Meeting regularly after school and on the weekends is one of Traverse City’s more unique subcultures. Consisting of high schoolers from Interlochen, Central and West, the Elev8 team of climbers share a passion for personal time records, Instagram clips, and even practical jokes with climbing chalk. 

  “I’ve been going for about two and a half years now, since August [20]23, when I first moved here. I wanted to do something physical, and found the gym, and I’m fairly consistent ever since,” Elev8 climber and junior Kean McKinnon said.

  McKinnon climbs, not only out of passion, but also out of utility. For him, third locations and teen spaces are rare in Northern Michigan. 

  “There’s not a lot to do in this town when you don’t hunt or fish,” McKinnon said. 

  Climbing is not just all fun and games, it also comes in a variety of competitive modes.

  According to the Elev8 website, the Ascent Team is for youth climbers who want to compete at USAC Youth competitions. Training sessions are twice weekly, and the competition season runs from September to May with annual tryouts pre-season.

  “I am on the competition team, so I compete around the Midwest region. Most gyms have a team which they send off for USA climbing. There’s three major disciplines. There’s boulder, lead, and speed. I have competed in all three, but I am primarily [a boulderer]. Typically about 15 feet off the ground, no harness, no ropes—just pads at the bottom—it’s much more explosive power, coordination,” McKinnon said. 

  Competitions vary in style as much as location as well. While Elev8 has three different walls, this is considered a low number in the larger scope of American and international climbing—of which McKinnon has seen both.

  “I’ve been to Cleveland, been to Chicago, and Bloomington, Illinois. I’m working regionals down in Cleveland next weekend, and then two weeks after that, [the Elev8 team will] go to Pittsburgh for Boulder Beach. Colorado, California, and even Hong Kong,” McKinnon said. 

  Traveling around the world also offers chances to make new friends on and off the wall. 

  “I end up having friends from other gyms who live in Cleveland and Chicago. Climbing is a fairly communal activity—even though you’re only on the wall by yourself—it’s a very strong community because it’s not a huge sport,” McKinnon said. 

  Beyond medals and friendship, rock climbing to people like McKinnon offers something fulfilling and satisfying, something which scratches the innermost itch of being human. One of the conversations amongst his friends revolved around the primate nature of humans—and how we’re designed to climb. In this sense climbing to people like McKinnon isn’t just a hobby, it’s a form of self-actualization. 

  “In one sentence, to me, rock climbing is the biggest community that I have,” McKinnon said, “Everyone encourages each other to become a better version of themselves. I think I’m stronger and smarter—on and off the wall.”