General FAQ

Vertical eXcape was established in 1998 in Evansville, IN. We opened our second location in Bowling Green, KY in February of 2017.

We offer 4 types of climbing in our facility: Bouldering, Top-Roping, Auto-Belay, and Sport Climbing.

Bouldering is climbing without ropes and harnesses, staying lower to the ground, and using a padded landing surface and spotting partners. Bouldering is a great way to build strength and technique, but lacks in the endurance benefits offered by other styles of climbing. Anyone wishing to boulder must watch our Facility Orientation and Bouldering Fall Safety video and be at least 12 years old. This training is usually combined with the top-rope belay and auto-belay training allowing for full access to the facility.

Top Rope Climbing utilizes a 2-person setup; a climber that is attached to one end of a rope, the rope then runs up to an anchor system at the top of the climb and back down to the belayer (safety person managing the  the rope for the climber). The belayer’s responsibility is to pull the slack through a belay device as the climber goes up the wall, “brake” the rope during a fall, and control the descent of the climber back to the ground. Participants 12 years old and over can be taught to belay during the Belay Course. Participants 5-11 years old can top rope climb, but are not allowed to belay, and are required to have an adult supervision at all times. our Evansville facility is equipped with 30 top rope stations, enough to satisfy the beginner through advanced climber. Anyone wishing to top rope must watch our Facility Orientation and Full Access Course video, which also covers Bouldering and Auto-Belay systems. This will give you full access to each climbing area in the gym.

Auto-Belay stations are a form of top-rope climbing in the sense that the anchor and TruBlue device are always above you while climbing (very little slack in the rope). The difference with auto-belay devices is that your catch and descent are automatically controlled by the auto-belay device rather than another person. There is also no “pause” on the way up; once your weight is applied to the system the device will begin to lower you automatically. Our auto-belay systems can handle any climber between 25 and 325 lbs, and require just a brief orientation to get started. The TruBlue auto-belay system is recognized across the industry as a very low-risk and reliable device when used properly. Anyone wishing to auto-belay (as well as any adults supervising young climbers) must watch our Facility Orientation and Auto-belay video, then complete a practice session with an instructor. Total training time for auto-belay climbing lasts approximately 15 minutes. The minimum age to Auto-Belay climb is 5 years old.

Sport climbing is a more advanced type of climbing. With sport climbing, the climber, the belayer, and the rope all start on the ground. As the climber goes up the wall, they clip the rope into pre-set anchors. Each time the climber advances up the wall, they must climb above their last anchor point to reach the next one. If the climber falls as they climb above the anchor, there is risk for a potentially long fall before the rope catches. However, if the belayer and climber use proper skills and techniques, falls can be controlled and risk of injury can be greatly minimized. Prior to sport climbing participants must be at least 16 years old, meet or exceed our required climbing knowledge and skill sets, and pass a lead climb/belay test.

Sport climbing has quickly become a common outdoor activity. Vertical eXcape is committed to providing a structured environment in which climbers can learn the basics of sport climbing and begin a transition from the climbing gym to the outdoor climbing crag safely, responsibly, and ethically.

We offer memberships, day packages, climbing leagues, group programs, field trips, corporate team building, private facility rentals and many other programs. Our most popular offerings are our memberships and day packages.

Memberships: We offer monthly EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer), Monthly Prepaid, and Annual Prepaid memberships for individuals and families. Check out our membership page for detail information.

Day Packages: We offer a full access and an auto-belay only package.
Our full access package is exactly as the name says. It gives you full access to all the different climbing areas for the day. The full access package includes facility orientation, training for our bouldering, top-rope, and auto-belay climbing areas, gear rental, and unlimited climbing for the day. You can come and go until we close that day. Total orientation & training time is typically around 40-50 minutes.

Full Access Orientations are offered:
Monday – Friday at 2pm, 4pm, & 6pm
Saturdays at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, & 6pm

Our auto-belay only session includes facility orientation, training for auto-belay area only, which includes 8 different climbing stations with multiple routes per station, gear rental, and a 1-1/2 hour climbing session. This is a great option for new climbers, parents with multiple children, and participants short on time. Total orientation & training time is typically around 15 minutes.

Auto-Belay Orientations are offered:
Monday – Friday 1:00-2:30, 3:00-4:30, 5:00-6:30, & 7:00-8:30
Saturday 11:00-12:30, 1:00-2:30, 3:00-4:30, 5:00-6:30, & 7:00-8:30

Reservations are now REQUIRED to ensure your spot since orientation classes are limited. The best approach is to make reservations and arrive 15 minutes before the class you wish to attend, so we can get you checked in and geared up in time for training.

Give us a call at 812-479-6887 to make a reservation.

Our Auto-Belay Sessions and Group/Party Programs are hourly programs. Our Full Access Package is an all day pass that is valid from the time you come in until we close that evening. You can come and go as you wish with the Full Access Package.

Reservations are now REQUIRED to ensure your spot since orientation classes are limited. The best approach is to make reservations and arrive 15 minutes before the class you wish to attend, so we can get you checked in and geared up in time for training.

A reservation and deposit are required at least one week in advance for group discounts.

Give us a call at 812-479-6887 to make a reservation.

Our minimum participation age to climb is 5 years old, to boulder and/or belay is 12 years old, and to sport climb is 16 years old. There is no maximum age limit and we have had climbers in their mid-70s climb in our facilities. Climbing is GREAT activity for all ages.

Good climbing clothes can be any that doesn’t restrict movement and allows for flexibility. For some people, that can be jeans and a t-shirt. Others may prefer sport-shorts, yoga pants, or sweatpants. Sorry but no kilts, skirts, dresses, or swimwear allowed.

Climbers are allowed to climb in tennis shoes or boots, but what works best are climbing shoes that are designed specifically for the sport. We have these available at the front desk as part of your gear rental package.

Belay is a term that describes the ropes and safety systems used to keep the climber safe and to bring them back to the ground once they’re done climbing. The “belayer” is the person on the ground controlling the safety system by removing the slack in the rope created as the climber goes up the wall. In the case of an Auto-Belay station, no human belayer is needed. The Auto-Belay device is hung at the top of the wall, which automatically takes away the climber’s slack and lowers them down when they release from the wall.

Because the climber’s safety depends so much on the belayer, we require belayers to be at least 12 years old in order to get certified.

Reservations are now REQUIRED to ensure your spot since orientation classes are limited. The best approach is to make reservations and arrive 15 minutes before the class you wish to attend, so we can get you checked in and geared up in time for training.

A reservation and deposit are required at least one week in advance for group discounts.

Give us a call at 812-479-6887 to make a reservation.

If you are “current” on your belay skills, meaning you have trained/belayed with us in the last 12 months, there is never a charge to belay or use a belay harness. If your training has “expired”, meaning you have not belayed in our facility in over 12 months or have never belayed with us before, there is a $10 charge to get certified. This training for a parent/adult is included with the price of a Full Access Package if the climber is 11 years or younger.

If you feel 100% confident in your safety/belay skills and communication, we offer an option to “test out” of the Belay Course. The first stage is a written test showing that you understand and remember the belay skills, safety checks, and commands. The second stage is a hands-on demonstration where you show a member of the staff that you can complete each part of the climbing/belaying process properly.

Every new visitor to VX will be required to watch our Facility Orientation and Bouldering Fall Safety video. In order to test out of other types of climbing, see above.

Absolutely! You can purchase gift cards for any denomination.