6 minute read
Welcome to Climbing
Rendezvous Gym combines physical activity with social spaces to bring people together.
By Bob Luder
Photos by Kevin Anderson
It took a good month for Mark Messner to come up with a name for his new business. He wanted it to be a positive word that caught the eye and attention. But most important, it needed to be a word that accurately summed up Messner’s overarching mission—bringing people together in a safe and fun space.
He feels he captured all that with rendezvous and Rendezvous Climbing Gym, which recently opened in the village of Seville and combines an exceptional climbing experience with additional social spaces for all to enjoy.
“I feel that rendezvous is a term that determines what we’re doing,” says Messner, a former elementary schoolteacher. “I want to focus on being a place that’s welcoming for people of all ages and abilities, where parents can bring their kids and climb with them.
“It’s all about bringing people together … to be that spot.”
The concept for Rendezvous was born from Messner’s use of sports to connect and inspire students through an after-school running program. As a reward to his program’s “captains,” he arranged a trip to a local climbing gym for team-building.
“That was probably my most fun day of teaching,” he says. “I decided to make my most fun day of teaching into every day.”
Messner left teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic and began thinking about creating a facility that would create opportunities to introduce climbing with a specific focus on school-aged youngsters.
Climbing for everyone
Walking in the front door of Rendezvous Climbing Gym, it’s impossible not to notice the walls first. Several large vertical sides rise from padded floors at various angles, with more than a thousand small protrusions—known as holds—placed in various patterns and colors.
Rendezvous is a “bouldering” gym. Bouldering is a discipline that keeps climbers relatively close to the ground and does not require ropes or harnesses. Aside from a pair of climbing shoes, which can be rented at the gym, climbers rely solely on their hands, feet … and some guile and dexterity.
“What’s cool about bouldering is that there’s very little equipment or experience needed,” Messner says. “Anybody can do it.”
A team of setters designed and set up approximately 130 different “routes”—climbing sequences of typically 6 to 8 moves—designed with different styles, types of holds and difficulty levels. Routes, which are reset every 6 to 8 weeks, are distinguished by their degrees of difficulty using different colors for the holds. Cards are also affixed to holds near the bottom, signifying one of six levels on what’s known as the V-scale of difficulty.
“(A good route) has to be aesthetic. It has to have a certain look, a certain rhythm,” says Ethan Fritsche, route setter at Rendezvous. “It has to flow. It has to be challenging within the grade of the route. You hit those spots, you have a five-star route.”
Messner says, “We make sure there’s something for everybody.”
Anyone who comes in to climb at Rendezvous undergoes a strict orientation that includes instruction in proper falling technique, a climbing tutorial, both up and down, and other safety precautions, such as never standing below a climber.
What I enjoy most about the gym since we have opened is seeing first-time climbers come in somewhat nervous about trying something new. My staff and I thoroughly enjoy spending time giving first-timers some basic techniques and skills to ensure they have fun and are not intimidated.
—MARK MESSNER
“Even if a grandparent is in here watching, they have to watch our orientation video,” Messner says. “We do everything we can to mitigate risk.”
Rendezvous has “some really cool features,” Messner says, including several overhanging walls that require climbers to navigate routes from an almost upside-down posture, a cave feature with a large overhang and a wide variety of holds—crimps, jugs, pinches, pockets—that force climbers to use different parts of the hands to climb, including just fingertips.
At the north end of the gym is a shorter wall for beginners and youngsters. It has a platform at the top and an orange spiraling slide, making it easier and more fun to return to ground level.
“We’re longtime climbers, and (Rendezvous) is a really good addition to the Kansas City climbing scene,” says Catherine Satterwhite, a Kansas City resident who has made climbing a family activity. “Their kids’ area with the slide is outstanding. It can sometimes be challenging with the kids, but Rendezvous makes it the best of both worlds. It creates a protected space for them and creates a better balance for families.”
Rendezvous hosts introductory bouldering classes three times a week for those wishing to learn proper climbing skills or polish existing techniques. It also has a youth climbing program that provides coaching sessions for school-aged kids.
“What I enjoy most about the gym since we have opened is seeing first-time climbers come in somewhat nervous about trying something new,” Messner says. “My staff and I thoroughly enjoy spending time giving firsttimers some basic techniques and skills to ensure they have fun and are not intimidated.”
More than just climbing
Rendezvous Climbing Gym provides other activities and entertainment in addition to climbing. That includes a full-service coffee bar with hot and cold drinks and food options, a game room with foosball, shuffleboard, bumper pool, ping-pong, air hockey and other games as well as a fitness area with cardio and strength training equipment. It also contains an event space that can be reserved for field trips, birthday parties, team building and other social events.
“We have already hosted some groups for team building outings and look forward to hosting many more in the future,” Messner says.
He adds that Rendezvous is working with local school districts as well as nonprofit groups such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Kansas City to provide affordable experiences.
As far as Satterwhite is concerned, Rendezvous is a climbing gym with something for everyone.
“Our family goes to all the gyms in Kansas City, and this is a very nice addition to the area,” she says. “They have really good holds. They’ve invested in good supplies to make a high-quality experience.”
For More
Rendezvous Climbing Gym
13124 State Line Road
Leawood, KS 66209
913-232-7296
Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday–Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday
Single-day passes ($18) and rental gear (shoes $5, chalk $3) are available, and youth under 5 receive a discounted rate ($5). Ten-visit punch cards are available for $150. Monthly memberships also are available for individuals ($75 per month) with options for additional adults or youths ($65 or $50, respectively).
Information about pricing for group events can be found at the gym’s website, at www.rendezvouskc.com
