Throughout the years, Squamish locals have always wrestled with what to do in the months of rain that persist over the winter. From the home wall to the unethical historical sculpting of outdoor spaces (see the back of the Cacodemon boulder for more details), the Squamish local will always find a way to keep going during the monsoon.
In recent years, Squamish has been home to the Grand Wall Bouldering Cooperative. This project was originally spearheaded by Tyson Braun and Jeremy Smith. Their vision was to open an indoor climbing space that is shared among its members. The Coop continues to flourish in Downtown Squamish and accommodates approximately 150 members per year. As I am sure anyone will tell you, this gym does not run itself! Through the hands of a few leaders in the community and dedicated volunteers, this indoor space keeps everyone cranking in the winter.
As the city of Squamish continues to grow, so does the vision from the year-round climbing community. Spearheaded by Lauren Watson and Adrian Blachut, a new commercial climbing gym is already in the works. Ground Up Climbing Centre is slated to open in September of 2015 and the community is already abuzz.
Opening a new gym is not an easy task. In fact, it takes a lot of tenacity from those who have a bigger vision and Squamish Climbing Magazine had a chance to catch up with Lauren Watson to get the scoop on what is in the works.
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