California Climbing Collective Opens on Folsom Street in SoMa With Ungraded Bouldering

California Climbing Collective, an independent bouldering gym at 1264 Folsom Street in SoMa, opened to climbers on Saturday, October 11, according to The San Francisco Standard. For now it is open to members and punch-pass holders only; the Standard reports that single-visit day passes start in November.

What’s Inside

The gym is built around bouldering, with walls about 16 feet high, plus a spray wall for training. Owners Summer Bombard and Radu Popescu, both coaches and routesetters, told the Standard they plan to add autobelays for solo endurance training, hangboards, a stretching area and cardio equipment. Upstairs there is a workout and seating area with couches and weight racks, and a small workspace with outlets and Wi-Fi.

Climbs at CCC are not graded. Most problems are set in a competition style, alongside what the owners call “funk” problems that test movement and technique more than strength. Bombard told the Standard: “People don’t seem afraid of trying and failing at anything, which is kind of the whole point of not having grades.” The owners also plan classes that introduce different climbing styles.

The gym is funded by the two founders and their families, according to the Standard, which put membership at about 150 people as of mid-October.

Hours and Prices

Address: 1264 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

Hours: 3pm to 10pm Monday through Friday, and 11am to 8pm Saturday and Sunday, per the gym’s website. The Standard reports that longer hours are planned for early December: 7am to 10pm on weekdays and 8am to 8pm on weekends.

Cost: Membership is $79 a month, and day passes will be $25 once they go on sale, according to the Standard. The gym’s own site does not list prices yet, so check its membership portal before you go.

Before you climb: CCC asks every climber to sign a waiver through the accounts page on its website.

Getting There

The gym is on Folsom Street between Eighth and Ninth streets. The closest rail stop is Civic Center Station at Eighth and Market streets, served by BART and Muni Metro. For more of the neighborhood, see our SoMa neighborhood guide.

Photo: California Climbing Collective.