For eight years, adrenaline-craving ASU students have been taking rock climbing 105 at an indoor rock climbing gym near campus.
But this spring, students found they were unable to register for the class.
Students wanting to take the course from instructor Mike Covington, at ClimbMax on Rio Salado Parkway, were disappointed.
Tannah Broman, ASU's activity program coordinator, said the popular course was canceled because Covington is moving his gym.
The new gym will be in Cave Creek, about 40 miles away from ASU, which may make it inconvenient for students to take the class.
Randy Barlett, a former student of Covington's and a member of ClimbMax, said, "the new gym will be amazing, but I wish they would change locations so it's not so far away from ASU."
Covington said he didn't think the new location would hurt the class' popularity.
"The classes have always been full every semester, I get a lot of students asking for overrides," he said. "Even though it's farther away, I have no doubt the turnout will be about the same."
Over the years, Covington's rock climbing course has been designed for anyone labeled as an 'Adrenaline Junkie.'
Covington says people from all ages and athletic types have been using the old gym for years and when he told his employees and students about the move, the mood was overall melancholy.
"The community was a bit sad," Covington said. "The old gym became a favored institution. People learned to love the old gym and see it as a bit of a landmark."
Covington designed his new climbing facility, which will open this summer. Covington said his new gym will feature climbing walls of height varying up to 45-feet tall, and include superior courses for the want-to-be-challenged type of climber.
One of Covington's former students, ASU graduate Grant Goss, said the class cancellation meant that future rock climbing students would have a bigger and better gym.
"There might even be an area where free weights are stored to bulk up while you climb," Goss said.
Covington said the move was something he wanted to do for a long time.
"We wanted more space with higher ceilings, and we wanted to reach the goal of building a super gym," he added.
Like the 7-year-old ClimbMax in Tempe, the new gym will still offer bouldering for beginners, and high energy for those antsy for an adrenaline rush.
Although the Rock Climbing 105 course is canceled, Covington has made arrangements with The Phoenix rock gym for his 205 course.
Covington said he hopes to have the new gym finished by the time the summer heat sets in.
"Students will be able to enroll in the course by next fall," he said.
Reach the reporter at jamie.franzen@asu.edu.
