Vertical Rock’s expansive, air-conditioned facility welcomes climbers ranging from novices to experts with routes suited to every level of ability. The climbing wall towers to more than 50 feet, crisscrossed by numerous lead-only and top-rope routes with difficulty grades falling between 5.5 and 5.13. A mighty arch of more than 125 feet spans the space, littered with treacherous horizontal hangs to entice advanced climbers as well as those who have been banned from the St. Louis Arch. First-timers can start out with open climbs, which include an expert’s assistance with putting on the harness, tying the safety knot, and belaying for three separate climbs. From there, committed climbers advance through the outfit’s lineup of expert-led classes, starting with basic safety skills and techniques in the Learning the Ropes intro course and running all the way up to advanced classes on crack climbing, functional movements, and escaping from prison.