Some people are born to run; others are born to crawl up and down walls and ceilings like babies wearing suction-cup gloves and booties. For $30, today's Groupon gets you one beginner-focused indoor climbing class ($40) and one month of unlimited climb time that includes free equipment rental ($57.50, for a total value of $97.50) at Stone Age Climbing Gym. Navigate the faux cliffs, bouldering nooks, and craggy archways of this centrally located cave and cliff mecca.

Climbing at Stone Age is nothing like grappling the plywood-and-plastic climbing walls at a company picnic or showing Mom how you can reach the top of the telephone pole. Stone Age's walls are covered with state-of-the-awesome textures that mimic the conditions of real rocks (indentions, protrusions, overhangs, underhangs, cracks, and pissed-off eagles in their nests). Veteran climbers say rock climbing is like running a marathon, but the adrenaline rush comes in shorter, more intense bursts. Indoor climbing is a great way for someone to get started, or a perfect after-work and hail-, snow-, and meteor-shower-proof indoor alternative for experienced climbers who want continuous practice. It's also a great workout that builds up boulder shoulders and promontory pecs.

Stone Age's experienced instructors dote on their new climbers like mother ducks, giving them a full rundown of basic moves and safety equipment before releasing them into their simulated wild. Before you know it, your hands will transform into rubber suckers that emit pleasant popping noises as you clamber up, down, and over Stone Age's 12,000 square feet of climbing terrain. Once you’ve mastered the basics, try the center's outdoor climbing, or try your forearms on the crags of Stone Age's best climbs of New Mexico, helpfully organized with advice, descriptions, and gnarlitude ratings.

Stone Age Climbing Gym is open Monday through Friday from noon until 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., but your two-hour intro to gym climbing class will be on either a Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. or a Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Reviews

A lone Google Maps reviewer gives Stone Age Climbing Gym a solid three stars, and two Insider Pagers give it four:

• The [sic] offer very complete and professional instruction for all ages, both in groups and individual lessons. They rent high quality climbing equipment and have a full service climbing shop on site. – Julie H., Insider Pages
• This gym does have the best training facility I have seen in a gym if your [sic] into that, 4 hangboards, a campus board with edges, slopers and pinches! There is also a large system wall. – Eric, Google Maps