Climbing the walls

Lakeshore Athletic Club

Photo: Mandy Kaylin

Lincoln Park Athletic Club(1019 W Diversey Pkwy, 773-529-2022)
The details LPAC’s 65-foot-high outdoor wall boasts about 35 different routes, ranging from “no problem” to “Dude, Spider-Man couldn’t climb this.”
The vibe The climbers here are a down-to-earth, amiable crowd who know their sport—and are willing to share their knowledge.
The pluses If you reach the top at the right time, you can see the sunset over the roof of the gym. Awww.
The minuses The outdoor setting means limited availability during the year.  Also, the youngish climbing-wall instructors choose the music. For the non-emo-lover, that’s not a good thing.
Our verdict

Hidden Peak (937 W Chestnut St, 312-563-9400)
The details Located in the basement of a gymnastics facility, this isn’t actually a climbing wall, it’s a bouldering area. This means it’s not tall—the highest point is only about 21 feet up—but you can still do some solid scaling.
The vibe It’s like your stoner friend’s basement, complete with a thrift-store couch, a beat-up boom box and a plastic pizza-delivery sign built into a wall.
The pluses There’s a hang-loose feeling here, which lends itself to the chill climbing mentality.
The minuses The Spartan “charm” gets old quickly; the routes are hard to follow and beginners can easily feel lost.
Our verdict

Lakeshore Athletic Club–Illinois Center (211 N Stetson Ave, 312-616-9000)
The details This gargantuan, seven-and-a-half-story wall will give even experienced climbers vertigo.
The vibe This place is pretty posh—hell, MJ used to hoop here.
The pluses Dude, it’s 100 feet tall. That’s crazy.
The minuses The climbers are nice, but it’s more of a Where-do-you-park-your-Jaguar? crowd than a Let’s-get-a-beer-after-we’re-done-here crowd.
Our verdict

Fitness Formula (1235 N LaSalle St, 312-640-1235)
The details This wall is more wide than tall (50 feet wide versus 20 feet tall), and it features both top-roping areas and bouldering routes.
The vibe It’s not the highest wall around, so the crowd is a lot of eager beginners mixed with hard-core boulderers.
The pluses The wall is very well maintained, and the myriad routes are marked out clearly.
The minuses The limited height means limited rush when you get to the top.
Our verdict