing list. Events are advertised via this list.
From your Columbia account, mail:
with the following in the body of the email:
subscribe climbing
To unsubscribe, do the same with:
unsubscribe climbing address_to_unsubscribe@columbia.edu
General Climbing Info
Facilities
The Rock Climbing Club has informally made its home at the midtown Manhattan Plaza Health Club. This gym features two rooms, one devoted exclusively to bouldering. The club also has a special deal with the gym, whereby students with the club get special rates for the school year. These memberships are bought at the beginning of the school year in bulk, and may not be purchased at any other time. Information regarding these memberships will be distributed via the club mailing list.
Members seeking new scenery have many other rock climbing choices available to them within New York City, as well as within the tri-state area.
Local Rock Climbing Gym Guide [as prepared by Ethan Coon, Christa Brelsford, and a little bit by Stephen Wang]
>>City Climber's Club -- ($250 / year, $15 / day pass)
http://www.cityclimbersclub.com/
59th between 10th and 11th in Manhattan
Small gym, but good, friendly people, and a great place to meet climbing partners. Run by climbers, for climbers. A non-profit, so you won't find any cheaper. Great for beginners.
Columbia used to have a bulk deal with CCC, but it was switched to MPHC for the 2007/2008 school year.
>>Manhattan Plaza Health Club -- ($150 / 3 months for students, $20/day, $250 / schoolyear (9 mo))
43rd between 9th and 10th, Manhattan
Slightly larger gym, tons of good bouldering. Not so sure of the quality of their roped stuff, but the bouldering is great. Better for more advanced climbers. ** special deals with the Club!
>>Extra Vertical -- (now defunct)
http://www.extravertical.com/centers_nyc.html
Harmony Atrium 61 West 62nd Street, Manhattan
Large gym with an outdoor faux rock face for egotistical climbers to ascend and impress New Yorkers on the street. Numerous roped routes with a number of traverses; confusing, not well maintained routes. Extra Vertical has closed for business while Lincoln Center is renovating the atrium. There are no plans for a rock climbing facility.
>>Chelsea Piers ($50 per day, $1600 per year, but includes access to an impressive complex of other sporting stuff)
http://www.chelseapiers.com/sc/climbing.htm
23rd and the Hudson River, Manhattan
Huge frickin overhanging wall, some decent bouldering, this is a good place to get really strong. Quoting their website, it's home to "the world's most challenging indoor climbing wall." I guess it could be ridiculously hard in that "over-hanging til you can't hold on any more" kinda way. That said, the people there seem to me to be more the "getting strong" types than the "climbing" types. Not the type of place to go without a climbing partner... That said, this is where the movie stars train for their next flick, so you too can be mad cool (for just a small fee...)
>>The Rock Club ( $200 / 4 months for students, $15 / day)
New Rochelle ( via Car or Metro North, see website for more)
Big place, tons of routes and bouldering. A bit off the beaten path, though very worth it for a weekend full day of bigger-gym climbing. the Metro North ticket runs at $3.75 one way if you buy it in the station.
>>The Gravity Vault ($189/3 months for students, $14 / day)
North of Paramus on Rt 17
Another big place with tons of great bouldering and routes. One of those places to go when you get rained out of the Gunks...
>>NJ Rock Gym (???)
Never been here, but I hear it's cool.
>>The Cliffs at Valhalla (240/3 mo, 85/1 mo, 16/day) - you might be able to get a student discount if you ask nicely.
http://www.thecliffsclimbing.com
North of White Plains. A short cab ride from the Hawthorne Metro North Station, but they'll refund your cab fare if you come in a group of 3 or more. $7 otherwise.
A comparable amount of bouldering to the Rock Club, but less top-roping, and no leading. The boulder problems were a ton of fun.
Gear for Purchase
There isn't a ton of gear shops accessible to those without cars, but there are a few options.
>> EMS is on Broadway near Prince (just north of the N/R/W station).
>> MPHC often has lightly-used shoes for sale cheap by previous owners. This can be a great way to get started.
>> Tents and Trails on 21 Park Pl has a small selection of climbing gear.
