Mission Cliffs - San Francisco, California

jean-michel detavernier

Le quartier de San Francisco aux mille tableaux

Ranjith Mahalikudi

Top notch climbing gym in SF.
Great for lead and belay
Bouldering section is a bit cramped when crowded.
The weights section is pretty good. Good lockers and sauna

David La Fleur

Let me start off by saying this: I love touchstone gyms, they have the most floor space, the best routes, the cleanest holds and really nice facilities, I’ve been to all the gyms in SF and Touchstone is my favorite. $107 is very reasonable for access to 5 local gyms, they have tens of thousands of square feet of climbing space, every piece of equipment you need, an incredible variation of climbing routes in countless styles, classes, trainers, coaches, snacks and fingernail clippers, they have it all.

The problem with touchstone gyms is the culture. Climbing is a sport with a very high barrier of entry monetarily, so, most of the people in this and touchstone gyms don’t have to worry about money and don’t understand the damage they do to people that do have to worry about it.

Whether it’s asking to use equipment you just started using then getting mad at you for asking for some more time to finish your sets, or someone telling you they need to use the pull-up bar you’re using because they only have 10 minutes to do 3 sets and then freaking out on you for suggesting they use a different one. Or maybe you just want a snack bar and the person behind the counter decides to treat you with absolute contempt for existing and needing calories. Shame.

Make no mistake, if you don’t look, act, or flow a certain way at Touchstone gyms, there are people that will make your life difficult. This is after 2 years of observation.

I love touchstone and their gyms, but this is unacceptable. I’ve been working out here and at touchstone gyms for 2 years, I even worked at a touchstone gym, but the entire time I’ve been observing, I see the same behavior time and time again from the same archetype of people, wealthy entitled people that think you owe them whatever they ask for. It’s contributed to my belief that if you don’t act, look, talk or flow a certain way, there are people at Touchstone gyms that will make your life more difficult, routinely and in a predictable fashion.

Lastly, I’d like to mention this:
I absolutely love climbing, Mission Cliffs and Touchstone. I kicked a 14 year nicotine addiction just so I could train harder for climbing and I love getting to climb and train at the network of fantastic gyms touchstone has.

And this:
I have a disability, I don’t tell anyone, but in the past, I genuinely almost died because of it twice. Touchstone gym has made the symptoms of my disability immeasurably worse. Shame. Shame on everyone responsible. Shame.

And I forgive you.

Emily

Been going here for years. Honestly, I only go anymore because it's very close to where I live. The gym is pretty worn and crappy. It's also SUPER crowded after work on weekdays, to the point it's impossible to climb with any efficiency. Workout machines are old and crappy and frequently broken and they have a very limited selection. Sauna is nice, but very small. The classes are kind of a joke, there are literally zero hiit classes that are not during 9-5 working hours, so if you have a normal work schedule you will never be able to attend. I did go to one once and it was also very strange, just an instructor writing the exercises on a board and then you do them at your own pace. Zero energy, zero good music to pump you up, literally just like working out on your own? Get better instructors and get more classes at times people who have jobs can attend. Getting harder and harder to justify the ever increasing cost of membership. Movement is much nicer and has better classes, more interesting routes, cleaner, and less crowded.

Lori Limchayseng

It's been over a decade since I last climbed, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to return to the sport while visiting town to see my son. I remembered the climbing community being incredibly supportive, and I was reminded of their warmth and kindness as soon as I walked into Mission Cliffs.

A special shout-out to Laurie at the front desk. He couldn't have been more welcoming and enthusiastic about having me back and climbing with my son. His positive energy and genuine friendliness set the tone for an amazing experience.

Mission Cliffs is a great example of how exceptional customer service can make a big difference. Their welcoming attitude and friendly staff created a memorable experience. Thank you for providing a fantastic climbing experience and helping me create a lasting memory with my son.

Dunbar

The gym was clean and has great facilities. I thought the grades were a little funky and all over the place. The bouldering grades were quite hard and the lead/top-rope grades were very soft. Either way, I had a good climbing experience. I was appreciative of the staff’s safety standards but I felt ripped off on my lead test. We arrived around ~10am and had to wait till 4:30 to take our test, we were failed over minor backstepping and specific rules of the test that weren’t communicated. Our examiner was very condescending, cold, rude, and borderline confrontational from the start. For example, when my friend took the top-rope exam, he was asked how long the tail needed to be. He responded “about a fist and a finger or so”. The examiner glared and snarled “it has to be at least 6 inches!”. It was all ironic because most of the permanent top-rope ropes didn’t have stopper knots. I really wanted to like the gym, and my buddy and I had a great time on the wall but the treatment of a certain staff member really stained my experience.

Anna K

The gym is awesome! They have all necessary equipment for climbing and for working out. There are a steaming room, shower with shampoo etc., they also provide with towels. Gets really full during rush hour, so the time using cardio section is limited (30min) during this hours.

Matthew Dwyer

Awesome walls with great routes set. Uses a lot of underclings and high steps. Also has a great gym area for an overall workout experience.
Sean (Shaun?) was super helpful and was able to make my experience renting a harness and equipment quick and painless. Highly recommend going here for a good workout or warm up before going outside.