The Recreation Center (the Rec) is one of the most prominent buildings at Boise State, and with the large number of programs and opportunities provided to students, it has become a cornerstone of campus life. As students make their way to the Rec this semester, here are three things to know about its many offerings.
The Climbing Gym
The Climbing Gym is the Rec Center’s oldest feature.
The Climbing Gym was built into the original Rec Center plans, making it as old as the building itself. It consists of a 35-foot climbing wall with over 60 routes that wrap alongside the building and a small bouldering area near the entrance of the area.
Although it may seem intimidating at first glance, the Outdoor Program assures that the climbing gym is very user-friendly and welcoming to all climbers, regardless of skill level or experience.
“The 35-foot wall … looks intimidating when you first walk in, but I feel like all the staff here are super friendly and very welcoming,” said Outdoor Program staff member Collin Dauenhauer. “When I first got started here, I peeked my head around the corner and got scared. My previous boss then welcomed me in and made me feel comfortable.”
The Climbing Gym accommodates everyone’s experience level with multiple courses varying in difficulty from a 5.6 to a 5.13. Climbers are allowed to follow the color-coordinated paths or free climb, also known as “rainbowing,” their way up to the top of the wall.
“My favorite part about the climbing wall is the community,” Dauenhauer said. “It is so welcoming and friendly. It is not as scary as some climbing gyms can be.”
The Climbing Gym also holds climbing clinics and classes to teach proper rock climbing instructions to students.
According to the Climbing Gym’s website, the classes and clinics will go over all pieces of gear needed to climb as well as the procedures required to climb and belay in the gym.

Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter
Students who are willing to take their participation with the Climbing Gym to the next level can become belay certified. Students interested in belay certification will have to pay a $10 fee and get tested during open hours by the rock climbing staff. Certification expires after one year.
The Climbing Gym is open Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Campus Intramurals
Although campus intramural sports are not always held in the Rec Center building, the Rec Center is in charge of managing all the intramural sports.
“I think one of the most popular things at the start of the year is intramural sports,” said Campus Recreation Associate Director Jared Cox. “Coming off of COVID, there will be no restrictions or limitations to any sports.”
The Rec hosts a number of intramurals including flag football, volleyball, basketball, spikeball and many more.
Any student enrolled in classes is allowed to register and partake in any intramural sport.
To register for intramurals, a student must purchase a $30 play pass. The play pass will cover all sports for the fall and spring semesters. Once they purchase the pass, they will be allowed to log into the IMLeagues website and register for any event.
The IMLeagues website also carries a “free agent” feature for team sports. The free agent feature allows a student to get added to a team that is currently registered for an event. This allows students to participate in an activity they enjoy without needing a designated group of teammates.
Pricing and Availability
Above all, the biggest feature of the Rec Center is its accessibility to students.
The Rec Center membership is free to all full-time students and $55 per semester for all part-time students.
No matter if a student is commuting or living on campus, any full-time student is allowed to use the Rec Center as much as they want at no charge.
All membership pricing options for people not enrolled at Boise State are listed on Boise State’s Campus Recreation website.