Appalachian Bouldering Center

04/27/2026

We are excited to announce the dates for our summer Youth Camps here at Appalachian Bouldering Center! The goal of these camps is to have fun, develop a love for the sport, and to learn foundational climbing skills throughout the week. We are offering six, one week long, camps with different age ranges in order to tailor the experience for each camper. The Monday through Friday camps will begin at 9am and run until noon each day. We will be limiting the camps to 12 youth per camp and the cost will be $250 per child. Camps require a full non-refundable deposit in order to reserve a spot for your child, paid in-person at the gym or over the phone. If you have any questions at all please reach out to us at any time!

Looking for an engaging and active camp for your child this summer that will provide opportunities for fun, learning, and skill development? Then look no further, Appalachian Bouldering Center will be offering youth camps each week of June. These Monday to Friday Camps will be from 9am to noon and w

04/23/2026

BOOTLEGGER 2026 was a huge success and we truly couldn’t have done it without each and every one of you who showed up, climbed hard, and brought the energy all day long. We had 100+ climbers competing across three separate heats, and daggum it was a blast to watch it all unfold and be a part of such a strong and supportive community. From first attempts to final sends, the psych was high and the stoke was real. We’re still going through and organizing photos from the event, so be on the lookout for a full recap post later this week, but for now, without further ado, here are your 2026 Bootlegger winners.

Advanced Men
1st Jackson Myers
2nd Lucas Parker
3rd Maddac Spracker

Advanced Women
1st Jessie Wence
2nd Addy Talent
3rd Alyssa Smith

Intermediate Men
1st Ari Klein
2nd Jaiden Hess
3rd Bryce Waldecker

Intermediate Women
1st Jade Bower
2nd Allison Clower
3rd Bess Mathisen

Beginner Men
1st Logan Worcester
2nd Asaf Hyson
3rd Micah Wyrick

Beginner Women
(Sorry We Forgot to Snag Photo 😪)
1st Kabria Ross
2nd Kendall Compton
3rd Kelly Pivacco

Youth Boys
1st Linden Klein
2nd Leo Dezta
3rd William Barragan

Youth Girls
1st Frances Mathisen
2nd Zolay Dezta
3rd Mabel Greenwald

04/05/2026

Appalachian Bouldering Center will be closed on Sunday, April 5th in honor of Easter.

We will see y’all back in action and ready to climb on Monday, with normal hours moving ahead for the foreseeable future.

03/23/2026

Less than a week to go until this Saturday, March 28 for the Bootlegger Bouldering Comp at Appalachian Bouldering Center. Spots are still available, but they are filling up fast.

With a full gym reset on the way, our schedule will look a little different this week as we get everything ready. We will be closing at 6pm on Tuesday to start stripping holds, and will be closed Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday as we set an entirely new round of problems for the comp.

We are fired up for the second annual Bootlegger, put on by App State Climbing and the ETSU Outdoor Program, and made even bigger thanks to Blue Emu, whose continued support helps us offer some seriously strong cash purses.

Get signed up while you still can and get ready for the Bootlegger on Saturday March 28th at Appalachian Bouldering Center!

03/15/2026

‼️ Attention Members ‼️

Appalachian Bouldering Center will be closing early at 4:00pm today, Sunday March 15th, for a private event. The good news is there is still plenty of time to swing by and get some climbs in between 1:00pm and 4:00pm. We will be back to normal operations on Monday and look forward to climbing with you then.

03/11/2026

This just in… we are psyched to announce that there will be cash prizes for this year’s Bootlegger Bouldering Comp at Appalachian Bouldering Center.

Open Category (Top Competitors)
$500 – 1st Place (Men & Women)
$200 – 2nd Place (Men & Women)
$100 – 3rd Place (Men & Women)

Intermediate Category
$75 – 1st Place (Men & Women)
$50 – 2nd Place (Men & Women)
$25 – 3rd Place (Men & Women)

Beginner Category
$25 – 1st Place (Men & Women)
$15 – 2nd Place (Men & Women)
$10 – 3rd Place (Men & Women)

Youth
$50 – 1st Place
$30 – 2nd Place
$20– 3rd Place
Total: $100

Huge thanks to Blue Emu for stepping up as this year’s main sponsor. These big cash purses would not be possible without their support.

We’ve also got new holds arriving just in time for the comp, which means a fresh reset and brand new problems waiting for you on comp day.

Bootlegger goes down March 28th at Appalachian Bouldering Center. Visit our website for more info and hit the link in our bio to get signed up.

Bootlegger is proudly put on in collaboration with Appalachian State Climbing Club and ETSU Climbing Club.

Appalachian Bouldering Center is hosting a rock climbing competition on Saturday March 29th at there gym in Bristol Tennessee. Click for more info about the comp!

03/04/2026

Wanted, Strip and Wash Crew

Appalachian Bouldering Center is looking for a few brave heroes to join the team behind the scenes that keeps the climbing fresh each week. The Strip and Wash Crew is responsible for stripping holds off the wall, washing them, and getting everything organized and ready for the setting crew every Monday night.

If you join the crew and show up consistently on Mondays from 7:00pm to 9:00pm, the perks include a free ABC membership and slices of pizza pie while you work.

We only have a few spots available, so anyone interested should come to an interest meeting and trial run this Monday, March 9th at 6:30pm at the gym. If you plan to participate in the trial run, please wear clothing that can get wet since pressure washing the holds is part of the job.

If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below or tag a friend who might want to join the ABC Strip and Wash Crew.

02/17/2026

Tuesday mornings at Appalachian Bouldering Center look a little different. Listen to Gabe as he gives an inside look at what’s going on behind the scenes and what setting at ABC is all about.

02/11/2026

Valenclimbs Day is all about sharing the send. Grab your climbing partner, your crush, or your best bud and come fall in love with bouldering. 💘 Two-for-one day passes this Saturday, Feb 14, from 5:00–9:00pm at Appalachian Bouldering Center.

02/11/2026

The second annual Bootlegger Bouldering Comp is back and bigger than ever at Appalachian Bouldering Center! We’re fired up to host another full day of bouldering and friendly competition, this year in collaboration with Appalachian State University and East Tennessee State University.

Saturday, March 28 is the day, and we’re opening things up with three action-packed qualification heats so more climbers can jump in:

Heat 1: 8:00–10:00am

Heat 2: 11:00am–1:00pm

Heat 3: 2:00–4:00pm

This year’s comp will feature categories for all ability levels, including Beginner, Intermediate, and Open, so everyone can get in on the fun. Climbers will throw down and submit their top five hardest sends from their chosen heat, with the top six male and female competitors advancing to finals.

We’ll be resetting the entire gym leading up to the event, giving everyone a level playing field and a full slate of fresh problems across the space. Finals will kick off at 5:30pm with the top climbers in the Men’s and Women’s Open categories putting on a showdown you certainly won’t want to miss.

Registration is live via the link in our bio. Got questions? Reach out—and get ready for another loud, all-out day of climbing as Bootlegger returns for year two at Appalachian Bouldering Center!

01/31/2026

Due to the snow, we’ll be closing early at 7:00 PM tonight (Saturday, Jan 31). The good news is we expect things to calm down this evening and for plows to be hard at work, so as of now we’re planning to be back to normal hours on Sunday, Feb 1 (1–7 PM). Enjoy the snow, stay safe, and we’ll climb with you soon.