Rock Climbing Gym Opens in Monmouth

Are you going stir crazy from the brutal winter? Looking to break out of your ho-hum fitness routine.

A new rock climbing gym at 37 Kanes Lane off Route 35 in Middletown aims to take the fun factor to the next level.

Little Silver resident Sam Wright opened the 20,000-square-foot Gravity Vault on Feb. 8 to a crowd of 700 people. Wright said his daughter, Emma, inspired him to take up the sport and launch into small business ownership.

"It actually started from my daughter. My oldest daughter is on a rock climbing team on another gravity vault location," Wright said.

Wright said the family was regularly driving up to the Chatham Gravity Vault location because of the lack of rock climbing gyms close to home. When Gravity Vault decided to franchise, Wright saw it as an opportunity to combine a passion with a longhand desire to own a business.

The gym features about 14,000 square feet of climbing space and offers passes to regular climbers and belay classes to newcomers.

"A lot of people have never climbed before and this is their first taste, so it's cool that we're growing the sport," Wright said.

The gym provides a family activity that will keep kids interested and adults active.

"It's a fun activity for kids. My daughter didn't really like traditional sports, and I always think it's great for kids to have a different sport that they could do," Wright said. "Some adults are using it to stay in shape. It's a fun way to workout."

The gym will soon field its own rock climbing time. Tryouts are scheduled for Saturday, March 8 at 11 a.m.

Gravity Vault offers day passes, month passes, 10-trip passes, birthday classes and belayed climbing sessions.

For more information, visit http://www.gravityvault.com/