DEI Action Initiatives We believe that the climbing community should celebrate diversity, embody equity, and at its core ―be inclusive. We acknowledge the lack of diversity in climbing, and want to do our part by re-evaluating our structure as a company to help break down barriers and create a more inclusive climbing community. There is much more work to be done, and we’re excited to continue making improvements, but here’s an update of what we’ve accomplished so far: The Cliffs at Callowhill hosted a People of Color Climbing Club (POCCC) meetup with discounted/pay-as-you-wish climbing ..read more

Written by Cliffs Designer Choon Lee You’ve been climbing for a few years and you've reached a plateau. Now what?  I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to ask two of The Cliffs’ very own phenoms, Emily Varisco, Head Coach at The Cliffs at LIC, and Jeiel Serrantes, Head Routesetter at The Cliffs at Valhalla, with a combined whopping 29 years of climbing experience, for their most valuable advice. After very little to no coercion, they spilled their goods. Below are the compiled 7 trade secrets that are bound to turn ..read more

Written by Cliffs youth coach Justin Carter. Check out his personal blog here. 2020 is here, but we’re not quite ready to leave 2019—which was no letdown in climbing and the growth of the sport—behind yet. With the Tokyo Olympic Games in their sights, the strongest climbers the world over have only gotten stronger. The award-winning documentary Free Solo continues to shock both the general public and the climbing community. And, here at The Cliffs, we’ve opened a brand new gym in Philadelphia! Read on for our recap of the climbing world in 2019! Feats in Climbing ..read more

‘Tis the season of gift-giving! Shopping for a climber friend but not sure what to get them? We have your back: this gift guide will put you well on your way to becoming the #1 gift giver this season. As an added bonus, we carry most of these items in our very own retail shops, so you don’t have to do any searching. Happy gifting! Black Diamond Half Dome Helmet $59.95 ..read more

Meet Eddie Pandolfino, our new Head Setter. Eddie has been setting with us for two years, and we’re so excited to welcome him to his new position! Read on to learn more about Eddie, setting, some of his favorite things, and more. How did you get into setting? I started doing it for free membership at a gym in New Jersey, then started getting paid for it. I set for four years before I started setting full time and have been setting for four years since then. Before setting what were you doing; what’s your professional background? I went to Rutgers and was a double major in American Studies a ..read more

Guest post written by Cliffs member Thomas Theofilatos All photos courtesy of Thomas + The Joshua Tree group In early May, seven climbers from The Cliffs boarded an airplane at JFK to escape the gray skies and cold rain that kept us indoors for weeks in early spring. Our destination was the climber’s Promised Land of Southern California where the warm sun would receive us to lighten our spirits. At LAX, we met Cliffs’ Director of Climbing, TJ Ciotti, who captained our ..read more

So you just started climbing in a gym! Good stuff! You’re going to make new friends and meet people with common interests you never would have met before. You’re going to get in the best shape of your life. You’re going to start filing off your skin when it cracks and downsizing all your shoes, even your sneakers! You’re going to quit your job, move into a used van that you “outfitted” with some foam for sleeping and become insta-famous for your #vanlife...Okay, maybe you’re not going to go quite as far off that deep end, but if you do, it might be good to have an idea of what you know, what y ..read more

It’s been a few months since you’ve been sucked into the world of climbing. You’ve bouldered and you’ve top roped, but you can’t stop watching in awe at the routine of flaking, clipping, whipping, coiling. You’ve decided it’s time to take it to the next level: lead climbing. Thankfully, we’re here to help you on your journey. Learning The BasicsInterested in taking the lead class (LIC / Valhalla)? Here are a few benchmarks that will tell you if you're ready to take the plunge (or shall we say, take the whip!):You've been to ..read more