Pure Bouldering Gym, Colorado Springs

When the design team Vertical Solutions entered the former church that now houses Pure Bouldering Gym, they made sure every guests' eyes would shoot upward. They created a climbing wall that leads climbers up a flowing artificial rock face that seamlessly integrates a 38-foot long bouldering cave and strength-testing overhangs, all lined with a layer of 12-inch ballistic floor padding to protect against injury. The main wall and a competition wall next door—complete with faces tilted between 2 and 65 degrees—keeps climbers entertained for days at a time, as they challenge themselves to new routes and remain on the lookout for freeloading mountain goats. Meanwhile, a staff of experienced coaches trains budding boulderers to master the climbing art, starting off with the fundamentals in The Basics class and continuing through more advanced topics in private lessons.