Wilson Climbing Centre

Wilson Climbing Centre

Located in the PAW Centre, the Wilson Climbing Centre welcomes people of all abilities, from beginners to advanced climbers. Our staff are driven by a passion for climbing and a commitment to safety. Our Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) Certified Climbing Gym Instructors are experts in everything from basic bouldering to highwall belaying and lead climbing.

Climbing equipment is available for rental.

Features

  • 2,700 sq. ft bouldering lounge
  • High wall loft with over 7,000 sq. ft of climbing
  • 19 anchors for top roping (up to two top rope routes per anchor when fully saturated)
  • 16 anchors for lead climbing (up to two lead routes per anchor when fully saturated)
  • Four mixed lead/top rope anchors (up to two rope routes per anchor when fully saturated)
  • Two adaptable climbing anchors (1 route per anchor)

Access

Fall and Winter term 海角社区 full-time students have access to the Wilson Climbing Centre on a drop-in basis for free. 海角社区 Staff and Faculty get a discounted rate. Community members can access the centre by purchasing a membership or drop-in pass, or by registering for one of our climbing programs. The Climbing Centre also offers climbing equipment to buy or rent.

Policies Hours

Booking + Rentals Information

Our spacious, modern climbing facility is great for group bookings and rentals including school field trips,  private parties, team building experiences, and more. 

Washrooms, water fountains, and locker rooms are available on-site but there are no party/meeting rooms in the centre. 

Interested in booking private/group lessons or a field trip for a school group?

Includes:

  • Exclusive facility usage — your booked space will be closed to public use during the booking
  • Equipment 
  • No instruction or orientation will be provided — the Wilson Climbing Centre may require the presence of event staff for supervision as necessary; this will be assessed at $20/event staff/hour (in addition to the facility rental fee)
  • Highwall/rappel tower rentals will only be permitted on a case-by-case basis, according to Climbing Coordinator assessment of risk
  • All participants must have previously passed the Wilson Climbing Centre belay test in order to use the highwall
  • Teaching of technical climbing skills (such as top rope or lead belaying, knot tying, anchor building, rappelling, lowering, etc.) is NOT permitted during facility rentals
  • An additional staffing fee will be assessed if you are renting before or after normal operational hours
  • Maximum participant number is subject to building fire code regulations

Availability

  • A minimum of two weeks notice is required when requesting a booking — urgent requests may be considered on a case-by-case basis
  • Parking is not included in your booking
  • The centre can also be rented for exclusive use with or without instruction (additional staffing fees will apply if rented outside of normal operational hours)
  • We do not have a party room available on site - food, snacks, cake, etc. is therefore not permitted in the climbing centre; however, additional party space may be available on campus - please email bookings@ualberta.ca for more information.
  • Availability is extremely limited in July and August due to our summer youth camps and climbing programs