Menu
Our Walls range in height from between 35’ to 40’. We are the tallest climbing gym in Durham and one of the tallest in Ontario.
Everyone is welcome to climb at Pinnacle! We welcome all ages and skill levels! We recommend coming in and trying a Day Pass for any new climber. Our friendly staff will show you around and show you how things work. Once you get on a wall and reach the top you will be hooked!!
Parental or adult supervision (18 and older) is required for all participants 12 years of age and under.
Children 12 years of age and under require adult supervision (18+) at all times in our facility. Unless participating in our youth classes or programs, parents or accompanying adults are required to stay in the facility during the child’s visit.
Climbing shoes are not mandatory but they are highly recommended, however if visitors are not prepared with clean indoor athletic closed-toe shoes they may have to rent our climbing shoes. Climbing shoes improve your climbing experience as it increases your ability to grip climbing holds with your feet more effectively. Sticky rubber and a stiff edge provides control and security on the climbing walls.
Yes we DO! We have multiple levels of difficulty set at our Auto Belays so you will be able to challenge yourself if you are climbing alone!
Of course! Just ask a staff member at the front desk, we will be happy to belay you.
We change our routes regularly – we want to make sure we have a lot of variety and new challenges for our climbers, however we also want to make sure they will have a chance to solve a problem they may have been working on for a while. Our climbs are always fresh! Routes can be up for up to 3 months based on popularity.
You can just walk in to climb – please take note of our hours of operation and upcoming events tab to check if we are open.
Yes, however a belay lesson must be booked in advance. The Top Rope course takes about an hour to complete. Additionally, you must pass a test on another day before you can belay unsupervised.
If you purchase a day pass, you are able to climb that entire day. If you need to do an errand, check in at work ? or just take a break you can come back in – just check back in when you return, so our staff can verify your check-in from earlier in the day.
YES! You can have a climbing Birthday Party. Call to enquire about taking your party to new heights!!
If you have proof of top rope certification from another indoor climbing facility, you do not have to take a lesson but DO have to complete a top rope test before you can belay here.
Without proof of certification you will need to take a top rope lesson and pass a test before being able to belay here.
When you climbed before, did you learn how to handle the ropes, tie into your harness with a figure eight follow-through and a double fisherman’s knot? Did you learn to belay using a Petzl GriGri off your harness?
If yes, you will be required to take a belay test which includes the following:
– Your ability to put on a harness correctly;
– Tie a figure-eight knot and a figure-eight follow-through into your harness with a double fisherman’s keeper knot;
– Belay off your harness using a Petzl GriGri and demonstrate manufacturer’s recommended belay technique, without letting go of the break end of the rope.
If you are unable to demonstrate the aforementioned criteria, our staff may recommend taking a belay lesson to ensure you have the safest practices moving forward. This may or may not be something we can perform on the spot. It will be based on the availability of an instructor.
If it has been a while since you last belayed, our staff will perform an assessment based on how much you remember. “Refreshers” can quickly turn into a belay lesson so it will be to the discretion of our staff to determine what is required. A belay test should not take any longer than 15 minutes. Beyond 15 minutes, we may request that you take a lesson to refresh your skills.
The specific safety requirements for indoor rock climbing are different than those of working at heights. The gear and equipment appear similar but are not exactly the same. The dynamics and the nature of falling and lowering are not regular practices when working at heights. Only precautionary measures are taken in case an accident occurs.
If you are unable to confidently demonstrate the following, we recommend a belay lesson:
– Your ability to put on a harness correctly;
– Tie a figure-eight knot, a figure-eight follow-through knot into your harness with a double fisherman’s at the end.
– Belay off your harness using a Petzl GriGri and demonstrate manufacturer’s recommended belay technique, without letting go of the break end of the rope.
To belay at Pinnacle, you are required to belay using the belay technique endorsed by Petzl, the manufacturer of the GriGri device. Some previous methods of belaying are outdated and no longer deemed to be the safest techniques.
Previous “latch and slide” techniques were originally adopted for use with the Munter hitch. This method made its way to friction belay devices through tradition, but is fundamentally vulnerable to accidents due to a delayed and unnatural belayer response in the event of a fall, and ultimately it is not the safest practice.
We teach Petzl’s endorsed belay technique to new climbers at Pinnacle and expect the same from veteran climbers to set a positive example for the newer generation.
We are a COMMUNITY Indoor Rock Climbing Facility
Featuring some of the tallest walls in the GTA as well as one of only two certified speed climbing walls in Ontario.
My wife Sejin and I first came to this gym exactly 1 year ago (2022-11-13), curious and excited to try climbing for the first time, and immediately fell in love. Not just with climbing, which is just one of the best mental/physical exercises you can do, but with the staff and community as a whole. We're always looking forward to spending time with other climbers, figuring out problems together, and just having a good time! The routesetting here is fantastic. The setters here always take into consideration the wide spectrum of skills in the community and look for feedback from climbers about grading and quality. I just can't say enough about this gym! Gord, Nina, Jamie, and each of the staff have built such a warm and welcoming environment for everyone to take part. This is just the first year of many for us. We'll be coming here until we're old(er) and grey(er). A++!Sebastien Benoit2023-11-14Really cool atmosphere, great staff, bouldering walls are tricky but fun, look forward to coming back.Ruth Rennie2023-09-14Extremely friendly staff and environment. Very clean and they update their routes every handful of weeks. Great for experienced climbers and beginners alike! Highly recommend!Jordan Meli (Mainmanmeli)2023-06-27Great place with rock climbing and bouldering for all skill levels!! Orientation provided and coaches available for any questions! Fantastic deal right now too for new members : $50 unlimited climbs with equipment rentals!!Lisa Butson2023-04-30First time at Pinnacle and couldn’t be happier with the experience. I haven’t been in a climbing gym in years and so the staff gladly took me through a quick refresher to be sure I was comfortable and safe on the wall. The walls are much higher than many gyms offer and there are many options in terms of lead, top rope, bouldering etc. There is no doubt in my mind that I’ll be back! Hopefully sooner rather than later (after I recover from my intense climbing day of course..) Enjoy!adam harte2023-02-25Such a wonderful space and kind people here! Rock climbing was something new to me and with our friend's suggestion I discovered this place last month. I'm already hooked! Ultimate 5 star staff who make us feel comfortable from the moment we walk through the door. By just looking at other seasoned climbers, and talking with other members of Pinnacle, I want to be a member of this gym for a long time.Sejin Jang2022-11-30Really friendly staff, challenging walls with lots of progression from beginner to expert, good prices. The community here is great, I have had lots of staff and fellow climbers welcome me enthusiastically and offer advice that is helping me become a more capable climber. Everyone here is very encouraging and supportive.daniel leblanc2022-11-03Its a good place to climb, especially for people in the east, the walls were tall and the facility was clean. However, if you are looking to just boulder, this might not be your place but if you are willing to make up boulder problems with the existing walls then you might make it work. Thomas and Evan were wonderful and accommodating, excellent customer service from both guys. Edit: They have bouldering now and it looks amazing, can’t wait to try it out when I get a chance.Tomato Potato2021-02-09
