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Climbing is a kind of Zen moment for longtime outdoor enthusiast Dino Ruggeri, a feeling he believes should be shared. That is one of the main reasons he recently opened Dyno Detroit, the city’s first commercial climbing gym. The gym not only has incredible fitness facilities but also one of the most dynamic climbing cultures in Metro Detroit.
Ruggeri said the workout component is there if people want to see how much they can accomplish over time. But he also feels people become captivated by the experience and the people who love to climb.
Dyno Detroit opened April 1 to rave reviews from individual climbers and families. The fitness gym in Eastern Market is located at 3500 Orleans Street and has convenient parking as well. It has 18,400 square feet of indoor rock climbing, 75 rope routes and classes for all ages. It is open to kids as well as young as five.
Picture the space as a huge warehouse of climbing walls. The atmosphere is energetic with hues of black, purple and blue. There are towering heights for people who want to see how high they can go as well as smaller opportunities for learning to climb for beginners. Ruggeri said he wants to see everyone who shows up have fun, learning something new and get to love climbing like he does.
Climbing is an activity and sport that can be enjoyed by pretty much everyone from a young kid to an older adult, Ruggeri said. Climbing also can be done professionally all the way up to Olympians so there is a wide range of skill levels on display at Dyno Detroit at any given time, Ruggeri said, but he hopes people see that as inspiration rather than a challenge.
“I’m really trying to create a culture” of acceptance and openness to climbing,” Ruggeri said. “There is a fierce kind of meditation that happens when you climb. It’s not forced, but it helps you feel present and in the moment. You have to be present when you’re climbing both physically and mentally, especially when you’re 30 feet off of the ground. You’re trying so hard that everyone else falls away.”
Owner Ruggeri has been running since Dyno opened and people came to get out for some exercise and fun. The Grosse Pointe resident founded Dyno because he loved indoor climbing, a sport he started doing regularly when he was a student at the University of Michigan. There, he made frequent trips to Planet Rock, another indoor climbing gym. He also is an avid skier and outdoor educator.
There are smaller facilities around Metro Detroit that offer indoor climbing, including one at the local YMCA and Wayne State University, Ruggeri said, but he wanted to offer another kind of experience as well as boosting the climbing culture within Detroit and the suburbs. He has found that climbing creates a community of like-minded people who love the outdoors but also, because this is Michigan, need an indoor outlet for that passion.
You can join for an annual membership, which is $138 per month. Day passes are $15 for kids and $20 for adults. Equipment rental is $8. People of all fitness levels can try these activities, but, as always, check with a physician if you have any concerns about your physical well being before trying something as rigorous as indoor climbing.
