BC's New Paltz Climbing Gym
Chris Scott is getting a hold of life as a climbing gym owner. Scott took over the former Inner Wall in New Paltz in January with a mind to making the space what it wants to be- a bouldering gym.
It happened on a climbing trip in late fall, Scott explained, while in the car driving from New Paltz to West Virginia, one of his climbing partners mentioned that the Inner Wall was for sale.
“It just sort of stuck in my mind all that day and night. The next morning the idea of it was still right at the front of my brain. I kept asking myself ‘Could I make this work? Could I deliver something of the caliber I would respect and locals would be excited for?’ I felt as scared to go for it as I did to not go for it. Obviously, the go-for-it won,” Scott said. “It was serendipitous”.
Scott’s journey to BC’s New Paltz Climbing Gym, BC short for Big Chris, as Scott is well over six-feet tall, started in the early 2000's when he moved to New Paltz for college.
“I moved to the Gunks in the summer of 2002, living out of a tent for months. I knew I wanted to go to college, and I wanted that college to be close to outdoor climbing. SUNY New Paltz seemed like the perfect fit. I fell into the climbing community pretty quickly, climbing at the Inner Wall a bunch, gaining employment at the renowned Rock and Snow, and climbing with an incredibly motivated crew. I spent lots of time just exploring and climbing on the boulders all around the Gunks Ridge and the Northeast in general. I was even lucky enough to get some FA's from time to time.”
Before the Gunks Scott climbed in the 1000 Islands Region where he grew up. Starting from around 15 years old he tried to find any rock he could. At that time the nearest climbing gym was across the U.S. border in Kingston, Canada.
“I would go to the Boiler Room, which is still in business when I could find rides. I came into climbing through a high school friend whose father was a ‘traddy’. They had a little outdoor home-made climbing wall. Bouldering, in particular, was my go to. That was during the sort of 2nd (or 3rd?) wave of American bouldering. Some have referred to it as the Sharmolution for Chris Sharma, who drove the "sport" at the time,” Scott said.
From there it didn’t take too long before he was making a living through climbing and climbing gyms. While Scott never worked at the Inner Wall as a regular employee he did do some consulting and setting for a previous owner around 2010.
“I first put holds on the wall 18 years ago when setting wasn't really a ‘thing.’ Now it's a big deal, and over those years I've set routes at dozens of gyms across the country. I've seen what works and what doesn't work. I've seen the evolution of indoor climbing and climbers in general," Scott recalled. “Most recently I left my job as the senior setter at The Cliffs at LIC, where I've been putting holds on the wall as a full-time job over the last four years. LIC is right at the top of the busiest, member-driven, quality-demanding gyms in the country. I'm hoping to bring the craft and quality standards I've honed over all those years and all those gyms to my space”.
Primarily, Scott plans on turning the vast majority of the space into what it wants to be- a bouldering gym.
“There isn't much I can do about the height of the walls. Which means there isn't much I can do to attract rope climbers who only wish to rope climb”.
What he can do is professional route setting for a broad scope of ability levels, sizes, and styles, and regularly re-setting the gym.
It happened on a climbing trip in late fall, Scott explained, while in the car driving from New Paltz to West Virginia, one of his climbing partners mentioned that the Inner Wall was for sale.
“It just sort of stuck in my mind all that day and night. The next morning the idea of it was still right at the front of my brain. I kept asking myself ‘Could I make this work? Could I deliver something of the caliber I would respect and locals would be excited for?’ I felt as scared to go for it as I did to not go for it. Obviously, the go-for-it won,” Scott said. “It was serendipitous”.
Scott’s journey to BC’s New Paltz Climbing Gym, BC short for Big Chris, as Scott is well over six-feet tall, started in the early 2000's when he moved to New Paltz for college.
“I moved to the Gunks in the summer of 2002, living out of a tent for months. I knew I wanted to go to college, and I wanted that college to be close to outdoor climbing. SUNY New Paltz seemed like the perfect fit. I fell into the climbing community pretty quickly, climbing at the Inner Wall a bunch, gaining employment at the renowned Rock and Snow, and climbing with an incredibly motivated crew. I spent lots of time just exploring and climbing on the boulders all around the Gunks Ridge and the Northeast in general. I was even lucky enough to get some FA's from time to time.”
Before the Gunks Scott climbed in the 1000 Islands Region where he grew up. Starting from around 15 years old he tried to find any rock he could. At that time the nearest climbing gym was across the U.S. border in Kingston, Canada.
“I would go to the Boiler Room, which is still in business when I could find rides. I came into climbing through a high school friend whose father was a ‘traddy’. They had a little outdoor home-made climbing wall. Bouldering, in particular, was my go to. That was during the sort of 2nd (or 3rd?) wave of American bouldering. Some have referred to it as the Sharmolution for Chris Sharma, who drove the "sport" at the time,” Scott said.
From there it didn’t take too long before he was making a living through climbing and climbing gyms. While Scott never worked at the Inner Wall as a regular employee he did do some consulting and setting for a previous owner around 2010.
“I first put holds on the wall 18 years ago when setting wasn't really a ‘thing.’ Now it's a big deal, and over those years I've set routes at dozens of gyms across the country. I've seen what works and what doesn't work. I've seen the evolution of indoor climbing and climbers in general," Scott recalled. “Most recently I left my job as the senior setter at The Cliffs at LIC, where I've been putting holds on the wall as a full-time job over the last four years. LIC is right at the top of the busiest, member-driven, quality-demanding gyms in the country. I'm hoping to bring the craft and quality standards I've honed over all those years and all those gyms to my space”.
Primarily, Scott plans on turning the vast majority of the space into what it wants to be- a bouldering gym.
“There isn't much I can do about the height of the walls. Which means there isn't much I can do to attract rope climbers who only wish to rope climb”.
What he can do is professional route setting for a broad scope of ability levels, sizes, and styles, and regularly re-setting the gym.
This orange V3 and the red V2 are so close in color that it was difficult at first to tell what was on. Remembering continuity present in all the routes at BC's it became clear. The red route’s holds roundish, and the indent in the rhombus mirrors the round hold down lower. The orange route has an angularity to the holds.
This continuity is especially helpful to my partner-in-climb who is color blind. The similarities in shape and texture of the holds provide him a tool other than color to route find by. |
Scott goes beyond the basic hand and foot-holds needed to set routes and, in the style of a true craftsman, strives for form as well as function in his routes.
The walls have been renovated for better angles and features. One of the newest routes spirals around, each purple hold mirroring the last in color, texture, size, or shape. Gone are the myriad colors of tape peppering the walls. The yellow V3 route intertwined with the purple is made of oval bucket holds giving the sequence a flow reminiscent of outdoor climbing on rock surfaces that persist throughout the route. 
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It’s an experience beyond a pump, though there is that. Easy grades V0 and V1 are straightforward and fun, V2, V3, and V4 get more thoughtful and interesting.
Grades go up to V9. But I don’t so you’ll have to check those out for yourself.
Tuesday night is $7 bouldering night; it gets a good crowd. Scott is a charming, enthusiastic host who has the support of local climbers.
The Inner Wall was one of the originals in this country. Climbing has evolved a lot since 1994 when the place was built.
“Chris is the fourth generation owner of the space,” Gunks climber Russ Clune commented. “It’s always been a ‘locals only’ kinda joint and certainly quirky in how it was cobbled together over the years. The last owners did a pretty good job of revamping the place and creating some renewed interest with a summer bouldering series. I am quite sure Chris will build on this in a significant way. He has a great resume in his route setting ability and creativity in working with all the angles he has in that space. I was impressed by the quality of the boulder problems and the use of the space.”
Andy Salo, local climber, and fellow route setter said-
“I think that having someone so focused on setting is a huge plus for that gym. A climbing gym’s final product is the routes themselves, so having an owner tuned into creating an amazing final product will produce a nice steady growth”.
Scott is planning events and comps movie nights. Currently there are after school programs (buses drop off kids from Lenepe and Duzine)
Monday and Wednsdays: 3rd-5th grade. 3:30-5:30
Tuesdays and Wednesdays: K-2nd grade 3:30-5:30
Adventure Club: Mon, Wed, Fri: 6th-8th grade 3:30- 5-30
Youth Team: Tue-Thurs 7-9pm Middle/Higher Schoolers who want to really get better at climbing and maybe go to some comps
Birthday Parties: Sat and Sun: 10a-12p
BC's is also running Spring and some Summer Camps details are on the website //bcclimbinggym.com/camps/.
For bigger kids there is the Bounty Boulders competition series with a follow-up poll for points and SUNY New Paltz students are eligible for $5 climbing.
Even with all the work and progress, Scott is still adjusting to his new role.
“I still don't think it's hit me that I "own" a gym because I've been working nonstop to bring this vision I have into being. I want to make a place that the climbing community is psyched to climb in, dare I say even proud of. I just had to trust in myself that I was capable of doing that. And so far it seems to be working. I also have an amazing support crew of friends and climbers who want to see this place succeed as well. Certainly, this vision is not something I could make into a reality without them.
“I'm just trusting in the fact that I have the experience to know what climbers want. I'm working hard to get my space there. It will take time for sure to get it where I want to be. I also have to learn how to actually "run a business." So far it seems like the community is getting that. It's amazing. Not only in person with people telling me how psyched they are but, also on social media, such as Instagram. @bc_climbing_gym."
A place 'For Climbers By Climbers.' FCBC.
Grades go up to V9. But I don’t so you’ll have to check those out for yourself.
Tuesday night is $7 bouldering night; it gets a good crowd. Scott is a charming, enthusiastic host who has the support of local climbers.
The Inner Wall was one of the originals in this country. Climbing has evolved a lot since 1994 when the place was built.
“Chris is the fourth generation owner of the space,” Gunks climber Russ Clune commented. “It’s always been a ‘locals only’ kinda joint and certainly quirky in how it was cobbled together over the years. The last owners did a pretty good job of revamping the place and creating some renewed interest with a summer bouldering series. I am quite sure Chris will build on this in a significant way. He has a great resume in his route setting ability and creativity in working with all the angles he has in that space. I was impressed by the quality of the boulder problems and the use of the space.”
Andy Salo, local climber, and fellow route setter said-
“I think that having someone so focused on setting is a huge plus for that gym. A climbing gym’s final product is the routes themselves, so having an owner tuned into creating an amazing final product will produce a nice steady growth”.
Scott is planning events and comps movie nights. Currently there are after school programs (buses drop off kids from Lenepe and Duzine)
Monday and Wednsdays: 3rd-5th grade. 3:30-5:30
Tuesdays and Wednesdays: K-2nd grade 3:30-5:30
Adventure Club: Mon, Wed, Fri: 6th-8th grade 3:30- 5-30
Youth Team: Tue-Thurs 7-9pm Middle/Higher Schoolers who want to really get better at climbing and maybe go to some comps
Birthday Parties: Sat and Sun: 10a-12p
BC's is also running Spring and some Summer Camps details are on the website //bcclimbinggym.com/camps/.
For bigger kids there is the Bounty Boulders competition series with a follow-up poll for points and SUNY New Paltz students are eligible for $5 climbing.
Even with all the work and progress, Scott is still adjusting to his new role.
“I still don't think it's hit me that I "own" a gym because I've been working nonstop to bring this vision I have into being. I want to make a place that the climbing community is psyched to climb in, dare I say even proud of. I just had to trust in myself that I was capable of doing that. And so far it seems to be working. I also have an amazing support crew of friends and climbers who want to see this place succeed as well. Certainly, this vision is not something I could make into a reality without them.
“I'm just trusting in the fact that I have the experience to know what climbers want. I'm working hard to get my space there. It will take time for sure to get it where I want to be. I also have to learn how to actually "run a business." So far it seems like the community is getting that. It's amazing. Not only in person with people telling me how psyched they are but, also on social media, such as Instagram. @bc_climbing_gym."
A place 'For Climbers By Climbers.' FCBC.
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