ROCKTOBER CHALLENGE

This completely free challenge runs throughout October. Choose a tier based on your age, gender, and estimated climbing ability, then earn points by logging checkpoints, tops, and completed challenges. Challenges are worth more points, and each completed challenge can only be logged once. Use the QR codes posted by the wall to log your progress.

The rockwall has nine walls labeled 1 through 9. Each wall has checkpoints at approximately one-third and two-thirds of the way up. Reach and grab a hold at or above the number to reach that checkpoint. When logging a climb, record only the farthest point you reached; if you top a wall, do not also log its checkpoints. A checkpoint challenge can still be logged if you have already topped that wall.

On walls 6 and 7 (the autobelays), the top is touching the bottom of the autobelay with one hand in a controlled way. When rainbowing, the top is hitting the number at the top of the wall. When following a route, the top means grabbing the literal top of the wall with two hands, including when a route says “nats off.”

Certified climbers, or climbers with a certified belayer, may climb whenever the YMCA is open. Check the Rock Climbing Info Board for class times and open climbs. Open climbs are posted Saturdays from 12–1pm, when staff belay participants for free. If you are not certified, attend an open climb or sign up for the belay class or autobelay-only class.

You must have signed a 2026 waiver, wear close-toed shoes, and have access to a harness. Staff can provide harnesses during open climbs, or you can get one at the front desk by showing your certification card.

Route cards identify the hold color and difficulty. Difficulty increases as the number rises (for example, 5.8 < 5.9 < 5.10a < 5.10d < 5.11a). “Nats off” means natural wall features cannot be pulled on; “nats off for hands” still allows pushing on the wall. Volumes are the pyramid-shaped holds that other holds can be attached to. They are mainly gray, but there is an orange one on Wall #5. Volumes count only when a route hold is mounted to them or the route card says they count.

Harder walls, routes, and challenges are worth more points, and getting farther earns more points. In routes categories, after a route is logged as a top five times, future logs are worth half as much. First place earns bragging rights, while specific completed challenges earn prizes available at the front desk a few days after reporting.

Yes. Anyone can join after October 1 and still earn points and prizes. If you complete every challenge in your tier, keep logging tops and checkpoints; more challenges may be added during the month.

Yes. If you try a routes category but still have trouble with a lot of routes, you can also sign up for the wall climbs category and see if it has challenges you want to try. However, you will not receive twice the prizes; only one prize for each type will be given.

Yes. For example, if one challenge is to climb all the green routes and another is to climb all the routes on Wall 6, you only have to climb the green route on Wall 6 once for it to count toward both challenges.

Yes and no. We provide the list of challenges, and once you log one as complete, you do not need to log it again; we will update your point total. However, there isn’t currently a way to see your previous log entries, so you’ll need to keep track of which challenges you have logged and how close you are to completing others.

Yes. Checkpoint challenges are a minimum you must reach. If you climb to the top instead of just the checkpoint, still log the checkpoint challenge as complete.

It depends. In the wall climb categories, falling or resting completely on the rope is okay; take a break and continue once you’re ready. In the routes categories, you must reach the top “cleanly,” without falling or resting on the rope.

First, log the challenges that have prizes using the log QR code. Prize challenges are marked on the website and the info board. All prizes are 3D printed, so they take a little time to create and get to the Y. Hopefully within 3 days, your prize will be waiting at the front desk with your name.

Yes, but walls easier than your range won’t be worth nearly as many points. Remember, though, that some challenges may encourage you to climb walls outside your range (including easier ones), and those can be worth a lot of points.