Cal Mico

From Guide to Girona
Cal Mico

Cal Mico Rocòdrom (Carrer d'Alacant, 13, 17005) is the only indoor climbing centre in Girona. The centre offers around 700 m² of climbing space, combining bouldering walls with an auto-belay top rope section.[1] The centre is especially popular with people in their 20s and 30s, but people of any age can go.

www.calmico.cat | @calmico

What can you do at Cal Mico?[edit]

Bouldering[edit]

Cal Mico is mainly known for bouldering. Bouldering means climbing on walls without ropes. If you fall, you land on a crash mat. The routes are rated from 1 to 8, with 1 being the easiest and 8 being the hardest. The bouldering areas have Flipp crash pad flooring.[1] However, the bouldering walls are still quite high (around five metres), and incorrect landings can still cause injuries despite the crash pads.

Auto-belay top rope section[edit]

Adult auto-belay area

Cal Mico's auto-belay top rope section is for climbers who want to climb higher walls. You are attached to a safety rope, so if you fall, the rope catches you. The system is automatic, meaning it lowers climbers without a human belayer, allowing for solo climbing. You need a harness (arnès in Catalan) to use it. You can bring your own harness or rent one from Cal Mico. The auto-belay walls are safer than the bouldering walls, as the rope catches you if you fall.

The auto-belay system at Cal Mico is Trublue.

Kids corner[edit]

For children there is a child-friendly play corner with a slide, tunnel, tower, and its own auto-belay top rope area. Parents can climb as well, or watch from the café area.[2]

Opening hours and prices[edit]

Opening hours[edit]

  • Weekdays from 9 AM to 10 PM
  • Weekends from 10 AM to 8 PM.[3]

Prices[edit]

  • €12 day pass
  • €2 climbing shoe rental
  • Monthly membership starting from €48 (plus a one-time registration fee of €30)
  • €85 ten-entry pass[4][3]

Tips[edit]

  • Some climbers find that chalk helps their grip. Chalk is not necessary, but you can buy it at the reception if you want it. Cal Mico has a liquid-chalk-only policy, explicitly forbidding the use of powdered chalk.[3]
  • When climbing, keep your arms straight, not bent, to stop your arms getting tired.
  • Land on your feet and bend your knees. Don’t land on your arms or fingers.
  • For a route to count, you need to put both hands on the final rock (usually the topmost one).
  • Arrows with numbers point to which rocks you must put your hands on first.

Facilities[edit]

  • Bouldering walls
    • Vertical walls (walls that go straight up)
    • Overhangs (walls that lean toward you, making it harder to climb)
    • A cave (walls that begin horizontally)
    • A spray wall (a wall covered randomly in holds of all different sizes and shapes)
  • Two auto-belay top rope areas (one for adults and one for children)
  • A kilterboard (an LED climbing board where you choose a route on the panel, press a button, and the holds light up to show which ones you’re allowed to use)
  • Showers and changing rooms
  • A café-bar that sells coffee, tea, beer, and also food, mainly pastas[5].
  • Shoe rental[3]
  • A gym equipped with weights and a campus board (a training tool to strengthen your grip)[2]
    Cal Mico's gym
  • A secret rooftop patio with tables and chairs (through the door at the end of the gym)
  • Lockers (these are not coin-operated; you have to bring your own lock)
  • Children’s area with bouldering walls, auto-belay walls, tunnel, and slide
  • Bicycle parking

History of Cal Mico[edit]

Cal Mico was first established in 2012[6] when it opened at its first location in Girona. In 2015 it moved to Universitat de Montpeller 18, near Parc del Migdia,[7] and in 2020 relocated again to its current, larger space on Carrer d’Alacant.[8][9] The new venue was designed by Tectonica Design Lab.[2][4][3]

In 2022, the owners opened Mico Aventura (www.micoaventura.com) near Platja d'Aro. It was built in 2016.[10]

Photos[edit]

Other[edit]

  • “Cal Mico” means “home of the monkey" in Catalan.
  • Cal Mico don't do kids' birthday parties. Try Kaotik World instead.

References[edit]