At CityROCK, nothing is more important than the safety of our climbing community.
Earlier this week, a young climber was injured after climbing an auto belay route without being attached to the auto belay. This was not an auto belay equipment malfunction. Instead, it was a tragic lapse that resulted in the climber effectively free soloing the route.
The 12-year-old climber sustained two broken wrists and a fractured sternum. Thankfully, after receiving medical care, he is now at home recovering. We wish him a full and speedy recovery.
Incidents like these remind us that even in an indoor climbing gym, gravity is unforgiving. Our sport is incredibly rewarding, but it demands our full attention every time we leave the ground.
Your Safety Starts With You
Whether you’re climbing indoors or outside, make your safety checks second nature.
Before every auto belay climb:
- Stop.
- Clip in correctly.
- Check that the carabiner gate is fully closed.
- Give the auto belay a gentle tug before starting to climb.
- Don’t climb with headphones, headphones reduce awareness and can cause you to miss critical safety cues while climbing
Before every top rope or lead climb:
- Complete a buddy check.
- Check harnesses.
- Check knots.
- Check belay devices.
- Check that the rope is correctly loaded and both climber and belayer are ready.
No matter how experienced you are, never let familiarity replace your safety routine. The best climbers in the world still perform the same checks before every single climb.
Our Commitment to Safety
We continually invest in safety at CityROCK, including quality flooring and mats, clear signage, controlled access gates, mandatory inductions, regular “Red Police” safety walks, and ongoing equipment inspections.
However, no system replaces personal responsibility. Taking a few seconds to do a final safety check before you leave the ground can prevent serious injury.
Gravity never takes a day off—and neither should our safety habits. Stay vigilant, climb smart, and we’ll see you on the wall.
Cally and the CityROCK Team
