Whether they're scaling 40-foot walls on ropes or tackling shorter bouldering routes, members of Elon Club Climbing say the organization is about much more than reaching the top.
The club meets twice a week, traveling to climbing gyms in Greensboro and Durham, where students of all experience levels spend their evenings climbing, socializing and encouraging one another. With a climbing wall set to open on campus in the Slattery Center, members say the club is poised to grow even more.
"We have climbers of all levels," said club president and senior Leah Brooker. "It's really just a club for anyone who's interested in climbing or has climbed forever."
Club Climbing currently travels to Ruckus Climbing Gym in Greensboro on Thursdays and Triangle Rock Club in Durham on Fridays. Transportation, day passes and rental equipment are included in semester dues, making the club accessible to students who have never climbed before.
Attendance has steadily increased since 2022. Brooker said the club typically fills its 30-person capacity for each trip. While members spend about two hours climbing at each gym, the experience extends beyond the rock walls.
"A lot of our community is built in those long van rides," Brooker said. "Everyone's really friendly, and it's just a really good vibe for a Thursday or Friday night."
That welcoming atmosphere is intentional, especially for newcomers.
Brooker recalled a student who joined the club without knowing anyone or having any climbing experience. Club members helped her complete the gym orientation, introduced her to climbing basics and encouraged her throughout her first night.
"Our exec board is really focused on making sure that new members feel really welcomed," Brooker said. "People are there to help you along the whole time."
Members choose how they want to climb. Some prefer top-rope climbing on taller walls, while others stick to bouldering, a style of climbing performed without ropes on shorter walls protected by padded flooring.
Beyond weekly trips, the club has also begun expanding its competitive opportunities. Last spring, Elon students competed in an intercollegiate climbing competition for the first time at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, with several members earning top-five finishes.
The club hopes to build on that momentum once the new campus climbing wall opens. Brooker said members have worked directly with campus recreation and contractors to provide input on the wall's design and hope to host friendly competitions for students.
"It's really exciting," Brooker said. "I think it's something that Elon has been needing for a while."
For Brooker, who joined Club Climbing during her first week as a freshman, the biggest change has been watching the community grow.
When she first arrived, she said members largely kept to themselves. After focusing on outreach and recruitment with other student leaders, the club expanded to about 60 active members last fall.
"It really makes my heart sing when I show up and there's so many people and they're all talking to one another," Brooker said.
She believes climbing offers students both a physical and mental challenge.
"It's a big mental game," Brooker said. "The majority of climbing is failing and falling, so I think it makes you really tough. But the satisfaction that you get when you finally send a climb you've been working on is unlike any other."
As she enters her final semester as club president, Brooker hopes the welcoming culture continues long after she graduates.
Brooker encourages incoming freshman and upperclassman to give club climbing a try.
"You never know. It might not be your thing, and that's okay, but the people might be your thing. It's one of the best things I ever did in my college experience," Brooker said.