Reviews of ASCEND Pittsburgh (Gym)

WBforLife wbforlife

A new huge facility for bouldering, they also have top roping, weight training area, kitchen, daycare, showers, locker room, yoga, & acro. Plus everyone is super friendly. You will have a a lot of fun at Ascend if you a beginner while still challenging if you are experienced! They cater well to all. Trust me go check it out!

Liam Powers

I love coming here. A membership is totally worth it, and the staff is some of the most friendly around. Truly fantastic

Aaron Evan

Great services the staff are there to help and are super friendly. The wall is set up so their is something for everyone.

Skyler Ray

Great facility and very helpful staff! Excited to go back!

Peter Mitrano

All ratings are 5 stars for a reason. It's clean, friendly, and fosters a great community

Ross Ayer

Ascend is a great gym whether you are just starting to climb or can boulder at the competition level. There is not a ton of roped climbing, but with some advice, you could train for lomg multipitch trips. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Parking is tight often, but that is understandable for such a great gym in the city.

Aria Wang

Everything is great here! Great view, great staff, great climbing wall.

Kywuh

Great gym, great amenities, great diversity of routes, but not so great staff. When I have a question or when I want to rent gear, there is almost never staff on hand and ready to assist customers. I have to yell or grab someone walking to get their attention and I'm rarely greeted with a smile, much less standard politeness. I also feel like they don't understand that many people are new to climbing. I've seen multiple staff rudely yell or cockily make remarks at some climbers. Sure, you have to do your job and make sure everyone is safe, but can't you do it politely? Using simple and basic manners goes a long way. They definitely have to work on quality of staff, but quality of gym is excellent and I recommend going there for that reason only.

Part Timer Climbers

Went on Saturday of opening weekend, even being very crowded was still able to climb with little to no wait.

Vencislav Popov

I used to love coming here (even moved to the south side just to be closer!). But the route setting has been getting progressively worse, and now climbing here is a chore and I rarely make it to the gym more than once a week.

B Kripto

Indoor rock climbing (gym) with over 10,000 sq. feet of Walltopia™ built climbing walls surrounded by Flashed flooring, all housed within a 27,000 sq. foot, second floor space in Pittsburgh’s Southside. Beyond bouldering, ASCEND offers roped climbing on a 24-foot-tall wall featuring 20 climbing stations with a mix of auto-belays and top-ropes. Cross-training is also a big part of ASCEND, so be sure to explore climbing-specific training and fitness equipment or drop in on one of our yoga or fitness classes.

Nick Brown

Great facility

D Smith

Very helpful

Kevin Fernando

Let me tell you, this place rocks. Seriously best climbing in town. The staff is super nice and knowledgeable. Climb here or don't climb at all.

William Bates

Really nice wall.

Raj Maheshwari

Amazing place! Friendly staff - excellent gym!

Curtis Irion

High quality staff and equipment

Patrycja Jaworska-Garrrett

We go there for kids climbing. Very laid back atmosphere. Recommend.

Jessica Bourland

This place is great! There are tons of bouldering routes of various difficulties from v0-v10 on 3 structures including some overhangs and a top-out boulder which is my favorite they also have a small rope section with auto-belays as well. They have a moon board, hang boards, weights and few cardio machines as well as offering yoga classes several times a day too. The staff is really friendly and enthusiastic about climbing, they can often be found climbing there on their days off too. They offer shoe, chalk, and harness rentals for anyone who doesn't have their own gear and give a thorough explanation of rules and tour to 1st time visitors. I have taken several friends of varying athletic ability for their first experience climbing here and they have all loved it and returned with me. The climbing community in general is possibly one of the most friendly and inclusive sports I have ever been involved in, and the folks who frequent Ascend are no exception. I often go by myself and end up making friends and chatting with almost anyone there regardless of skill level/ability and get caught up talking about climbs, offering/receiving beta, or just shooting the breeze.

Miranda Smith

Ascend has changed my lives. Come hither children and partake in the rebirth of the inner featherstone.

Casey West

Excellent bouldering community. Great vibe.

David Russell

This gym has high quality setting and super friendly staff. Would definitely recommend.

Brodie Holifield

Most excellent

Jake Weise

Excellent facility and super fun bouldering walls.

Justine Sumrok

Great routes and super helpful friendly staff

Itha Cao

Staff need implicit bias training! Very disappointed. Staff person seemed new, was unprofessional and unhelpful, also began talking very very slowly like I didn't speak English after I expressed confusion when she didn't go over anything then rapid fired random questions about the Ascend auto belay system. This was my first time using the Ascend belay-it's set up differently from the Climbing Wall (where the staff has never racialized me and have never acted holier-than-thou) As an Asian American woman this happens a lot because people assume I don't speak English. Well it's my first language, and if not for the Climbers of Color day I wouldn't come back to Ascend, although the fact that that even has to exist is problematic.

Judith Scanlon

A Yuge! asset to the city - massive climbing space with frequent route changes, the locker room, showers, hangout areas and retail spaces are thoughtfully stocked and spotless, I'm blown away generally by the high quality of everything, benefit greatly from yoga classes whenever I'm at Ascend, hope to someday be buff enough to work out of the functional fitness center workout space with daily group instruction, appreciate the genuinely friendly and helpful reception staff, have tried a little harder at times just because an inspiring song was playing, & stayed cool through the height of summer thanks to consistent air conditioning throughout - definitely do not agree with the reviewer who said it was "hot." Ive been coming during the day twice a week for a while now and it is also amazing to me to see grandparents bringing a little girl in to try climbing for the first time, moms and dads and children taking turns climbing and playing with other littles in the child care space, what's inspiring is seeing climbers of all shapes and sizes getting on routes to enjoy. You can't put a price on natural light, a great vibe and thoughtful, consistent service.

Joseph Belford

Love it here. great work out

Catlyn Brooke

Amazing place! Very spacious and inviting environment. The view of the city and the Cathedral of learning is awesome and the natural light makes the whole gym feel fresh. Definitely check out fitness and yoga classes. All of the instructors that I have had are very knowledgeable and helpful. Ask the staff any questions you have, they are more than willing to teach you what you would like to know about climbing, fitness, or yoga. Even on crowded days there is still plenty of room to climb without feeling cramped. Two thumbs up!

Colin White

I've been to many climbing gyms, and ASCEND Pittsburgh is among the best in the country. Amazing staff, top notch facilities and route setting.

Ty Van de Zande

It has it's ups and downs. the best down is falling off the face! Great place to hangout and work your friendship & climbing muscles

Eli Moses

Second time here, routes have changed which was nice. As a new climber I enjoy the friendly and very helpful staff. Felt more like I was at an expensive restaurant the way they treat us. For example, the first time we came, we were told that shoe size is important, and today I decided to go a half size smaller. I started at 11s, and when I came back to change sizes, the moment I got them on the man helping me smiled and asked "Is that better?" Yes it is! Great service, great atmosphere, and polite customers. It's relatively cheap for how well kept and staffed it is. That'll keep me coming atleast once a week. Now... I am on the shorter side, so some routes are out of my reach. That doesn't stop me from ascending the ones that my arms can handle. Then there's routes that look so cramped that I don't see how anyone could do them, just to watch someone come up to it and climb like it's second nature. The major problem I have is going in to Pittsburgh, especially coming all the way from South Franklin township. It's worth the drive and the price, just wish there were more locations. Overall great place to go for climbing, with events and other fun activities throughout the year. Will be going as often as I can. If the V0-V3 routes change often enough maybe some day I'll be climbing the V10+ I'll ascend past my limits, get in shape, grow confidence, and make new friends over the coming years. All for 23 measly dollars for a whole day 10-8.

Jacob Blevins

This place is like eating fried food after a night out drinking, it’s great.

Emanuel Jöbstl

Best facilities, greatest community, most challenging problems. 10/10 would Boulder here again.

Albany Carlson

Great gym with a great view of the city. Routes are changed reasonably often, and there are always plenty of climbs at every level! For access to unlimited climbing, as well as yoga and fitness classes, the membership is a really good price!

Stephen Cyron

Nicest climbing gym I've ever seen.

Justin F

Great place to cut your teeth climbing or for more experienced people to hone their skills. They offer classes and a gym to work out aside from the numerous climbing areas. Pricing is fantastic with plans and packages or just a day pass for an evening on the walls. Whether you want to just enjoy an active date or want to become a regular there's a price point for you. The staff were very helpful but the best part were the other climbers. They freely offered tips or advice on a certain route and made us feel very welcome as complete novices.

Dawn Ippolito

Nice mix of slab and overhung problems to work on, friendly staff, good climbing workout equipment, and... a foot wash station!

Natasha Hague

Great climbing gym with lots of bonuses! There is an extensive bouldering area and a smaller top roping area with some auto belays available. The route setting is excellent and tailors to many climbing styles and abilities. I initially intended on just climbing here, but now I’m hooked on the fitness classes too. Love the yoga and boot camp classes that are part of my membership. Finally, I love that the gym occasionally has special skills workshops too!

Benjamin Blackwell

Brand new and updated but the routes are graded a little higher than normal.

Rian Corcoran

Great place. Clean, friendly, great routes.

Zachary Snyder

Very clean, spacious facility with friendly staff. My family had a blast climbing for hours! We will definitely be back once our forearms recover

Kimberley Cuachon Haugh

Great place for our entire family to get a work out at the same time and yes, break a sweat!

Aaron Clineman

Great friendly atmosphere. Tons of fun!

Alden Roth

Easily one of the best places in Pittsburgh. The climbing is unreal, the work out facilities are great, and the staff is incredible! Not to mention there is yoga and so many other fun activities and events here. This place is awesome and affordable and if you haven't visited yet, you're missing out.

Dominic Venditti

Good climbing for all experience levels. Prompt customer service response to misunderstanding of membership benefits but felt situation could have been handled differently. Respectful and reasonable team members.

Eugenel Espiritu

Def the best you can do in Pitt. Great place, nice views, cool staff. The major things they are missing is lead climbing and a crack system.

Jarren ROss

Ascend is the coolest place I have ever been too! The staff is super friendly, helpful and willing to answer any questions you have reguardless of your ability level. The atmosphere is friendly and non-judgemental like many/every gym I’ve ever been to. I Would recommend ascend to anyone who is looking to have a fun and exciting time!

Constantin Koehler

I adore this place! I did an introduction to bouldering class and was hooked. The staff is so helpful, the place is immaculate and most importantly I feel safe climbing here. They have by far the nicest landing mats I’ve ever felt. No more falling on middle school grade gymnastics pads.

jake zimmer

Best climbing gym in Pittsburgh. Awesome routes that are updated monthly.

Tyler Keay

Modern, great staff, clean facilities, couldn't ask more from a space!

Tim

Great place and great times! New routes pretty much every week.

Caroline Keane

One of the best yoga studios in pittsburgh. Kind teachers in a welcoming environment. Practitioners and teachers are not pretentious and challenge you while being compassionate. Have never climbed, but appreciate the wide variety of classes offered by different teachers.

B K

I love this place! Great community and awesome staff!

Emily Zambito

Ascend is my second home! Love this climbing community. The yoga and fitness classes are awesome. Highly recommend for a fun date or as your every day gym.

Aaron Steffick

This gym has quality routes set by knowledgeable setters. It's got an arch wall, a slab wall, a cave and a whole top out wall. It's one of the friendliest places in town. An excellent climbing gym and a great place for yoga and a good workout.

Monica Ramirez

Awesome space! Yoga studio is a GEM! Very good vibes and atmosphere. Gemma.. you’re amazing, and so was your class! The climbing part is exhilarating!! They make it possible for you to push through the fear of stopping. I find that very healing. Thanks y’all!! Nice succulents :)

Wesley Neill

I've never had so much fun bouldering, indoors or out. First of all, I don't normally boulder all that much. I am more of a sport climbing kinda guy. But this place has me second guessing my choice of activities. WOW is all I can say. SO many routes. SO many styles. The little snack bar/lounge area is a icing the cake, with all sorts of hipster vegan, organic and gluten free snacks (not that I care about this aspect, but they are certainly in vogue, so I thought I'd mention it). If they sold beer, I'd live in the bouldering cave and never come out.

John W

This place is so fun. I'm not a climber but this place is great to hang out and try some crazy bouldering surrounded by new friends. The staff are super friendly and you can get a great workout having fun.

Randyka Pudjoprawoto

The routes are awesome. The facility is awesome. The staffs are awesome. The owners are awesome. It's hands down the best gym I have ever been to, and I wish that I still live in Pittsburgh. Keep it up guys.

Lisa Coe

Freaking love this place! Went one time and got a membership from there on. With all they have to offer - climbing, yoga (of various kinds), fitness, cardio, lifting - it's the best gym membership you can get. AND the staff are amazing.

David Donlick

Great atmosphere, fantastic staff and incredible climbing routes for beginners and experts.

Lisa Storey

Fun people, great vibe, awesome place! The yoga studio here is top notch, one of the best studios in Pittsburgh. They have a good schedule, experienced and knowledgeable teachers, and different types of classes, there's something for everyone.

Matthew Miller

Eh, it's okay

Brian Guarino

This is the funnest place I have ever been and the owners and staff are the best.

Daniel Voshart

Mostly bouldering. Good vibes, good AC.

Erika

Love this place, very friendly and great for both new climbers and experienced ones!

Bridget Buckman

When I joined Ascend as a member, I could not imagine the community I would have joined. I love spending almost every day here because of the welcoming atmosphere and difficult problems that are set. Ascend is by far the best climbing gym I have ever been to!

Xavier Reese

amazing place to climb. Great atmosphere for beginners. Many options to choose from and unbeatable value.

tory elaine

My daughter and I went to Ascend to climb and...it’s awesome. The facility is top-notch and kept in great condition. The team is super friendly and knowledgeable in what they do. Jill helped us and was not only friendly, but also very helpful when it came to how to auto-belay. Every team member that we interacted with was smiling and just really kind. The bathrooms are CLEAN, and nicely done. Overall, we will be back again, and this time we bring some food for a meal because they have kitchen facilities that you can use (fridge and micro, sink), so that we don’t have to leave to grab a meal. Super excited about this place. Thanks for opening it!

Jakub Wiech

Best place in Pittsburgh. Everybody is really helpful. It’s a very modern place so you just feel like in 21st century when it comes to climbing experience :)

Paulo

Excellent climbing gym! Probably one of the best bouldering locations I have been to. Diverse set of routes and walls. Climbers are approachable and staff is attentions to customer needs.

Chaz Ott

A first-class, brand new climbing gym that provides great service at low prices. I have been a climber for 15 years and climbed at gyms throughout the country. This spacious bouldering gym has all the terrain, equipment, and services I look for in a gym. Best of all it is run by local climbers who care about the product and your experience. They take great care of the space, the holds, the atmosphere, and the community. Route setters are skilled and productive, making it very difficult to climb everything in the gym before it gets cleaned and replaced. The new holds have excellent texture and the pads are very soft. Highly recommended to new and experienced climbers of all ages. The community support for this facility is also impressive. It is easy to meet new friends here and plan outdoor trips with locals.

Tracy Najarian

Clean, friendly staff, super neat atmosphere.

Mathis Petrovich

Very nice climbing gym. I met a lot of friends, and the staff are very welcoming. I recommand a lot!

Evgeny Toropov

Really good bouldering with lots of enjoyable routes. Also, as compared to some other climbing gyms, there are relativrly many routes of 1-3 difficulty, so it's a good place for a novice. Parking is good, I've always been able to find spots on their parking lot or nearby

Josh Lucas

I couldn't say enough good things about this place and community. The staff is amazing. The climbing routes are amazing. The membership is amazing. The owners are amazing. If you've never climbed for fitness or recreation, ASCEND Pittsburgh is the perfect place to start.

Elizabeth Narkevic

An awesome place to get a good workout while having fun—the routes change every 6 weeks on separate walls, and there are different levels so beginners and experienced climbers can have fun. My only complaint is that I wish they were open later on weekends.

Kurt Grottenthaler

Great friendly staff. Awesome thoughtful route setting. Clean and comfortable environment.

David Rocker

Great climbing gym, go from work to here everyday!

Alex B

Amazing modern climbing gym. Best in pgh, one of the best in the country.

Teguh Hofstee

After having been to a few other gyms around the US, I appreciate ASCEND more than ever. The setting here is incredibly good. The problems are interesting and tons of fun regardless of what difficulty they are. At the gym I'm at now, we don't have any problems with deadpoints or dynos or even tricky balance until you hit at least V6 and that's something I really miss from ASCEND. The weekly problem is always a lot of fun, and the staff are great too. If you haven't been to another rock climbing gym you don't know how lucky you are to have ASCEND.

Phil Aufdencamp

Just started climbing a few weeks ago, and I am in love with this place. Great location, very good balance of difficulty in the routes, and the yoga class is spectacular.

Etai Dvora

Best place to climb in Pittsburgh. Tons of bouldering routes and a nice selection of top rope and autobelay routes. You can tell that the routesetters know what they're doing. Amazing pricing as well. Great for people who have never climbed before and for experienced climbers alike!

Christian Edelmann

I love this place, Todd is rad

Alex de Poix

Super fun, well maintained, and easy to get into as a beginner!

Todd McCormick

Amazing bouldering gym! (With a good number of top ropes, too!)

Bobby Kang

Amazing climbing gym! Clean walls, frequently refreshed routes, friendly and helpful staff. And the fitness and yoga classes that are included in the day pass are killer too!

Hyo Kyung Woo

Loved it!!!!! I went to this gym as a part of yelp experience and it was much more fun than I expected. The staff is super kind and experienced, so people like me with no experience could enjoy climbing without any problems. Would love to come back again.

Ryan Kuhn

Great gym with awesome amenities and events! Definitely worth the price!

James Kiley

Since I started coming regularly to Ascend last November it has become one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh. I wasn't sure that I could handle rock climbing of any kind - I am not skinny or young. My first day there was hard! My arms hurt for at least a couple of days after. But I kept going back. Here's why: * Welcoming staff. Like I said, I'm not skinny or young but I've always felt like I was welcome; the staff is pleasant and greets just about everyone who enters cheerfully. * Genuinely helpful staff. I have never had a problem that they didn't handle immediately and pleasantly. Related to this, the fitness class that are offered are very much fired to the abilities of each individual. * Friendly community. There's no obvious "bro" community ("brommunity"?) at Ascend. I've never gotten an unpleasant attitude or comment. Instead, people are respectful and helpful. * Fun events. I'm never going to win a climbing comparison but I attend the competitions and parties when I can because they're a good time. Anyway. It's a good time. You should check it out.

Brandon Grupe

The best climbing gym I have ever experienced.

Aaron Jamison

They have some sweet walls with lots of varying routes. The hours are silly though, why close earliest on a Saturday? It's also overpriced unless you come in the morning and stay all day. It should at least be pro rated if you want to come just for the evening.

Bradley Hetrich

One of my favorite places to go in Pittsburgh. Patrick's class is a great way to start the week!

Andrea Hanna

Huge climbing center with autobelay for those who might not have a partner who's trained to belay. Lots of room to do your own routes and also a weights and aerobic area to work out. This is mainly a climbing center focused on bouldering so bear that in mind. There is a lovely kitchen area with fridge, sink, crockery, microwave and toaster oven. The locker rooms also have showers and there are yoga rooms etc upstairs.

Alexander Mesko

My favorite place in the world. Not even an exaggeration.

Timothy Cook

Hands down my favorite place in Pittsburgh.

Ryan ONeil

MY NEW HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

Lucy Cheung

This is the best climbing gym!! Everyone is so friendly and it’s an amazing place to check out. (By the way, Maria is the best staff member and the “coolest, short, route setter”)

vanessa kight

Our first experience was for my son's 6th birthday. The crew/ladies we had working with us were great. They were friendly and patient with each child AND parent. The even enjoyed a cup cake with us after the climbing was done. I'd love to start coming here for myself! We had a Great time.

David McAfee

Really appreciated the number of auto-belay routes. One thing I didn't like was that the routes were rated as ranges (i.e. "V1-V3").

Vladimir Katson

So far it is best indoor place to climb in Pittsburgh. The bouldering area is huge and staff change routes quite often so you'll never get bored. Atmosphere is great too people are friendly and respectfull. On the downside the top-roping area which is kinda short 24ft only and it may get pretty hot inside on a sunny day.

Timothy Ong

Love this place. Exciting routes and climbs that are refreshed every few weeks. The space is open and lively and a great place to hang out with friends while completing a climb. A lot of sitting spaces to lounge while observing other great climbers. The staff are friendly and fantastic and have coped with my forgetfulness in leaving personal belongings there every week. Would absolutely recommend!

Rachel Albert

I’m a member at Ascend being that it’s the first gym I ever tried back in December. It’s an extremely nice facility and very well-kept. It’s a really great place for a beginning. However, as my climbing has been improving, I’ve noticed a major caveat to the place. The routes are set by people that are significantly taller than me being that I’m barely 5’3”. There are a number of times where a move is simply out of my reach and because I have to dyno, the route ends up making say a V3-5 a lot harder than a V3-5. I went to the Climbing Wall to check it out and the route setting was so much more taylored to someone my height; I was able to accomplish much more and climb far better because I used more technique and less dyno movements. On the other hand, because they dont use the color-code system, the Climbing Wall has easily triple the routes, which did not leave me feeling bored as I often feel at Ascend. They also have cracks and edges that left me with many more options than the forced route that is set. I’m truly considering my membership at Ascend as of current.

D Tier

Great classes for youth

Diego sanchez

This is the best place for beginners and experienced climbers with a nice area and great staff.

Michael De Gracia

Superb workout. A wonderful place to bring the kids to spend some quality time. Climbing for all ages, yoga, lifting weights, it's all inclusive.

林佩萱

loved the auto belay

Gaurav Balakrishnan

Having an ascend membership has been the best part of my summer so far. It is a great climbing and bouldering facility combined with a truly awesome community.

Noah Pepmeyer

This place makes me feel like a man. I sweat, I shake, I cry. Let the chalk dust fly and may your ever deepening sense of majesty soar even higher as you endeavor to conquer the colored rocks of destiny.

Shirley Zhou

I started going to Ascend six months ago and had zero bouldering experience (and climbing experience in general) before that. I’ve been going practically weekly since then and the staff and facility has never been anything less than overwhelmingly welcoming to people of all ages and levels of experience. I love it here and always looks forward to my next trip! ^^

Adrien Lagasse

Great Place! Smells Like Home Depot though...

Matt Tschippert

Largest climbing gym in Pittsburgh. Huge inventory of new holds. Great view of the city.

Katarzyna Wiech

Realy nice place! it’s always fun there :)

Justine Pollack

Great climbing gym! My boyfriend and I climb here a the time and we love it!

Dario Schuker

Love it here. great work out

Nathan Weaver

i’m here like every day it’s great. the people are rad and the yerba mate tastes great!

Evan Zachary

ASCEND is an excellent facility with a well stocked shop, lounge with a fridge and microwave, friendly staff, and sprawling options of routes. On top of all that, they were awesome enough to donate their old worn out rental shoes to a project a friend of mine is working on and all it took was an email which they responded to promptly. Absolutely recommend this facility!