Vertical View

The Vertical View Story

Why build a rock climbing gym?

While on a business trip in Utah, Tyson Gray, a local dentist and family man, signed up for his first guided outdoor climbing trip and the experience changed him. He couldn’t wait to come home and share the experience with his family. Within days, he and his wife, Marie, loaded up the car with their five young children and took an excursion to Boise’s Urban Ascent climbing gym. The family was hooked! Finally, something that challenged each one of them at their own level. There was always a climb to push them to better themselves. Tyson understood that the challenge of climbing could bring out the best in someone’s physical, social, mental, and spiritual natures. It was a sport that strengthened not only the individual but relationships, community, and family. They were new to climbing and its community, but their passion for the sport grew.

Tyson attended the annual Climbing Wall Association (CWA) Summits to learn about the industry. He knew he wanted to build something for the Meridian community, and the idea of an indoor climbing gym began to form. Right away he realized that he needed to dream big - real big! Dreaming big is Tyson’s specialty and he was not going to settle for less. He dreamed of the tallest indoor climbing walls in the nation. He dreamed of routes and competitions so world-class they would need four floors and a stadium for the roaring crowd. He dreamed of open spaces and the smiles of families as they overcame their fears and anxieties and worked together. The dream began to become so clear in his mind, that he built it. Well, a styrofoam model of it and drove it to Insight Architects in Boise. He placed the dream on their desk and asked, “Is this physically possible?”

They looked over the model and then said…yes! The architects enthusiastically started their work and the dream began to materialize. Tyson partnered with two other families who shared his vision–the Mowers and Beals, family friends of over 20 years–and they collaborated to build something the Treasure Valley would be proud of.