Bellevue’s own climbing gym, Stone Gardens, is a fun and exciting place to get active. They have a wide range of terrain, which includes over 21,000 square feet of indoor climbing, primarily bouldering, and a long stretch of 40’ walls, a portion of which has a 45 foot roof climb. They also have a kid’s area, a full gym and locker rooms with showers and towel service.
The primary activity at Stone Gardens is bouldering. Bouldering consists of climbing a relatively low wall with no ropes above a well-padded ground. Bouldering might not be for everybody, but it is an accessible sport with a low barrier of entry. The routes are color coordinated and marked with signs, and climbers can start out with the v0 rated routes and work their way up all the way to v17. Most of the climbers are friendly and happy to help others figure out how to complete a route. The sport is best described as “doing puzzles with your body” and exercises core strength, grip strength, and proper strategy.
Stone Gardens also offers typical climbing; where you wear a harness and are attached to ropes, and offers a variety of classes, which are free for members. These classes include yoga several times per week, various levels of climbing lessons, and climbing for children. They also offer Bouldering competitions, which can be very exciting to watch.
Although Stone Gardens is not a new addition to Bellevue, it is a great place to get in shape and learn to climb, and a membership allows you to visit their sister location in Seattle. Located in Crossroads Mall near the cinema, this place is worth a look.