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First Ascent West Loop
4.8 ★★★★★ 80 Google reviews · Climbing gym in Chicago, Illinois
Plan your visit
- Gear rental nearly every climbing gym rents shoes (~$5–8 typical) and chalk; harness rental is often bundled with a ropes pass
- Waiver always required at climbing gyms — sign it online before you go to skip the front-desk line
- First timer? bouldering needs zero experience — rent shoes and walk in; staff will point you at the easiest problems
- Kids programs classes, camps, or youth teams mentioned — check the current schedule
- Yoga & fitness mentioned alongside the climbing — ask about the class schedule and what a pass includes
- Memberships available — worth asking about if you'd climb more than a few times a month
- Today see hours ·
- Phone (312) 374-8090
- Website faclimbing.com
Hours
| Monday | 6 AM–11 PM |
| Tuesday | 6 AM–11 PM |
| Wednesday | 6 AM–11 PM |
| Thursday | 6 AM–11 PM |
| Friday | 6 AM–11 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM–8 PM |
| Sunday | 10 AM–8 PM |
What's inside
“When I walked in, it seemed a little unassuming - clearly some bouldering, and what seemed like a gym upstairs.”
“Great selection of auto-belays with a couple of hard (11+, 12) routes.”
“It would be great to have some daytime yoga classes offered here and I’m looking forward to attending community events in the future.”
What climbers say again and again
“It would be great to have some daytime yoga classes offered here and I’m looking forward to attending community events in the future.”
“However, after I got signed in, staff showed me the MASSIVE back room with tons of rope walls.”
“The coworker space is so inviting.”
“I love the addition of a ropes gym to the FA community, and the routes are accessible and interesting for newer and veteran climbers alike.”
From the reviews
I randomly stumbled across First Ascent when looking for a nearby climbing gym on a trip to Chicago. When I walked in, it seemed a little unassuming - clearly some bouldering, and what seemed like a gym upstairs. However, after I got signed in, staff showed me the MASSIVE back room with tons of rope walls.
First Ascent gyms are the best! My first experience at West Loop during opening was great. I tasted it all. Leading for half, bouldering the other. Slick walls is a new experience for me. I hope they add more lead routes.
This is a great place to climb. They always set unique bouldering problems and rope routes that make you move in a fun way.
The staff here are the BEST and I love this location’s layout. Awesome gym area too :-)
Birthday parties at First Ascent West Loop
First Ascent West Loop hosts birthday parties — confirmed on their own site. Climbing parties come with staff who handle the harnesses and belaying, so parents can mostly watch. One thing that's different here: every guest needs a signed waiver — send the gym's waiver link to the other parents when you send invites, or check-in day gets slow. Packages, party rooms, and pricing change often, so check the current options and book ahead — weekend slots go fast at popular gyms.
Kids classes & camps at First Ascent West Loop
Reviews and the gym's own info mention kids programs at First Ascent West Loop — climbing classes, school-break camps, or a youth team where kids learn technique from coaches instead of just scrambling around. Program schedules and age groups change each season, so check the current lineup before you plan around one.
Climbing gyms near First Ascent West Loop
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