2 minute read
How Austinites Choose to Move: Troy Wilson
Climbing
Troy Wilson made his hobby of climbing into a business. Troy first became interested in rock climbing as a hobby in high school. Growing up in El Paso, not far outside of town was Hueco Tanks State Park, where it is known to be a “mecca” for the sport of bouldering — and where Troy fell in love with the sport.
Troy then got his jumpstart making his hobby into a job while attending college at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, working at a student recreation center. It was then that he realized he could actually turn this into a career. He began working summer jobs at dierent camps running the ropes courses, and then after college managing rock gyms and starting dierent programs. In 2003, he began working at Austin Rock Gym, located on North Lamar, as the general manager.
After working as the GM for three years, he and his wife Erica decided to buy the business together, and the two still own and operate the gym today.
Through the gym, Troy and Erica have been able to climb while also sharing their passion for the sport with others. The gym trains people of all ages in all niches of the sport in order to educate others to be self reliant and confident enough to safely climb on their own and outside the gym. They also take the training outside the gym and provide climbing adventures around Austin as well. Their focus is not only teaching the physical and technical skills necessary for the sport, but also the mental skills needed to climb, such as overcoming dierent fears and building self-confidence.
While teaching people to climb independently is the goal, the couple’s mission through Austin Rock Gym is to build relationships and connect with the people through the sport of climbing. They make it a priority to build relationships with everyone who walks through their doors. “I love climbing because it’s always changing and it’s always challenging — and I get to meet people through it,” Troy says. “Physically it will test you, and mentally it can beat you down. But I’m going through these things with cool people and it’s so rewarding. It’s a lifelong reward.”
