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Has anyone ever asked Alexi if he is interested in moving and expanding this current gym?

Alexi should expand the current gym though I doubt he will. I don't think the climbing community is big enough in Columbus to support it. They also need to change routes more often. I don't think they have changed to lead routes in months.

Colorscholar: a bouldering gym would be pretty cool and I am definitely interested in your plans. I am not sure that there is a big enough climbing base here in Columbus though. Most of them are already at Vertical Adventures.

Competition is always good though so good luck.

in response to rhunt, what i have heard is that he is not really interested in expanding; i think vert does well enough to suit alexi and carrie's needs.

i am definitely down for a new gym that focuses on bouldering... routes are a bit pointless for training, in my opinion, unless you have a treadwall to focus on endurance (just because it is so difficult to build walls high enough to mirror outside routes).

the flip side? i love alexi, and don't want to screw him over (because a new, more modern gym would take away not only his regulars, but birthday parties and such as well, if walls were built). vert could not compete with a superior facility; the employees/setters definitely make that gym what it is (b/c facility-wise, it's not so great). the regulars are okay too, i guess....

if you do a co-op, i think a lot of people would be willing to double-up-- do vert, and the co-op, depending on price. if you want to try and compete though, you might want to show alexi how serious you are, and see if he is game to join ya.

Marshy, Re-read Colorscholar's post. Its not the local climbing community that supports a local climbing gym. Its the non-climbers that do. Columbus is primed for another successful climbing gym. Highly successful climbing gyms are not that way because of climbers.

TankAzz, look at Cincy. Climbtime and Va were the same thing back in the mid to late 90's then RockQuest came along and climbtime needed to do something to compete so they went with the "bouldering" theme. IMO, a full scale climbing gym is coming to Columbus someday and VA will have to adapt to stay alive. If some new bouldering gym comes along now, VA might not be able to survive when they need to. And TankAzz, have you ever trained in a gym with walls taller than 23 feet. Taller walls, something around 40 feet will make a HUGE different with your route fitness...HUGE...one lap and you've done an average route at the red.

I am totally on Alexi's side and I think he is doing just what he needs to do...nothing until there's a threat. co-ops are great but need serious rules to survive.

Planet Rock does just fine in ANN ARBOR michigan. Trust me, Columbus can support a bigger gym if done right.

rhunt wrote: And TankAzz, have you ever trained in a gym with walls taller than 23 feet. Taller walls, something around 40 feet will make a HUGE different with your route fitness...HUGE...one lap and you've done an average route at the red.

yup, in boston at metrorock.... will still argue that bouldering/training inside (and actually getting to climb routes outside) made the bigger difference. the one good thing was you could lead almost everything there, which helped with my mental game.

if it worked, i would be all for cincy-style; however, i don't really see vert becoming the bouldering gym, unless motivation improves. height restrictions wouldn't work so well for height expansion, either... bottom line, a new facility would certainly help

I always thought it was research and then development... bottom line, build it they will come and fall.. watch expenses and have fun

Rhunt I agree with you but Alexi needs to do more than the bare minimum. Just because there is no competition shouldnt mean that quality should suffer.

We need another climbing gym in columbus. Competition would make the quality of both gyms go up. Then maybe it would force Vertical Adventures to change top rope routes more than once every 3 months and lead routes more than once a year. It frustrates me that routes are changed so infrequently.

I like Alexi also, but lack of competition has made VA lazy.

Marshy, I feel your pain. I've been climbing at VA since 94 and it awesome until about 2001 when Mark Postel, Mike Reaser and a few other moved away. They were incredible route setters who did more than just set boulder problems...cough cough Kenny. Look at it with Alexi's perspective, why should he do anything different, he's make a good living, raising two awesome kids(looking at putting both thru college soon) and has a pretty relaxed work schedule. Remember its not the regulars that pay his bills, its the gumbies and bday partys who can care less about how often the routes are change that pay his bills. Hell Alexi's out mt biking with my roommate as I write this...bitches. Anyway, why should he change anything until he needs to. One thing I do encourage all the paying members to do, if you are not happy with the gym and you are a memeber then you should say somthing to the mangagment. I think you would do that if it was your regular fitness gym. Alexi is a great guy and will do what he can to make his members happy.

hey rhunt...start paying for a membership before bitching about what needs to change...geesh, talk about looking a gift horse.