Using participant observation methodology, I studied the construction of identity at ClimbMax Indoor Climbing Center in downtown Asheville, North Carolina from August to December 2012. During the course of my study at ClimbMax, I discovered a sense of community and dwelling at the center, especially among the sub-group of female climbers. Through participant observation, formal and informal interviews I came to recognize a distinction between those who identify as “climbers” and those who identify as a “people that climb.” This paper identifies of the qualities that create “climber” identity, as distinguished by three indoor climbing components, the wall, the shoes, and the chalk, which are used as both physical and metaphorical. “The wall” explores relationships, a sense of community, and a sense of shared dwelling at ClimbMax. The formative rite of passage of a climber’s first pair of climbing shoes is interrogated through the investigative category of “the shoes.” “The chalk” examines the constant interaction with fear that climbers must endure for their sport. Through my own experiences learning to climb and my discussions with ClimbMax customers, I discovered that it is community, perseverance through pain, and willingness to confront fear that makes a climber.