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jpearl
Dec 2, 2004, 4:29 AM
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Yeah yeah, I know it sounds like an oxymoron, "climbing" and "South East Florida". Kinda like "surfing" and "North Dakota". I'm actually looking for a partner for some Indoor Gym climbing in or near the West Palm Beach / Ft. Lauderdale area. I'm coming off a minor bout of tendonitis, but I'm generally looking to climb the easy-to-moderate routes any gym has to offer. If my finger feels up to it, I can pull harder routes as well. I can belay safely (read: experienced) with a GriGri and ATC, and I have the stamina to put in a full day at a gym, including working the bouldering areas. I will be in Florida the week of December 13th through the 17th, but I'm really looking to climb anytime all day Monday and Tuesday, and Wednesday during the daytime. I don't know what gyms are down there, what do you Sunshine State climbers recommend in or near the Palm Beach County area. (ps-If you read my profile, you can see that I am indeed a gym rat, but I would be open to learning the fine art of bouldering on Floridian palm trees :wink: )
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tdah
Dec 10, 2004, 12:29 AM
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from what i hear (never been) the ft lauderdale rock gym isn't the best (that's the politically correct way to say it, i think ;)). if you're willing to make it another 40 mins south to south miami, there is a great gym down here. i'd be up for climbing on wednesday during the day/afternoon, or tuesday evening. i'm by no means any kind of expert climber, but i do take safety seriously. if you're interested, email me at tdah73 at yahoo dot com (despammified for what it's worth). dave
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theflyingsquirrel
Dec 10, 2004, 1:21 AM
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your f***ing kiding me theres a gym in west palm?! i've been goin to stuart for damn near 12 years now, and the rock climbing is virtually no existent there. do you know of any gyms in that general area cus that would be sweet for the next time i head down there.
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jpearl
Dec 10, 2004, 3:49 AM
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Thanks Tdah. I'll PM you when I get into Florida. I'd say that Tuesday is best for me, I just have to see what my car situation is. FlyingSquirrel, to the best of my knowledge, there is no climbing in West Palm, only a gym in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. I head down there often to visit family. PM me the next time you head down there, and if I'm in town also, then we can climb.
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sawdust
Dec 10, 2004, 5:02 PM
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Anyone know if "Robert" still owns the gym in Ft. Lauderdale (Coral Cliffs)? Just curious, I used to climb there a lot when he first opened it back in ~'98.
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zeppm
Dec 13, 2004, 7:08 PM
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Yep - Robert still owns the gym. and due to the limited climbing in South Florida (understatment), the gym in Ft Lauderdale is better than no climbing. and for someone who lives north of ft lauderdale, its a much better trip than going miami...
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sawdust
Dec 13, 2004, 7:17 PM
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I lived in Hollywood, FL, and never went to the gym in miami. Robert always had much better prices. Tell Robert I said hello... (Sean, the guy that built his first website), if you talk to him.
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tdah
Dec 13, 2004, 7:34 PM
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i plan on making a trek up to ft lauderdale at some point to check out the gym there and see for myself and at least give it a fair shot. ok, it's less of a trek and more of a short stab up 95, but anywho. one thing i've heard about it is that it doesn't have AC, which can be a big problem in south florida... a one-day pass at xtreme rock (miami) is $12, and at coral cliffs (ft lauderdale) it's $15. the monthly, 7-visit, and longer passes are also cheaper in miami. maybe things have changed since you were there, Sawdust? but agreed, the trip from palm beach to miami is a b**ch...
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sawdust
Dec 13, 2004, 7:46 PM
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In reply to: i plan on making a trek up to ft lauderdale at some point to check out the gym there and see for myself and at least give it a fair shot. ok, it's less of a trek and more of a short stab up 95, but anywho. one thing i've heard about it is that it doesn't have AC, which can be a big problem in south florida... a one-day pass at xtreme rock (miami) is $12, and at coral cliffs (ft lauderdale) it's $15. the monthly, 7-visit, and longer passes are also cheaper in miami. maybe things have changed since you were there, Sawdust? but agreed, the trip from palm beach to miami is a b**ch... Things have changed. Robert had just opened the gym when I was climbing there back in ~'98. Monthly memberships were $40, daily passes were $9-10 i think. It was 10 minutes from my house, and gym climbing is gym climbing no matter where you do it, so I wasn't about to drive an extra 30 minutes to be able to climb in a 'better' gym. Miami is better from what I've heard, but it is still just another gym. Robert was always way cool, let me set routes, etc. He even used the gym as a venue for a couple teenage punk bands - "Band Night" at the gym he called it. Helarious.
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zeppm
Dec 13, 2004, 8:35 PM
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sure... i'll let Robert know. and Coral Cliffs is more expensive than miami. gyms arent inherently profitable. Robert was telling me the guys who own miami can afford to keep their prices cheaper - they make mad loot route setting for Royal Carribean or some other cruise line... the main difference between the 2 is coral cliffs is just smaller. i actually like routes better at coral cliffs, but miami has much better bouldering.
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jpearl
Dec 14, 2004, 6:05 PM
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No AC at Coral Cliffs! Good thing I brought some cold weather down from NYC with me. I gonna climb there today if I get the chance, and I'll let you all know what I think. Miami sounds like a great gym, but hey, I'm here on vacation and if I'm heading down in that direction, I'm doing so to be sippin' mojitos on the sands of South Beach, not pulling down on plastic.
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jpearl
Dec 15, 2004, 5:05 AM
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So I finally climbed at Coral Cliffs. This snobby New Yorker's verdict: Cool Gym!!! You guys might say it's small, but compared to other gyms I've seen, it's actually a pretty average size. Then again, given the fact that it's tucked away in a small backroad industrial centre in Ft. Lauderdale, it might as well be the Himalayas. The walls offer some good variety, and the route setting was decent. Some of the routes were exceptionally well thought out and had great flow and consistancy. It could, however, use more traverses and the routes could zig-zag a bit more to take advantage of the shorterer walls. It can also use a freestanding boulder section. Still, I liked to availability of freewieghts as a training option for the climbers. All in all, though, it's a serious gym staffed by and used by serious climbers out to do some serious climbing with what is available to them. Victor is an awefully nice guy and Ben was mad chill, and everybody there was friendly and ready to offer up a belay. If you're in this area of Florida on vacation or whatnot, then it's worth it to bring your gear and do some climbing at Coral Cliffs. O.K., my job is done here, thanx to all of the Florida climbers for your info and I hope to climb with you guys eventually. Please feel free to contact me if y'all are passing through NYC. In the meantime, I'm now gonna resume my Florida vacation. I'll be on the sands of West Palm Beach drinking a mojito if anybody needs me...
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tdah
Dec 15, 2004, 5:18 AM
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glad you had fun! i'll definitely have to make it up there someday soon. sorry i couldn't get back to you; i got called in to transport a sick baby from the bahamas to my hospital.
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robdotcalm
Dec 15, 2004, 5:35 AM
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Don't miss the real outdoor bouldering on limestone while in SE Florida. Go to Miami's Alcie C. Wainwright Park. The cliff soars about 11 ft for 200 yards. rob.calm
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tdah
Dec 15, 2004, 11:47 PM
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:?: the Wainright park's "cliff" is about 7 feet tall (at the highest) and about 50 feet long...i was sooo disappointed after hearing about it and seeing it in person...it'd be better to climb the trees in the park. :lol: at the other end of the park, though, there is a concrete bridge support that you can climb. there were some holds bolted to the side, which have all either broken off or been broken off by someone. you can still climb the cracks in the concrete blocks, though, and pop up on the bridge just past a toll booth. makes for some interesting motorist expressions. ;)
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astx813
Jan 3, 2005, 5:29 AM
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Holy G:DD, do you people know how long I've been dying to find a gym & a partner down here? I moved from Illinois between Charlie & Frances and have been missing the walls since. Now I hear there's a gym in Ft Lauderdale? Hell, my office is just off Cypress. I'd love to get back into a regular habit of a weekly climb. Anyone interested in Friday nights? Two other questions: How far does one have to drive to find a real crag? What's this about a gym in Stuart? That's pretty far north from West Palm, right?
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astx813
Jan 3, 2005, 5:32 AM
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One other thing. Apparently, there's some light bouldering (enough for a day, according to this site) up in Jupiter. Anyone interested in going there to check it out, maybe even this weekend?
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gatrailboy
Jan 17, 2006, 8:29 PM
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Registered: Dec 16, 2002
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Hey guys just moved to Jupiter from GA. Would love to do some climbing. gatrailboy@yahoo.com Thanks, Dwayne
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alc22
Mar 9, 2006, 7:30 AM
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In case someone searched for SE FL climbing and found this thread... Coral cliffs is in Ft Lauderdale and under new management. They are fixing the place up a bit and adding new boulding area and walls. It's a very friendly place and i've been climbing there for a year now. Started off at extreme in sw miami and now live close to coral cliffs. extreme is bigger but cc is a friendlier lot (the staff will even belay you if you're there alone). pm me if you're here i'm there twice a week
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