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With the announcement of Mad Rock as an AORE365 Alliance Partner, rock climbing continues to be an integral part of AORE Member programs. College and university climbing programs play an important role in the industry by making climbing accessible to hundreds of thousands of college-age adults every year. AORE Member climbing programs impact the industry in four primary ways: continued opportunities for youth climbers, development of new climbers, training the next generation of climbing professionals, and educating climbers on ethics. Through AORE365, Mad Rock aligned itself with AORE’s mission which, in part, helps support these four outcomes of college and university climbing programs.
Forget soccer or gymnastics. Competitive Rock Climbing is growing as an alternative sport for today’s youth. Parents are recognizing that climbing makes for strong youth--emotionally, socially, and physically. After these youth graduate high school and go to college, AORE member programs are there to offer continued opportunities through a strong sense of community among college climbers, college climbing teams, and inter-collegiate climbing competitions.
Rock Climbing can be an expensive sport, but college and university climbing programs help eliminate that barrier by providing opportunities to climb at little to no cost. In addition, the location of college climbing gyms on campus makes them easy to access for students. This accessibility builds community and helps creates lifelong participants in the sport for those who may not have gone out of their way to seek out climbing opportunities. Once students graduate, they go on to be the consumers of commercial climbing gyms, guide services, and climbing retailers.
Vendor Profile
Continued opportunities for youth climbers
Development of new climbers
By Bryan Karban, AORE Treasurer, Climbing and Trips Coordinator at University of Minnesota