ASCEND Erie

Huge thank you to Heather and Josh!! Before taking my 3 grandsons (12, 11 and 9) to Ascend I called and had the pleasure of speaking to Heather… I asked a million questions and she was so patient and informative. So once arriving we were welcomed in and one of those people happened to be Heather! Again, Heather was patient and so friendly. I will admit walking into Ascend I was a bit overwhelmed - it’s way larger than I imagined. Heather accessed what we needed and introduced us to Josh. Again, another awesome staff member! Josh gave us a full tour and explained everything to the boys … he even return multiple times to check on us and provide demonstrations when the boys wanted to try something new. Josh and Heather made our experience so pleasant and fun we can’t wait to visit again!!! I would recommend Ascend a thousand times over - fabulous staff and experience!!

A very open facility with friendly staff and members. The climbing community is awesome at making newcomers feel welcome, even when I am old enough to be their grandfather, and I am talking about adults here. I am also attending Yoga classes to improve flexibility. There are also physical fitness classes for members. I find the membership costs to be quite reasonable. The climbing walls are exceptional and are changed often. I was most concerned about safety. The ways climbers are kept safe is incredible. This picture was from Friday, April 25. At ASCEND Erie (Erie, PA). I am at the top of a rope wall, about 50 feet tall. This is the easiest climb of that height. I am rehabbing a strained right elbow tendon (it was not injured while climbing), so I am sticking to less challenging climbs (except for the height). Why the selfie? I needed a little more challenge! It is hard to believe that two years ago when I started climbing, at age 75, I was afraid of heights. I guess it would be more accurate to say I was afraid of that sudden stop at the bottom if I fell. The rope and harness are not visible in the picture, but they are there and I would not climb this wall without them. This climb has an automatic system to "belay" if I fall. In this case, I actually dropped intentionally shortly after taking this picture. Coming down is actually fun for me. Some otherclimbs on this wall require a partner to belay you. That is even safer with a trained partner, and even more fun. Your partner will catch you if you fall or let you rest if you tire. You can then continue the climb instead of having to go back to the beginning. The climber community here is wonderful. Most of the climbers are young enough to be my grand children. I am welcomed enthusiastically, so is every climber. I am told the climbing community around the world is like this. There are many places where people that are different in some way are tolerated at best. This is a place where they are enthusiastically welcomed. The staff is friendly and highly competent. The facility is kept in first class condition in all ways and kept clean. I would say to anyone who is just a little adventurous, come and get high with me.

We’ve enjoyed the friendly staff, challenging climbs, and adventure at Ascend. Take a chance and enjoy the facilities. This is truly fun for all ages.

@FredoniaSt_MBB hit @ascend_erie for a day of climbing, bouldering and yoga to close out our preseason and kick off the opening week of our 2024-25 season. Hi-fives all around to the Ascend Climbing staff for their help in planning and running this team-building event for our guys. A great way to experience embracing new challenges and learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Highly recommend for teams of all types.

We went to Ascend today for our first time ever Rock Climbing. Josh welcomed us with excitement to share his love and knowledge for the sport! He checked on us multiple times and gave the kids tips on how to achieve their goals!! And to top it off the facility is clean with many areas all spaced out! We can’t wait to go back!