Portland’s Climbing Gyms: A Breakdown
Portland Rock Gym
Image: Jen Wick Studio
PURPOSE The second-oldest rock gym in the country is the jack-of-all-trades in Portland, with up to 120 routes and 200 bouldering problems for beginners and experts.
NEW Portland Rock Gym nearly doubled the size of its East Burnside digs in 2015 with a 12,000-square-foot expansion that includes vegan-friendly Prasad East, a soundproof yoga studio, and a new bouldering area.
THE WALL 40 feet
PRICE $17 day pass/$75 monthly
Planet Granite
Image: Jen Wick Studio
PURPOSE The city’s newest indoor crag, part of a Bay Area–based mini-chain, is for the athlete who has everything. The five-story mammoth in Northwest Portland is a serious peak-bagger’s fantasy, with hydraulically adjustable cracks and dramatically sloped walls. Olympic-quality weight lifting rooms, a yoga studio, and a sauna with showers make PG the most luxe climbing experience in the state.
THE WALL 55 feet
PRICE $20 day pass/$77 monthly
The Circuit
Image: Jen Wick Studio
PURPOSE The Circuit is built for bouldering. That means no ropes, no gear, and no experience necessary. The multiple locations are ideal for large groups who don’t want to wait their turn for long routes, no-frills climbers without a partner to belay them, and kids.
NEW In 2014, the Circuit opened its third and largest location in Tigard: more than 19,000 square feet of top-out boulders, fitness areas, and a sprawling kids’ area.
THE WALL 8 to 17 feet
PRICE $14 day pass/$67 monthly
