Outdoor climbing is a natural fit with Southern California's climate and topography. A growing number of adventurers, however, are tackling gravity on indoor terrain.
The next generation of climbing gyms is joining stalwarts such as Rockreation in West L.A. and Arcadia Rock Climbing. Bay Area-based Touchstone Climbing & Fitness, which operates L.A. Boulders in the downtown arts district (with Hollywood and Culver City locations planned), and the Stronghold Climbing Gym in the Brewery Art Colony are among the newcomers helping to expand the sport's reach.
Stronghold co-owners Katharine Mullen and Peter Steadman knew of the growing demand for indoor climbing resources in Southern California when they moved to L.