I finally caved in January and joined basically all of my friends in the climbing club, after being a stubborn contrarian for the past few years. Turns out, climbing is actually really fun and worth jumping on the bandwagon for, + I’ve gotten unexpectedly strong!
Here’s how climbing club works here!
We go to Central Rock Gym in Hadley, about a 10-minute drive from campus. It’s a big indoor climbing gym with literally everything—bouldering, top rope, lead climbing, auto belay. The climbing club pays for day passes (or a membership, if you can commit to regularly going to practices), and gear rental is free once you’re in the gym. There’s no experience required—literally none. A lot of people in the club (including me) started as total beginners.
The club goes three times per week. There’s a sign-up sheet where you can grab a spot in a carpool, and we head out in small groups. The vibe is really chill—some people come to train seriously, others just want to move around on the wall and hang out. Both are welcome.
There’s also a really nice community aspect. You end up seeing familiar faces week to week (both club members and just community members who frequent the gym), and people are super supportive—especially the more experienced climbers with knowledge to share. If you want help with a route, someone’s always willing to give you tips. If you just want to do your own thing with headphones in, that’s fine too.
The club has also done some outdoor climbing trips. I’ve never been, but I do know that we live in close proximity to some good outdoor spots, like the Farley Ledges in Mass and Rumney, New Hampshire (the club is actually headed there to camp and climb over April break).
Why I joined? Other than giving in to long-term pressure, honestly, I just wanted something active and social that wasn’t super competitive. Climbing’s a good workout, but it’s also low pressure. You get to push yourself if you want, or just try something new. It’s also nice to get off campus for a while, especially during the winter when things can feel a little claustrophobic (even coming from a big fan of the campus gym).
If you’re thinking about joining when you get to Amherst—or even just trying it once—do it! There’s no tryout or signup commitment. Just show up, climb a little, and see how it feels.