Alpine Climbing Adventure Fitness appears on track to be completed as planned.

Construction on the indoor steel-framed rock-climbing gym and fitness center at 1450 Garrison Way in Ripon continues to make progress, as seen daily by motorists traveling along Highway 99. It is being built just south of the highly visible Ripon water tower

The timeline calls for Phase 1 to possibly be ready by this spring.

"Things are rolling on schedule for the moment," said Ripon resident and developer of the project Jonathan Meek on Monday.

Alpine Climbing Adventure Fitness, once completed, will feature more than 16,500 square feet of the total 19,335 square footage of the indoor facility dedicated to climbing walls — included will be a 55-feet high lead wall, 15-meter speed wall, 16- foot bouldering walls, and a kids’ climbing area.

The climbing walls will feature more than 250 routes and boulder problems.

Top rope climbing is a style in climbing in which the climber is securely attached to a rope which then passes up, through an anchor system at the top of the route, and then back down to the belayer at the base of the climb. The belayer takes in slack rope as the climber ascends the route so that at any point the climber falls, they would be caught by the rope and not fall more than a few feet. The only gear you need is a harness, belay device and climbing shoes.

The front desk can rent you all of the gear needed  or you can check out some options to purchase from the gym’s full-service retail shop. 

Auto belay climbing involves a specialized device common in many climbing gyms around the world that takes the place of a real live person on the other end of the rope. The auto belay automatically takes in slack as you move up the route. When you reach the top, or fall, it gently lowers you back safely to the ground.  

Lead climbing (or sport climbing) is a style in climbing that relies on permanent fixed anchors to the wall for protection. The rope is attached to the lead climber and the climber clips into the anchors to arrest potential falls while climbing. Generally, lead falls are much longer than falls on top rope. Lead climbing requires a higher level of skill for both the climber and belayer.

The Ripon gym will also feature bouldering  It is a style of climbing that is performed without the use of ropes. The only gear you need is a pair of climbing shoes. Typically, these walls are 14 to 16 feet high and the sequence of moves are referred to as “boulder problems”. When you finish your problem or fall off the route, you fall onto thick padded flooring below.

The other part of the gym will be used for free weight, cardio equipment, TRX, benches, medicine balls, mobility equipment, yoga, high intensity interval and cross fitness classes.

DeGraff Development is handling the construction.

Information on the project can be obtained at www.climbatalpine.com.