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Definition
What is a Climbing Wall

Pre-History
Bildering And Bilderers
Geoffrey Windthrop Young
Arthur Pinner

First True Climbing Structure
SchurmanRock
Clark Schurman
Camp Long

Post War Development

1960's Boom
Britians First Climbing Walls

1970's Development

Climbing Wall Manufacturers

Bendcrete Climbing Walls

DR Climbing Walls

University Walls
Brunel University
Spire Rock
University of Washington

The 1980's Wall Development
The invention of the bolt on Hold

First Commercial Climbing Centre
Vertical, In Seattle
Mile End, London

The 1990's Beginning of the Golden Age

21st Century Climbing Walls and the Future
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Practice Rock

The First Open Access Climbing Facility 1975

The University of Washington Practice Rock is a concrete structure with rocks set in for holds. It was built in 1975 and is therefore the first open access bouldering facility know of. Technically it is in the grounds of the university and only open to students, graduates and university employees. That said, most of the people who climb here have never had any affiliation with the university.

"It is one of the best artificial bouldering facilities anywhere. It is located at the southern edge of the parking lot between Husky Stadium and the Montlake Cut, on the University of Washington campus. Back in the late 70s and early 80s, this was the hub of Seattle climbing. The introduction of indoor climbing at the Vertical Club in 1987 diminished the rock's popularity, but it is still a fun place to hang out, and the best place in the state to practice crack climbing. It has some of the hardest boulder problems in Washington, although they are mostly contrived."

Rules are posted; please abide them.

Pumping Concrete - A guide to Seattle-area climbing walls. Contains a full list of boulder problems was published in 1996. It is now outdated and also out of print.

Climbing Washington have more information and pictures on their website
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University of Washington Practice Rock University of Washington Practice Rock
3800 Montlake Blvd South of Husky Stadium Parking Lot Seattle, WA 98105
Directions to the Rock From Google Maps

Page Acknowledgements and References:

Climbing Washington
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