6 Tips For Bouldering in San Antonio - San Antonio Magazine

If Andrew Andress had free time as a teen or young adult, he could usually be found cycling.

He loved being outdoors and the rush of competing and training but after years dedicated to the sport, the Abilene native realized he was spending an awful lot of his time alone on a bike. “It was very isolating,” he says.

At the invitation of a buddy, Andress had rock climbed outdoors a few times and enjoyed it. It wasn’t until he visited his first bouldering gym with a friend about seven years ago, though, that he realized he’d found his new sport. “I fell in love with the community aspect of it,” he says. “You’re still training and getting a workout in, but there’s also down time for conversation and people become friends pretty quickly as they’re trying to figure out routes or solve problems.”

Now the director of climbing at Armadillo Boulders, Andress has climbed throughout the world, moving to San Antonio after running a climbing gym in Kenya. He says with a little guidance, anyone can enjoy the sport—from kids to his father in his 70s who tried climbing later in life. “What I love about climbing is that it’s a lifelong sport and you can start at any point in life,” he says. Want to give it a go? Here are a few pointers.

Take a Class

Most climbing gyms are open to newcomers without a course requirement, but it never hurts to get a little professional instruction. If your first climb is outdoors, Andress and other coaches recommend taking a class or at a minimum getting some instruction from an experienced friend.

Indoor Intros

An Intro to Climbing class is available every Saturday at 3 p.m. at Armadillo Boulders. Learn the basics about gear and climbing technique during the hourlong session and then test your skills on a wall. At 6 p.m. each Monday and Wednesday at The District, newbies can join an intro class that features warm-ups and stretching plus basic instruction on technique. armadilloboulders.com, thedistrictsa.com

Outside Basics

Rock-About Climbing Adventures and Texas Climbing Adventures offer in-depth beginner climbing courses for groups or individuals. During the half-day class, students get to complete multiple climbs while learning the fundamentals of the sport, its terms and its safety guidelines. Both companies take groups to Enchanted Rock, greenbelts in Austin and Reimers Ranch Park near Dripping Springs. rock-about.com, texasclimbingadventures.com

Practice

While there’s always more to learn and new climbs to try, the saying that practice makes perfect is standard for a reason. Andress says if you’re climbing regularly, whether indoors or outdoors, you can expect to see vast improvement in just your first three months. There’s a lot to learn, he says, but it gets easier with each week.

Find a Friend

Climbing is not just more fun with friends, it’s safer. While basic bouldering a few feet off the ground can be done alone, climbing solo isn’t recommended. “It’s a community sport,” Andress says. Plus, he adds, along with providing safety, it’s helpful to have the input of a group when strategizing about how to begin or which route to follow to reach the top of a rock you never thought you’d be able to conquer.

Get Outside

Bouldering gyms are ideal places for regular training, but Andress says there’s nothing like being in nature. In San Antonio, The Texas Climbers Coalition has acquired and reopened Medicine Wall, which is just north of Loop 1604 and accessible from the Salado Creek Greenway. For a day trip, make reservations at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area or McKinney Falls State Park, which permits bouldering. Franklin Mountains State Park and Hueco Tanks State Historic Park deliver a fresh challenge when you have time for a longer road trip. texasclimberscoalition.org, tpwd.texas.gov

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