★ 5

Great experience here stopping in on a roadtrip, the route setting was really fun and the owner was very welcoming. The gym was clean, they have a few auto-belays for people who may be worried about falling, the owner gave us a good intro to the gym when we checked in. Good mix of slabbier and overhanging routes. Fun atmosphere, other climbers were friendly and even cheered me on for a hard (for me) route.

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★ 4

Found it limited. Has a bit too much the vibe of the strip mall it is in.

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★ 3

Thanks for the free climbing

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★ 5

Visited from out of town. Friendly folks. Great owner. Clean. Awesome sets. Problems changed frequently. Man, I wish this gym was near me.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Recently visited with my 8 year old child who loves to climb. Walking in, we were met by Barry, who could not have been kinder, friendlier, or more helpful in any way. He walked through everything with us, and gave us a tour of the place, including how to hook into their auto-belay devices. Our kid loved climbing while there, and my wife and I enjoyed playing chess while watching. My child mentioned that their hands were getting slippery from the snack they ate after a couple hours of climbing, and Barry overheard and brought a bag of chalk over for them to use, and gave some tips for helping them get more confident and technical with their climbs. Cannot recommend this place enough.

Source: Google

★ 5

As a new climber, I absolutely love TPG! The staff and fellow climbers are all so helpful and friendly!

I would highly encourage anyone interested in climbing to check it out😊

Source: Google

★ 5

Great bouldering gym with high quality problems and facilities! Auto-belays for kids and a fun and encouraging atmosphere!

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★ 5

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★ 5

Haven’t climbed in years but during a trip visited TPG w a friend who is a regular here. High quality routes, great atmosphere and amazing staff. How do I get one of these in my city?!?

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★ 5

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★ 5

Awesome gym with an immensely positive and friendly community of climbers. Lots of climbs and plenty of space!

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★ 5

Amazing gym met so many cool people, and made some good friends! By far one of the most fun group activities out there! Couldn't stop laughing with my friends, great vibes!

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★ 5

Clean, big gym with plenty of routes
Good fun!

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★ 5

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★ 5

I had my first climbing experience today at Proving Ground. Welcoming atmosphere. Barry was helpful, kind, and very knowledgeable. Had a positive, safe and, fun experience. I will be back!

Source: Google

★ 5

Excellent bouldering gym. Daughter had a USA Youth Climbing Qualifying Event here. Our first time here. Challenging route setting, friendly staff. Cudos to the local climbing community who judged.

Good location in a strip mall. Easy to get to. Highly recommend it if in the area. Had an excellent food truck available for the event. Google only allows :30 videos so you can't see the entire climb.

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★ 5

Excellent gym!!

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★ 5

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★ 5

Fun, Safe, and Family Friendly. The staff make sure you know how everything works and teach you how to put the harnesses for some of the walls on and off. Kids 10 and older can use them by theirselves.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Great staff, great place for an older kids birthday or even just a place to get away from everything and they have what you need but you can bring your own indoor rock climbing shoes and stuff.

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★ 5

A very clean and fun establishment with awesome and knowledgeable staff. Definitely will return!

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

I’ve been here 3 times and it never gets old I always have fun here the staff are very nice and helpful it’s my rainy day go to

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★ 4

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

The staff and members are nice and helpful, all the levels of climbing there from complete beginner to advanced.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

I really enjoy the time in the proving ground. Always friendly people there and the staff is also very friendly and helpful. The walls are well maintained.

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★ 5

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★ 5

ROCKS
ROOCK
CLIM

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★ 5

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★ 5

Clean facility and the staff have all be amazing. Just started out recently and its a great place to learn and have some fun!

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★ 5

Found some things for my crafty needs.

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★ 5

Was our first time there and there was a huge crowd of kids and there was only 2 guys working and 1 took the time to get us in and help us out and showed us around. The workers let u mind your business but they are always around so you don't have to wait for anybody, even when busy!

Source: Google

★ 5

It's a great place to climb, with bouldering challenges of varying difficulty levels. It's a fun way to spend your day by yourself or with friends. I'm definitely looking forwards to going there again!

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★ 5

Man oh man, I am from out of town and I deeply am saddened I will not be able to come back to this gym. What an absolute treat this place is. I would come to this place 10 out of 10 times instead of Upper Limit (gym nearby). I am a little disappointed this is a shirt on gym, but that's the rules and I respect that. The route setting is 10/10 - so many bangers - I want to thank one of the setters Mark for making some amazing routes. Truly had fun here. Front staff was super helpful and respectful - even when they told me to put my shirt back on it didn't feel rude or anything. Pricing is pretty decent, I'd be more than happy to pay a little more for this place as opposed to upper limits. Super friendly for advanced climbers and new climbers. Great stuff! Thank you for hosting me

Source: Google

★ 5

yo my friend took me here because he's a member. we went bouldering lol. it's a very new gym and everything is so clean and pristine. there's a lot of different pitches and even a cave area. the staff is pretty chill. I wish I lived closer or I'd come more often because they have a great variety of difficulties

Source: Google

★ 5

Great atmosphere & friendly staff. Fresh boulder sets often & a variety of very skilled setters. Climbers of all ages & skill levels can easily find fun & challenging routes. The regulars who come in after a new set are a joy to be around and helpful with encouraging comments/support. Bring a friend or go by yourself & your bound to get a workout and socialize with lovely people. I'm even more of a sport climber myself but I always have a great time here.

Source: Google

★ 5

Great work out, great community, great employees

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★ 5

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★ 5

Just went in for my 4th visit this week.
I'm really impressed with how clean this place is and so far I have seen new problems set every time I go in. Everyone has been very friendly too. This is a great environment to get in some really fun exercise!

Source: Google

★ 5

This place is seriously amazing and the people are so friendly and welcoming. I’ll definitely be back!

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★ 5

Get a membership or go climbing anytime with friends or family. The staff are friendly and helpful and the facility worth every penny paid for each session. P/S - the climbing shoes make the place feel like home.

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★ 5

Tons of diversity and interesting routes for every level of climber.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Took a climbing class. Instructor was knowledgeable. Gym was quite clean and well lit. Had a great time.

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★ 5

The Proving Ground was amazing!! I was able to get a brief membership while I was in town for several weeks. The staff and general community that they have built was extremely kind and welcoming. I am a new climber, and there was not an intimidating atmosphere at TPG. On the contrary, everyone was friendly, and I felt like I was able to hop right into things. Every staff member interaction that I had was great! Beyond that, I felt that I met a new member almost every time that I went. The next time I would see them we would say hey and often even work on some problems together. I also greatly appreciated the problem setting. There were problems for all levels of skill and ability. New problems were available very frequently as well. I'm bummed that I am not close enough to go to this gym anymore, but I feel that I've found a love for climbing that will last a lifetime.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

TPG's Staff is top-notch, the facility is so open and bright and the atmosphere is extremely welcoming! Our entire family has loved climbing at this gym and getting to know this bouldering community! The staff members truly care about creating an enjoyable and excellent experience, offering tips and advice to climbers of all ages and abilities and encouraging everyone along the way. Proud to call TPG our home gym!

Source: Google

★ 5

I do classes there and there so much fun. I highly recommend taking these classes

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★ 5

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★ 5

Amazing, so amazing. The staff, the climbing, the design, all are so great. Really if you are in the area, or even not in the area (we drive a hour one way to come at least once a week), it's worth the trip. Whether your a new climber just learning what a jug is, or an experienced crusher you will love the bouldering and the staff here. Truly the staff makes this place exceptional, the climbing, well that's an amazing extra.

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★ 5

Great route setting and the perfect assortment of terrain and styles at all difficulties. Really glad I found this spot and will stop by every time I’m passing through town. Wish my local gym was this good.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Crazy fun bouldering gym. I always come by if I'm in the area. It's a fun, and welcoming community. They do a great job of putting up new problems. The sets are always fun and interesting. Lots of technical problems to work thru and some really fun jug-hauls too. Love this gym

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

My two daughters (8 & 6) love this place. They’ve been 2-3 times in the last few weeks. Options for all ages and skill levels. Recently took a few friends for a small birthday afternoon and they had a great time. The gentleman working that morning took extra time to explain everything and made sure they were having fun. What stood out most is from today. My aunt purchased a few more sessions for my oldest as a birthday present. Said she only purchased two sessions, but someone delivered a birthday package to her at our front door (I don’t think delivery is a normal part of their business 😀). Along with the two sessions were other climbing items (not requested or paid for by my aunt). Pretty sure they did it to be nice. Made her day! Thank you for your kindness and going an extra step. Definitely didn’t go unnoticed in our household!

Source: Google

★ 5

Shout out to TPG for an incredibly clean amazing gym; they go the extra mile to ensure everyone's safety. They have a wide range of problems to challenge any climber, whether new to the sport or very experienced. The setting is fantastic and love their unique/new holds! Chris and his staff are genuinely kind and helpful people. Make sure to support them if you're in the area!

Source: Google

★ 5

TPG is a wonderful place all in all. Due to my own personal life I have recently only been able to be a spectator for most of my visits. But finally got to climb again tonight and it was so refreshing to be able to challenge myself on a lot of the new routes they have. Spectator or climber, my experience at this bouldering gym has been amazing. The staff are WONDERFUL. The members of this gym are the most supportive people I have met in my entire life. 10/10. I recommend this gym to anyone who would like to try new things or even just challenge themselves in ways only this gym can.

Source: Google

★ 5

TPG is an incredible bouldering gym. It’s always clean and the route setting has been fun and extremely challenging. I’ve only climbed for about 9 months and I feel that I’ve been welcomed into the climbing community there. My only quibble about TPG is the lack of training equipment, but I know that they are planning on installing a rack with a barbell and weights and that will be insane when that is done! All in all, TPG has 120% of my support and 10/10 would highly recommend!

Source: Google

★ 5

I began climbing this past November, loved it right away...but love it more every time I climb. Working out on the walls got me going...the people are what keeps me enjoying it more and more. Climbers are a very friendly group, and TPG treats you like family. Though I've only climbed a short time, I regularly climb with two of the owners. They've helped me immensely, not because it's their job, because they genuinely care, and thoroughly enjoy seeing me improve, and learn to love the sport as they so clearly do!

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Great gym with a friendly and supportive atmosphere! The setting is consistent and fair. The facilities are well thought-out, and the environment is spacious with plenty of natural light.

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★ 5

Chris and his staff are some of the nicest people I've ever met. Everyone is willing to help you improve, and it's a great place to make new friends.

Student discounts are available, the pro shop has everything you need to have a great time, and the atmosphere is perfect for kids parties! With cold air in the summer, and other members cheering you on as you climb, TPG is a great place to spend your day!

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★ 5

Such a cool gym. The staff and owners are so kind and welcoming. The setting is so good. All around a great experience!

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★ 5

The gym is a very clean and has welcoming. We Met the owner and he is a very genuine guy! Would recommend for any climbing ability they have a good balance of easy, medium, and challenging routes. They are taking extra precautions to make sure the gym and climbers stay healthy and safe.

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★ 5

Super fun place to climb! Staff is super friendly and helpful! I honestly just love this place! If you're looking for something fun to do, this is a good place for people of all ages!

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★ 5

I highly recommend this gym! The boulder problems are awesome and the staff are super nice and helpful. Its a great gym!

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★ 5

The Proving Ground is honestly one of the best bouldering gyms I have been to. The facility is always super clean, the staff is incredibly helpful and friendly, and the quality/variety of boulder problems makes for a fun experience for everyone. You can come to the gym and find something to work on regardless of your skill level. Definitely recommend checking out TPG, you'll be glad you did!

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★ 5

Best little gym around!

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★ 5

I have visited The Proving Ground several times and always have a great experience! It's an easy spot to meet up with friends and spend a couple hours. On every visit, I appreciate how clean the gym is and the friendliness of the staff. I enjoy the routes they set and when I get too tired, it is entertaining to watch friends attempt the more difficult climbs. I would recommend TPG to anyone who is looking to boulder---beginners or experienced climbers alike.

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★ 5

Proving Ground is an excellent gym for all levels of climbers. Staff is friendly, routes are changed often and I've always had a lot of fun trying new skills and techniques. Can't wait to climb soon when things get back to normal!

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★ 5

Natural light, phenomenal staff and community, new routes every Monday, and is squeaky clean.

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★ 5

TPG is an amazing place for climbers of all ages and skill levels. The staff and owners there have done a great job welcoming more people into the climbing community and hosting community events. Their building is maintained very well, as well as the walls and climbing holds. The routsetters make a variety of routes with each one having a skill to take away from it. The routes are also updated often. TPG serves as a great way to release stress or whatever you have on your mind and think about climbing. The staff not only get to know you, but build relationships with you as you come to the gym.

Source: Google

★ 5

Great bouldering gym with many challenging problems. Fun place to get a workout in for both the body and the mind! :)

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★ 5

One of the best bouldering gyms I have ever been to! There is a great variety of routes to climb for beginners all the way to advanced climbers.

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★ 5

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★ 5

TPG is an amazing rock climbing gym, the staff is friendly and always inviting. This is a modern bouldering gym with problems for all levels of climbing. The gym is always kept clean and the climbing community here is awesome.

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★ 5

Great place to climb, friendly and knowledgeable staff. Fun time for all ages

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★ 5

The Proving Ground is a great bouldering gym to have fun and get a workout in. They reset routes weekly so you'll never run out of problems to work on. Definitely check it out!

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★ 5

Always a great time! They routinely change parts of the wall so there is always a new challenge! My favorite part is how nice the owners are and how they take the time to stop and visit with you while they are there.

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★ 5

Best place in town to boulder at. you'll never have to worry about dragging a crash pad around since they have them installed around the entire gym!

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★ 4

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★ 5

Staff members are incredible! Very nice, get to know you personally, and have an outstanding attitude for what they do and the people they serve. Got a monthly membership and try to go twice a week because it is that much fun and the experience is top of the line every time. Each time presents a new challenge which makes it that much more fun

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★ 5

Awesome new gym!! The owners take the time to learn the names of their members, and there are always freshly set routes. It's so cool that they have a beginner area with several auto-belays and a party room! This gym is perfect for the casual climber, but it also has some crazy V9 routes if that's what you're into.

There are weights and hangboards at the back of the gym, as well as showers in the bathrooms if you want to climb on your lunch break.

I highly recommend stopping by to check it out. The new holds and textured walls are luxurious if you're used to climbing at an older gym (like me), and the atmosphere is welcoming.

Source: Google

★ 5

One of the coolest places I’ve ever climbed at. Plenty of fun climbing at every grade, and 10-15 new problems go up every week. There’s an area with auto-belays for kids or inexperienced climbers, a small gear store, a party room, a hangboard/pull-up/dumbbell area, a shower in the bathroom, and a Kilter wall. Staff is welcoming, knowledgeable, and will give beta if you ask nicely. Rental gear is super nice.

All in all, Proving Ground is a sweet place to check out climbing or to crush that V8 that you’ve been projecting for the last month.

Source: Google

★ 5

If you're just trying to boulder this is a great place to go. The whole climbing area is padded so you don't have to worry about moving a pad around. Lots of routes and terrain and some L.E.D. wall that im not to sure how it works but it looks cool. Only minor complaint I have is that the walls are pretty rough and you will probably scratch your skin up when you rub against it. Im used to smooth walls but still its a great place

Source: Google

★ 4

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★ 5

Excellent option for experienced climbers as well as those just looking for something to do with the family. You can count on the folks at Proving Ground to provide enthusiasm and expertise to make your time spent at this amazing gym a memorable experience!

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

Awesome! Tons of high-quality, fun boulder problems for all experience levels. Great variety of wall features including slabs, steep overhangs, and a particularly cool cave/roof area. There are a lot of easier climbs for beginners, and there is a section of shorter walls and auto-belays for smaller kids, which is brilliant. The staff is friendly and helpful. I'll be back often!

Source: Google

★ 5

This place is awesome! It's a lot of fun and a great alternative, or addition, to traditional physical exercise. There are a ton of routes with varying types of difficulty. The day pass price might be high, but you're getting a lot of value in it and a monthly membership will help reduce the cost per visit every time you go. Highly recommended.

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★ 5

Clean bouldering, bathroom has a shower, all new looking.

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★ 5

This place rocks! It is spacious and well lit. The atmosphere is totally chill. It is fantastic for experienced climbers, beginners, families, and kids too! The staff are super pysched and super helpful. The stoke is high. Get yourself in there!

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★ 5

Awesome place, pricing isn't too high for the sport and the staff is helpful!

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★ 5

The Pricing Grounds is a great place for bouldering! The difficulties are very organized and mostly color coated. They also have a build your own bouldering route that you can build with your smart phone. The Proving Grounds has a great variety for different climbers. I highly recommend coming here for bouldering!

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★ 5

Fun atmosphere, easy for beginners to pick up, challenging routes for the more advanced too! My family loved it.

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★ 5

Truly awesome bouldering gym. Tons of space and routes. I will be a regular.

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★ 5

Great fun for all ages and experience levels! Get the kids out of the house today! Their birthday parties are always a blast as well

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★ 5

Such a range of routes for a range of abilities-something for everybody. Staff is quite helpful and I can’t wait to go back again.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

It's so nice that Blono finally has an awesome climbing gym! The Proving Grounds seems to have got everything right!

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★ 5

I visit a lot of bouldering gyms around the country and I really like TPG! It's a great bouldering gym with friendly staff. Very cool open space, awesome routes, and fun walls!

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★ 5

The best rock climbing gym in the area! The staff is so great and helpful and the facility is nice and clean! So happy to see this business join the Bloomington-Normal community!

Source: Google