"Keep your eyes open, take risks, and whenever possible, don’t do things the way everyone else does." — Jonathan Belden Daniels '86
24F Hours:
Mon, Wed, & Fri: 8-11am, 4-10pm
Tue, thu, Sat, & Sun: 4-10pm
VHOC Climbing Sessions MON 4-5:30 PM
(for climbers who feel their gender is underrepresented or marginalized in the outdoors)
POCO Climbing Sessions WED 4-5:30 PM
(for climbers who feel their race/ethnicity/nationality is underrepresented or marginalized in the outdoors)
Check gym capacity in real time
Groupme for the Climbing Gym can be found here.
Notice: No Loose Chalk Policy
To help maintain healthy air quality and minimize dust, we have a no loose chalk policy at our gym. Climbers are welcome to use chalk balls, chalk socks, or liquid chalk instead. Thank you for helping us keep the air fresh and enjoyable for everyone. Happy climbing!
The climbing gym is located in the basement of Maxwell Dormitory. For a detailed map, click HERE
Free to all Dartmouth Community Members (Faculty, Students, & Staff with valid Dartmouth ID). Unfortunately, no non-Dartmouth Community members are allowed at this time.
To ensure the safety of every climber, monitors are always on hand to assist and help practicing climbers. Monitors are experienced climbers who are well-acquainted with proper safety techniques. They inspect holds, supervise climbing activity, and assure compliance to climbing rules. Monitors remain on-site during climbing hours and secure the area when they leave.
There can be no climbing unless the monitors are on-site. Users of the climbing gym are expected to follow the rules and heed the instructions of the monitors. Rules violations may also result in further action as set forth in the Dartmouth College Student Handbook.
The Climbing Gym was opened to the public on October 10, 1994, the culmination of a decade-long effort by members of the Dartmouth Mountaineering Club and the Outdoor Programs Office to bring a world-class indoor climbing facility to Dartmouth. Many students, faculty and alumnae/i participated in the design and construction of the gym.
The gym is a twenty-three foot tall bouldering cave where climbers of every skill level can practice their skills. Climbing Gym monitors assist climbers and ensure safe climbing techniques.
The Leadership and Training Center was opened in 2002. The Center adds lead climbing and belay stances for anchoring and rappelling to the gym’s offerings, as well as equipment for strength training and a library of periodicals and instructional videos. A Moon Board was added t0 the Leadership and Training Center in 2019.