When the climbers of Planet Granite say that community anchors everything they do, they have a history of outreach to back it up. After Castle Rock State Park appeared on California’s closure list, Planet Granite’s team quickly organized a fundraiser to save the sanctuary. They pledged $10,000 in matching funds, put together an auction, scheduled guest speakers, and obtained support from companies like REI. In one night, they raised $20,725. This kind of response has been the norm for Planet Granite’s team since they opened in 1994.

One of the first climbing gyms in the country, Planet Granite has expanded to four locations in Belmont, San Francisco, and Sunnyvale and Portland. Each gym features a diverse array of climbing resources which led Popsugar to name the gym conglomerate one of the top five in San Francisco in 2011. At the San Francisco location, members scale 25,000 square feet of climbable surfaces that include top out bouldering areas to 50-foot walls.

In keeping with their commitment to community, the staff tailors instruction and climbing routes to every ability level. They also supervise each gyms’ fully equipped fitness centers, including yoga, which provides a peaceful counterbalance to the full-body workout of rock climbing.