Rise Up Climbing

What Rise Up Climbing does

Rise Up Climbing LLC operates a single-location indoor rock climbing gym at 1225 Church Street in downtown Lynchburg, Virginia, marketed as the city's only indoor rock climbing facility. Founded in 2008, the business runs on a traditional gym retail model combining day passes ($19/adult), flexible membership subscriptions (month-to-month at $79/month, annual at $730, prepaid 30-day at $99, and 10-punch bundles at $150), with ancillary equipment rental, instruction, birthday parties, nonprofit group events, and a structured youth programming stack ranging from afterschool clubs for ages 3-8th grade to summer camps, one-day holiday camps, and Advanced and Elite competitive teams aligned with the USAC circuit.

The physical product centers on 40-foot top rope walls, 10-15 foot bouldering terrain, a Moonboard training wall, 32-foot auto belay party walls, and a fitness area. The 2024 renovation added auto belay systems that allow independent rope climbing without a partner, a change that materially broadens the addressable audience toward families with young children and solo first-time visitors. Operations are supported by booking and waiver infrastructure through Rock Gym Pro, e-commerce payments via Stripe/PayPal/Apple Pay/Shopify/ThriveCart, and marketing through an organic social media presence and word-of-mouth; no proprietary software, AI features, or app is offered.

Revenue is generated across a diversified mix of recurring memberships (~400 active members), pay-as-you-go day access, youth program registration, party/event bookings, instructional classes (Top Rope Belay, Technique Intensives, Indoor Lead), and gift cards. The customer base spans families, youth (3-15), first-time visitors, regular climbers, birthday/event hosts, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit groups with special pricing. The company is privately held by Keely and JB Askew, who became partial owners in 2019 and assumed full ownership of both business and building in 2026, with a headcount reported in the 1-10 range and no institutional or venture capital involvement disclosed.

Name

Rise Up Climbing

Legal name

Rise Up Climbing LLC

Website

https://riseupclimbing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rise Up Climbing operates a single indoor rock climbing gym in downtown Lynchburg, Virginia, serving families, youth (ages 3-15), and recreational climbers through day passes, memberships, instruction classes, youth programs, and birthday party events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indoor Climbing Gym

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Climbing & Mountaineering Gyms/Guides (Indoor, Outdoor, Via Ferrata) (THAAAKAG)

Keywords

• Indoor rock climbing
• Climbing gym memberships
• Youth climbing programs
• Climbing instruction classes
• Birthday party venue

Headquarters

HQ city

Lynchburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Day Passes: One-time admission passes granting full gym access for the day with no time limits. Customers can leave and return same day. Includes $19 adult passes with free entry for kids 2 and under.
2. Monthly Memberships: Recurring monthly subscriptions offering unlimited gym access during open hours, fitness area access, discounts on instruction classes, and priority access to events. Starts at $79/month, billed monthly until cancelled.
3. Annual Memberships: Prepaid annual subscriptions offering cost savings over monthly billing. Adult annual membership priced at $730/year.
4. 10 Punch Pass: Prepaid bundle of 10 day passes at discounted rate of $150, ideal for sporadic climbers who want flexibility without monthly commitment.
5. Prepaid Monthly Memberships: 30 consecutive days of membership for $99 prepaid. No ongoing billing, one-month block access.
6. Youth Programs: Semester-based afterschool climbing clubs (Basecamp ages 3-1st grade, Ascent 2nd-5th grade, Summit 5th-8th grade) and summer camps (Bobcat ages 4-7, Lynx ages 7-12, Puma ages 8-14) with registration fees.
7. Birthday Parties: Group event bookings with trained staff, auto belay wall access, and party space. Base package $200 (up to 10 climbers), additional climbers $20 each, with $80 deposit required.
8. Equipment Rentals: Rental climbing shoes ($6), chalk ($3), and harnesses ($3) available for customers without gear.
9. Instruction Classes: Paid classes including Top Rope Belay Class, Technique Intensives (How to Climb V3, Fundamentals of Movement), and Indoor Lead Climbing. Members receive discounts.
10. Gift Cards: Gift cards never expire and can be used for day passes, memberships, merchandise, instruction classes, concessions, and more.
11. Nonprofit Group Events: Special pricing for 501-c(3) nonprofit groups with 90 minutes of climbing plus 30 minutes in party overlook, led by trained instructors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rise Up Climbing operates an indoor rock climbing gym at 1225 Church Street in downtown Lynchburg, VA, featuring 40-foot rope walls, auto belay systems, bouldering terrain, and a fitness area. It sells day passes, monthly and annual memberships, prepaid punch passes, and prepaid monthly access, alongside structured youth programs (afterschool clubs, summer/one-day camps, competitive teams), birthday parties, nonprofit group events, and instruction classes such as belay, technique intensives, and lead climbing. Equipment rentals (shoes, chalk, harnesses) and gift cards supplement the primary offerings.

Product overview

Rise Up Climbing is an indoor rock climbing gym offering a unified set of services centered around its 40-foot climbing wall in downtown Lynchburg, VA. The core offering consists of day passes and flexible membership options (month-to-month at $79/month, annual at $730, punch passes, and prepaid monthly). The company extends its service portfolio through youth programs including Basecamp, Ascent, and Summit clubs for ages 3-15, summer and one-day camps, and competitive teams (Advanced and Elite). Additional offerings include birthday party packages, group events for non-profits, instruction classes (belay, technique intensives, lead climbing), and equipment rentals. The business operates on a traditional gym membership model rather than a technology platform, with no public API or AI-powered features.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Day Pass Single-day admission to the indoor climbing gym at $19 per person (kids 2 and under free), with no time limits and same-day re-entry allowed. Includes access to auto belays, top rope, bouldering, and fitness area for first-time and walk-in visitors.
• Month-to-Month Membership Recurring monthly membership starting at $79 per month, billed monthly until cancelled. Includes unlimited gym access, fitness area use, discounts on instruction classes, and priority event access. Free child age 3-6 with each full-priced member (limit 2 children).
• Annual Membership Prepaid one-year adult membership at $730 offering cost savings over month-to-month billing, with all the same membership benefits including unlimited gym access and class discounts.
• 10 Punch Pass Prepaid bundle of 10 day passes at $150 for sporadic climbers who want flexibility without a recurring membership commitment.
• Prepaid 30-Day Membership Prepaid 30 consecutive days of membership for $99 with no additional monthly billing, providing a fixed-term access block.
• Climbing Birthday Parties Private birthday party packages including 90 minutes on 32-foot auto belay walls and 30 minutes in a private party overlook, with trained staff. Base package $200 covers up to 10 climbers, additional climbers $20 each, $80 deposit required.
• Non-Profit Group Events Group events for 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations including 90 minutes of climbing plus 30 minutes in the party overlook with trained instructors on 40-foot walls at special group pricing.
• Basecamp Club Afterschool climbing club for children ages 3 through 1st grade featuring coach-facilitated sessions with climbing practice, educational climbing puzzles, and movement games to build gross motor skills.
• Ascent Club Afterschool climbing club for 2nd through 5th grade introducing harnesses, belaying, technique, and goal-setting while building perseverance and problem-solving skills.
• Summit Club Afterschool climbing club for 5th through 8th grade where climbers choose their own bouldering and top rope projects while working toward personal goals in a challenging environment.
• Summer Camps (Bobcat, Lynx, Puma) Summer climbing camps broken into Bobcat (ages 4-7, half-day), Lynx (ages 7-12), and Puma (ages 8-14, prior experience required), providing age-appropriate climbing instruction and activities.
• One Day Camps School holiday day camps for ages 6-11, running 8:30am-12:30pm at $45 for members and $65 for non-members, with a minimum of 6 campers to host.
• Advanced Competitive Team Youth competitive climbing team for climbers pursuing personal goals, competition, or outdoor climbing, operating in a supportive but demanding environment.
• Elite Competitive Team Invite-only elite competitive climbing team emphasizing training and technique to prepare climbers to compete regionally and beyond, following the USAC competition circuit schedule.
• Top Rope Belay Class Instruction class teaching safe and confident belaying techniques required for climbing with a partner beyond auto belay use.
• Technique Intensives Single-session deep-dive classes on specific climbing skills such as How to Climb V3 and Fundamentals of Movement, offered at member-discounted rates.
• Indoor Lead Climbing Advanced climbing instruction teaching climbers to clip their own rope and take on more technical routes. Requires age 14+ and the ability to climb 5.10a comfortably.
• Equipment Rentals Rental gear for climbers without their own equipment, including shoes ($6), chalk ($3), and harnesses ($3).
• Gift Cards Non-expiring gift cards redeemable for day passes, memberships, merchandise, instruction classes, concessions, and other gym offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Staff gets new climbers oriented and on the wall in under 30 minutes
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BrandWell DesignsminorOthersWebsite design firm credited for the Rise Up Climbing website design. Referenced in footer as 'Design by BrandWell Designs®'. Standard vendor relationship for web design services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hangar 18 Climbing Gyms: Multi-location indoor climbing chain with bouldering, top rope, auto belay, youth programs, and memberships. Directly comparable facility mix and revenue model.
• Stone Summit Climbing and Fitness: Indoor climbing facility with bouldering, top rope, youth programs, instruction, and fitness amenities. Operates a similar full-service climbing-gym model.
• Sender One Climbing: Multi-location indoor climbing gym offering bouldering, top rope, lead climbing, youth programs, and memberships. Closely aligned business model and customer base with Rise Up Climbing.
• Vertical Ventures: Indoor climbing gym with multiple locations offering memberships, day passes, youth programs, instruction, and birthday parties. Closely comparable operating model and customer mix to Rise Up.
• Crux Climbing Center: Indoor climbing gym with bouldering, rope climbing, youth programs, and memberships. Comparable business model and customer offerings to Rise Up.
• High Point Climbing and Fitness: Regional indoor climbing operator with multiple locations offering climbing, fitness, youth programs, and instruction. Comparable service mix and customer segments.
• The Spot Bouldering: Indoor bouldering-focused climbing gym with memberships, youth programs, instruction, and community events. Comparable climbing-gym business model; differs by being bouldering-only.

Broad incumbents

• Movement Climbing Gyms: Largest US climbing-gym operator with multiple locations across the West and East Coasts. Comparable as a climbing-gym business model serving similar customers (members, day passes, youth, instruction), but operates at substantially greater scale and in larger metro markets than Rise Up's single Lynchburg site.
• Earth Treks: Multi-location indoor climbing chain with a similar full-service model (memberships, youth programs, instruction, parties). Comparable category but larger footprint and broader geographic reach than Rise Up's single facility.
• Brooklyn Boulders: Indoor climbing-gym operator with multiple urban locations offering memberships, youth programs, and community-driven experiences. Directly comparable business model; operates at greater scale in larger metropolitan markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/riseupclimbing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rise-up-climbing-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rise Up Climbing