Vertical Vision

Warehouse Climbing Company’s Presence in Goshen Is Anything but Rocky

Writer / Amy Lant-Wenger
Photographer / Ali Schneider

When Ryan Borntrager was growing up, he had an inquisitive mind and a bit of a restless spirit. While many of his peers were consumed by the typical allures of teenage life, Borntrager found a more adventurous way to channel his energy. With a group of his friends, he spent countless hours scaling a makeshift climbing wall that was built inside his parents’ barn.

Although he may not have realized it at that time, Borntrager had discovered a future purpose to inspire others to reach seemingly lofty goals, quite literally one step at a time.

In May of this year, Borntrager opened the doors to his new enterprise situated in Goshen, a place he has christened Warehouse Climbing Company. Within the spacious facility there are multiple walls of dazzling colors and patterns, studded with meticulously placed artificial stones for climbing. Borntrager’s business is rapidly becoming known as among the first of its kind in northern Indiana – a business known as a bouldering gym.

Warehouse Climbing Company is designed for folks of various ages, from beginners to the most intrepid athletes. Borntrager is keen on emphasizing this, as the practice of rock climbing might initially seem daunting. It is about far more than just testing one’s mettle by maneuvering along a vertical incline. It is also a way to improve upon one’s fitness level, by using the power of one’s own body weight to propel forward and upward.

“It really is for everyone,” Borntrager says. “We want to get people excited about being healthy and active. It’s not just a thrill-seeking thing. It’s about making it something to incorporate into a daily workout.” Currently, there are programs being developed that do not require machines, but rather allow people to reframe their idea of strength by working with the momentum of their own bodies and the resistance they provide.

Borntrager also says more than half of his customers are new to the sport. He strives to educate patrons on the benefits of this method of strength training. “It helps to build muscle and it’s good for personal growth,” he says.

Borntrager believes that those who visit Warehouse Climbing Company are drawn to the contemplative, introspective nature of the sport. He also feels there is a camaraderie that is established among like-minded individuals. It’s a mindset on which he’s well-versed. He reflects on the direction of his earlier life, and how his vision grew from something of a slow burn to the realization of a dream he spent years cultivating.

“I was doing some soul searching,” Borntrager recalls. “I had moved out and was working for the family business, and I could feel myself falling in my dad’s footsteps. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy working with my family, but it just wasn’t what I thought my purpose was.”

He began considering how he could best contribute something to the business landscape, while still pursuing a goal he is passionate about. “I started making small moves, thinking about what was missing from this community,” he says. Once an opportunity presented itself to purchase a building in Goshen, things began to proceed.

Then the pandemic struck. It was the spring of 2020, and suddenly the list of tasks required to start a business grew painfully long and moved painstakingly slowly. There were permits to secure, construction items to complete and limited ways to achieve progress.

Yet what might have seemed overwhelming to most did little to hinder the realization of Borntrager’s fledgling business, as he chose to undergo much of the interior renovation by himself. Though it may have taken a little longer than what he had envisioned, Warehouse Climbing Company finally opened in May of 2022.

Borntrager’s entrepreneurial spirit, perhaps mixed in with a bit of adolescent mischief, has served the business well so far. All along, he hoped for “a place where people could gather and meet new people, and work on themselves,” he says.

And that, he has accomplished.

Warehouse Climbing Company is located at 605 Logan Street in Goshen. Call for pricing and reservation information at 574-238-3562, and visit warehouseclimbingco.com for details on rental footwear, gift certificates and membership fees.