Source Climbing Center

This place is my jam! Whether you’re a beginner (like me just over a month ago) or an experienced climber (like many of my new friends) this is an awesome place to climb. I started with the Belay On class to learn the ropes (pun intended) and after my free week of climbing, I was hooked.
The staff are friendly, professional and highly skilled — and they excel at creating an open, friendly atmosphere with many positive vibes.
The walls are only 36 feet high, but the creative and challenging routes more than make up for that.
Whether you come on your own or with a friend, whether you like bouldering or sport climbing, whether you prefer positive handholds or crimps, there’s something for you at the Source.

Great staff! Safe environment! Awesome Price! Really I cannot say enough about how great this place is, whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advance, they have something for you.

Recently moved to the Vancouver area and I was very excited to discover a climbing gym on this side of the river. While I’m not particularly good, I’ve been climbing for years so this review is really geared towards the member /​repeat visitor rather than someone looking for a one day adventure /​birthday party (though they do those too I see).
Source Climbing feels like a new gym, or just very well maintained. Friendly staff, good diversity of problem types in the bouldering area, lots of incline to the walls, range of holds. In my short time here so far, they’ve already done some set changes… good sign.
The gym is on the smaller side and can fill up, especially if there’s a group or class but for the most part, everyone seems to move around pretty quickly and not work a lead /​top-​rope route too long.
The location is in the back part of downtown meaning street parking and meters, though I’ve yet to have an issue finding a space right nearby.
Overall it’s been a friendly community and good experience so far.

This was my first indoor rock climbing experience and I really enjoyed it! The staff was really friendly. It was pretty busy when I went, as it was a Saturday night… but SO FUN!

What was the first thing my husband and i did when moving to the Portland area? Seek out the best climbing gym if course! Coming from a spoiled climber who had been a member of the United State’s largest indoor gym (EarthTreks in Rockville, MD), I realized that we would likely not have the same type of climbing gym again… but luckily of the 3 in the area, we found the Source and it’s the best of all. It’s only been around for two years, we actually walked in on their two year anniversary day for the first time. You can tell it has some room for growth, but c’mon guys they’re still growing. For what they have done so far and being better than the other two climbing gyms in the area, they’re gonna soar even higher.
Facts: Okay they don’t have specifically overhangs/​upside arches, but they have a lot of clean space and 50 foot walls. Lots of top ropes that change monthly and room for lead climbers too. There are 4 auto belays for solo climbers as well as a bouldering cave. The people are SOO NICE! Not just the staff, but the boulderers too. Sometimes you get the vibe certain free climbers are competitive or clique-​ish but everyone is so open. People, strangers included, will cheer you on. I love that! It’s especially good since at least twice a week I’ll see big groups of new first time climbers getting orientations and trying out the gym. The Source family has really created a good community here!
Upstairs they have about half a dozen 25 foot walls for kiddies, as well as a short 10 foot kid’s boulder wall (not past vertical, pretty standard) which allows them to climb over completely and come down a kiddie slide.
They don’t have room for a gym or space for yoga at the moment, but hopefully that’s part of their growth process. Occasionally they’ll post mini-​clinics for members, i.e. women’s bouldering secrets, so they can offer some class like bonuses for members. That’s a nice treat! They have some Source promo items for sale and what climbing equipment they don’t sell, their members get a discount at the local sports equipment store to make up for it. Prices are pretty standard… tops off at $ 55 per month (per person) if you don’t want to prepay for a further discounted annual rate.
Notes for climbers: No crash pads for a good reason… Their policy and research has them operating without them because their floors are extra cushy, and they’ve heard more injuries result from falling improperly (on the edges of crash pads), than falling flat without them. No floor anchors either, so if you and your climbing partner have significantly different body weights, you may be better off auto belaying.
Maybe about 4,500 — 5,000 square feet total. Very clean, smells good, and they keep the temperature nice and cool. Give’m a visit, and look for me :)

Wonderful indoor sport fun for the entire family! All 3 of my kids enjoy it and watching them you can tell it is a great confidence builder. There prices are quite reasonable and rinly staff.

This place is phenomenal! I haven’t climbed since I was a kid so I was a little scared after that many years but I am glad my friend brought me here. The people here are really friendly and always willing to answer questions. Also, one of the owners is a well-​known route planner and he laid out calculated routes for people of all skill levels. There are three auto belays, several more normal belays, a couple of lead-​only routes, and an entire wall of bouldering. There is also a kids area above with a shorter wall for the little ones. I love the environment here and climbing is definitely becoming one of my favorite hobbies!

This place is great! I was traveling for work and wanted to continue my climbing training and was psyched to find a gym a few blocks from my hotel. I was really impressed by the atmosphere, there were NO screaming grunting shirtless apes, holier-​than-​thou staff, or chalky dingy facility. It is obviously a custom made facility that hires quality professionals who are super friendly and set GREAT routes. While I climb at a very high level, I get discouraged by the «scene» of my local gyms in Boulder, CO and really appreciate a communal environment that encourages climbers of all levels.

The Source has started my lifelong love of climbing.
I got the groupon, had an awesome intro lesson with a great instructor, and am enjoying the crap out of my week-​long free climbing/​rentals. I’m only 3 days in to my new climbing obsession and still a big time rookie, but from what I can tell The Source has an awesome variety of routes and walls. Plus two auto-​belays. The place is well staffed with people passionate about climbing who are always down to answer questions. And not to mention the obvious, but Vancouver NEEDED a place like this. It’s brought in a whole slew of outdoorsy, young, portland types. And a big thank you to the owners who put the gym in downtown Vancouver rather than some shitty strip mall out in the burbs. Yay!

Experienced climbers and rookies alike will have a good time at this gym. The place has a great vibe and the facility is wonderful. No climbing buddy? No problem, as they are equipped with two auto-​belay devices with a range of routes to keep things fun and challenging. The bouldering area is pretty awesome and ten inches of foam padding is built right into the floor. The mezzanine has shorter walls for kids, learning, and parties. The staff are super-​friendly and passionate about what they’re doing. They might be a bit smaller than other gyms in the area, but they’ve carved out a great space with a chill atmosphere.

When The Source opened up in «da Couve» I knew there was a god — a god of rocks and boulders that gives downtown Couve a dose of vibrancy and energy!
Co-​owners Hans and Michael are the saviors of this flat town. They and their staff are friendly and informative and safety is their top priority.
Come down to The Source, strap on a harness and climb up their walls of funness!!!
The Couve is back on the climbing map, y’all!!!