Up The Bloc

Since getting back from tour in Europe it has been a whirlwind two weeks. Six more flights, a bunch of shows, some apartment hunting sprinkled in, and not a lot of exercise. So yesterday on my day off in no man’s land Ontario I decided to get out and get the blood flowing.

I pulled the Brompton out of the bay of the bus and rode the roughly four miles to Up The Bloc climbing gym. It was hidden at the far end of an industrial parking lot right next to the train tracks. I turned down one driveway too early and had to climb through a hole in the fence to avoid backtracking.

The outside was subtle and not obvious. Lots of parking for vehicles but none for bikes. Luckily trusty old brompton can hide in a corner pretty easily.

Inside the gym was clean and simple. It is an all bouldering gym with a long wall on either side and seating in the middle. There is a kilter board on the way in and a small workout area at the far end.

The terrain and setting was varied and decent. They use a circuit style difficulty rating which I’m not a huge fan of, but that’s just me.

They had two rules that I found annoying. First shirts must be worn at all times. Ok, I get this one but maybe don’t keep it so warm making me want to take my shirt off. Second was shoes must be worn at all times. I guess it was my fault for not bringing flip flops, but I hate keeping my climbing shoes on between climbs. Oh well, now I know for next time.

The staff was friendly and overall the vibe was pretty good. After Europe my main thought is they could do with a cafe.

This was a good spot for an afternoon workout but I don’t know that I would go hear if I was any further away.

Staff 4/5

Terrain and setting 3.75/5

Amenities 3/5

Overall 3.5/5

https://www.upthebloc.com - 905.272.2562
1224 Dundas Street East - Unit #28 - Mississauga ON, L4Y 4A2

Limited weight facilities. Hang boards and campus boards behind