Frequently asked questions
Per UIUC Club Sport policy only students, faculty, staff, and spouses of faculty may be a member of a club sport. This, unfortunately, means that any community members that do not meet this criteria can no longer be an official member of the UIUC Climbing Club. However, we have created resources to help to meet fellow climbers in Urbana-Champaign. Learn more here
Nope! Everyone has to start somewhere, and the club is a great first step if you want to get into climbing. The club is dedicated to getting new climbers interested in the sport and there is no need to worry about being judged. You’ll find a ton of club members who will be more than willing to give you tips and encouragement no matter what level you’re at.
Contrary to popular belief, proper climbing is very focused on using technique and leg strength. While upper body strength could be helpful in certain situations, becoming a good climber is much more about improving technique, balance, and knowledge.
No way! The Climbing Club is not a team or competitive entity of any kind. It is simply a group for people who climb or who want to try climbing.
Yes and no. Climbing is an inherently dangerous sport and there is always the possibility of something going wrong, possibly resulting in injury or even death (although this is quite rare). That being said, if proper safety measures are taken, climbing can be quite safe. The club is dedicated to teaching and encouraging the use of safe climbing practices so that you can climb with minimal risk.
We sure do! There is an official club trip once a semester called Callout (for more info, see the Callout page) where anyone can experience outdoor climbing, regardless of experience level. Besides that, almost any weekend with nice weather you can probably expect to see someone from the club going on a climbing trip. The club is a great way to network with other members so you can go on your own climbing adventures!
No. Many members regularly climb at the ARC climbing wall or go to other indoor climbing gyms. In fact, many of the staff at the ARC wall are climbing club members. The ARC wall is a great place to train and meet fellow climbers of all levels.
Meeting attendance is not a requirement. It is good to note, however, that meetings allow you to help make your voice heard in the club as well as giving you an opportunity to meet people and catch up on club happenings, so they are a great thing to attend if you’ve got the time.
Thanks, we try! In order to join the club, all you need to do is fill out our waiver and pay the annual $25 club dues. The club is aiming to digitize the collection of release forms and make transactions paperless, with more information on the Contact Us page. Otherwise, the easiest way to turn these in is at a meeting, but if that is not possible, other arrangements can be made. Another good option is to take a look at who the officers are and give the waiver/dues to one of them if you find them at the ARC climbing wall, since they often climb there. It is also encouraged, but not required, that you attend the first meeting of the year, since it is an informational meeting where you can learn about the club and get any questions answered that you might have.
We send out announcements about major events, gear rental, discounted gear orders, and callout via email. You can join the mailing list here. Information about impromptu get-togethers, meeting reminders, and other informal activities are posted on our Facebook page.