Northport’s Crux Climbing Gym Now Open

Climbers within the Northport and Tuscaloosa area now have access to a locally owned family attraction. The popular rock-climbing gym, Crux Climbing, has opened its new location on Harper Road in Northport thanks to a local climber, Jackson Scott.

Jackson Scott, along with his parents Joseph and Teressa Scott, share the role of co-owners of the facility. Both parents expressed how proud they were of their son's major accomplishment.

The former University of Alabama student presented the idea of creating a locally-owned rock-climbing gym to his parents. Luckily, the adventurous 22-year-old student received their full support and the family decided to go into business together.

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“It was probably just what, eight or nine months ago, that he sat us on the couch and said, 'I think I know what I want to do: I want to open up my own gym, a climbing and bouldering gym,'” Joseph Scott said. "We got really excited about it."

Jackson Scott realized while in school that there were not many places to practice climbing. He hired a Minneapolis company, Nicros, to come build a commercial-grade climbing wall and a moon board. 

Using engineering plans for the building, the company spent several months designing the wall but was able to install it in only two weeks. Joseph Scott said that Nicros told him they “thrive on helping small gyms open up and then see them expand.”

Jackson Scott said the main wall was built using their newest material, NicroLite.

“It's just like a really good textured wall,” Jackson Scott said. “It's really gritty.”

Joseph Scott said that every few weeks, new routes will be added to the wall. 

In addition to the main climbing wall, Crux also has a moon board, which is universal to climbing gyms all over the country.

“You get an app on your phone called 'Moon,'” Jackson Scott said. “You download it and there's hundreds of thousands of routes.”

These routes are then projected onto the board. Joseph Scott said this is catered to experienced climbers that have been to a gym.

“Somebody that's down here on business can come to this gym, and they know this moon board,” Joseph Scott said.

The gym also has special shoes that are made to help climb. To rent a chalk bag and shoes is $5. Jackson Scott said that in the near future, he hopes to sell the climbing shoes instead of just renting. 

While this facility is a great start, Jackson Scott only wants it to be that: a start. The family said if the gym becomes popular, they want to be able to expand.

“I would have a freestanding feature in the middle, which [is] basically another one of those but just climb on all sides in the very center. I plan to get a pull-up bar and kind of some free weights for fitness as well in the back,” Jackson Scott said.

Joseph Scott added that they also plan on getting stretching mats. Beyond feature improvements down the line, the family has also discussed plans to host events, classes and offer special member perks.

“[We’ve talked about] a military climb day. We've talked about having a food truck day where we have a particular Saturday that we put the word out and we have a couple food trucks come out,” Joseph Scott said. “Maybe some members-only hours at night.”

All gym members are required to sign a waiver and climbers under 16 need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

A full-day climb costs $9 and a monthly membership is $45. Students and military members can take advantage of the discounted monthly membership price, which is $40.

For more information about Crux Climbing Gym, visit its Facebook page here.