General faqs
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Yes! Once you're a member (18+), you get 24/7 keycard access to climb whenever you want—early mornings, late nights, or that random Tuesday at 2am when you can't sleep.
Who gets 24/7 access?
Members 18+ with a keycard
New members can sign up online or during staffed hours, but MUST come during staffed hours for their first visit, in order to collect their keycard
Minors (under 18) can climb during staffed hours with a parent/guardian
What about guests? Member guests must visit during staffed hours. They can stay for staffed hours, or grab their own membership to keep climbing after hours.
Safety features: We've got your back with panic buttons throughout the gym, emergency alert lanyards you can clip to your chalk bag, and monitored security cameras. Our laser gate system prevents tailgating at the door—if it detects more than one person entering on your keycard swipe, staff will be alerted.
Help us keep this place safe and magical by following the rules and looking out for each other.
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Bouldering is climbing without ropes over 1 foot thick pads. Fun fact: insurance for bouldering gyms is actually cheaper than for rope climbing gyms!
Walls are typically 14-16 feet tall—high enough to be fun, low enough that you don't need a belay partner. It's also an Olympic sport with its own World Cups and international competitions.
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A third space is somewhere to exist that isn't work or home—and they're disappearing fast. We're here to change that.
What that means at Skyhook: We designed this place so you can hang out, not just climb. Stand, sit, chat with friends, watch people send—you're not in the way, you belong here.
How we made it happen:
Plenty of space to be, even when you're not actively climbing
Coworking area for remote workers
Mini-fridge and microwave
Living plant wall—bringing the outdoors in
Thoughtful design that prioritizes community over cramming in maximum wall surface
This gym is built to be your home away from home in Portland. A place where you can actually exist, connect, and be part of something.
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NO! Member guests must visit during staffed hours only. They can stay for staffed hours, or grab their own membership to keep climbing after hours.
MEMBERSHIP FAQs
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Right now, the membership options we have are the best deal you can get. We are looking into family memberships for the future so stay tuned!
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A punch pass gives you multiple visits at a lower cost per session than drop-in pricing.
It's a great way to try us out if you're not ready to commit to a membership yet, or if you live farther away and want to see if the drive is worth it before signing up.
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Get a membership if: You plan to visit 3+ times a month. The membership will save you money and give you access to all our member perks (like 24/7 access if you're 18+).
Get a punch pass if:
You're not sure how often you'll come
You live farther away and want to test it out first
You want to bring friends and family to try us out
Part of our mission is making climbing more accessible, which is why we offer flexible options and keep our pricing lower than other Portland gyms.
FACILITY FAQs
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We're in a classic Portland building with a tall back section dedicated to bouldering—about 5,000 sq ft total with 4,000 sq ft of climbable wall surface. The full Gym is 10,000 sq ft.
The climbing:
90+ routes at all times
We set twice a week, so there's always something new
Full gym rotation every 6 weeks—enough time to work your projects without routes disappearing too fast
Color circuit grading system (each color = difficulty range). Check out our blog post on how it works.
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We wanted to build a gym where even non-climbers would want a membership—so we've got the classics plus some fun surprises.
Strength equipment:
Full weight area: dumbbells, barbells, benches, squat racks, back extension benches
Cable crossover
Cardio:
Treadmill, elliptical, and cycles
Dynamic training equipment:
Medicine balls, TRX systems, pull-up bars, bosu balls, yoga balls, and tons more
Large open space for training and stretching (because equipment without space to use it is pointless)
Looking for something specific? Send us a suggestion when you sign up—we're always open to adding equipment our community wants.
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Members (18+): Come climb whenever you want—we're open 24/7!
For non-members and climbers under 18: We're staffed and open to everyone during these hours:
Weekdays: 1-9pm
Weekends: 10-6pm
You can also find our current hours on Google (they're always up to date).
YOUTH FAQs
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This was a tough decision—you can read our full thought process in this blog post.
The short version: Our Tigard location does an amazing job serving families and kids, but we noticed we weren't reaching adults the way we'd hoped. We wanted to make a bigger impact with that community, so we decided to try something different while staying true to our values.
Why we think it's the right call: Bouldering lets us create the welcoming, community-focused space adults are looking for—a true third place where you can work out, hang out, and find your people.
We know some folks are disappointed we didn't bring Ninja to SE, and we get it. But we genuinely believe this will create value for more people than copy/pasting our first location would have.
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We have youth programming—afterschool programs, summer camps, and maybe more in the future. We'll roll these out slowly as we build interest and staff bandwidth.
Here's the thing: This location is built for adults first. We want families to climb together here, but if you're looking for extensive kids programming, our Tigard location is designed exactly for that.
Youth programs at SE:
Starting with afterschool and summer camps
Best way to secure a spot: sign up for a membership and watch our newsletter
Tigard location: Built primarily for kids with some of the best youth programming in the country (seriously—we're proud of what we've created there). Adults train there too, with or without their kids!
Read our full blog post about why we made this choice.
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Absolutely! Everyone is welcome here—we just wanted to be clear this location has a different vibe than our Tigard spot.
When kids can climb:
During staffed hours with a parent or legal guardian present
OR enrolled in our youth programs with coach supervision
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Under 18: Can only use facility during staffed hours (no 24/7 access)
Ages 16-17: May climb solo
Under 16: Children under 16 may be allowed to climb during stuffed hours without adult supervision if all of the following are true:
They have attended the gym 10 or more times demonstrating proper gym etiquette while following all gym rules
They have consistently demonstrated safety while climbing
There have been no violation to gym rules
Management believes that the teen will continue to follow the rules without parental supervision
A parent or legal guardian signs a form stating they are allowed to climb without adult supervision as long as rules are continually followed
A parent understands that their child’s ability to climb without supervision may be revoked if gym rules are broken in any manner
They understand that under no circumstances can they climb outside of staffed hours.
Climbers must be 6+ years old
Exceptions:
Youth programs: Kids can climb during program times with coach supervision
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Current programs (ages 6-14):
Afterschool program: Mondays and Wednesdays, 3-4pm with pick up from Abernethy Elementry available at no ectra cost Learn more here.
Summer camps: Starting June 23rd, running for 5 weeks
Our approach: We focus on the whole human, not just the climber. Personal growth and development through climbing, building lifelong athletes who care for themselves and their community.
OTHER FAQs
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We are always accepting resumes! Please email it to climb@skyhookbouldering.com with a blurb about yourself and why you want to work here. If you are interested in working at our tigard location please note that in your email.
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Because we asked nicely and the sheep said yes.
Okay fine, real answer: Bighorn sheep are incredible climbers. They can climb up steep slopes at 15 mph, balancing their 200-pound bodies on two-inch ledges. We figured if we're going to have a mascot, it should be something that could absolutely destroy us at our own sport. One of our Owners, Lynn, worked with her good friend and local artist, Susan Stelmack to make it, and add it to the art peice that is Skyhook Bouldering.
A better question: why isn't there a sheep on your roof?
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World peace. Universal healthcare. A route setter who finally understands that we don’t like Dynos. But mostly? We just want to build a place where you feel like you belong and maybe make some friends who'll spot your life choices as much as your climbing.
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We're not getting into this. Come climb, argue with your new friends about it later. This is what third places are for.
Still have Questions?
Give us a shout!
Phone
(503) 206-5923