In late 2022/early 2023 I, Aaron, purchased The Climbing Company from the previous owner Chris Peisker. Along with all the paperwork he provided me (which I thoroughly enjoyed going through because I’m a nerd like that), he gave me a couple of really cool nuggets that I’d love to share here.
Here is a brief “history” I asked him to write down, and it has been kicking around deep in my Google Drive folder ever since so it’s high time I brought it out!
A Brief History of the Climbing Company
The Climbing Company began in November, 1988. The four founding members were Louise Shepherd, Heather Phillips, Phil Wilkins, and myself, Chris Peisker. It was the first rock climbing school to be based at Mount Arapiles, and one of the few operations in Australia to offer multi-pitch climbing, particularly as a central part of school programs.
We were all experienced rock climbers, and our capacity for judgement was gained through our own hands on experience. We saw a need to create a school where we could share our knowledge and techniques, and guide people safely into climbing.
Despite my initial conservatism there was no lack of demand and within six months of operating we had more work than I could of imagined.
The activities we have and still do offer to this day cover the whole range from starting out to advanced self-rescue and learning to lead on trad.
In 1993 Heather and Phil left the Climbing Company, leaving Louise and myself to run the business. In 2010 Louise left, and I now remained as the sole owner.
Over this period, the Climbing Company has kept to its initial vision, introducing climbing to thousands of school students and private customers.
Chris Peisker, 9 January 2023
Interlude – Melbourne Climbing School, 2015-2023
So who is this “Aaron” person, and where did he come into it?
That is a fair question.
Back in 2015 when we first heard that rock climbing was all-but-confirmed to be in the next Olympics or the one after that, I left the world of corporate finance (yuk!) and decided to have a go at teaching outdoor climbing full time.
Why? Well, I had already done a fair few programs for the Melbourne University Mountaineering Club (MUMC) and I’d realised I had a knack for teaching AND that I get a real kick out of offering structured, repeatable, deliberate learning pathways for students to get into climbing. I realised there were no such programs elsewhere as far as I knew, or if there were they weren’t very well known.
I also realised that, soon after rock climbing featured the Olympics in one form or another, the indoor climbing industry would explode, even more than it currently was. And eventually, give or take a few more years, those new indoor climbers would want to transition outside onto the “real deal” rock. Now to start a business and position myself in the right place to take advantage of that influx of new climbers wanting to learn outside climbing, I knew I needed a lot of lead time. I also knew I was terrible at marketing, so I’d need to call it something super, obviously simple that communicates what I do (and where I do it) right there in the name. So Melbourne Climbing School was born. I even had a logo sorted out!
So I got my guiding certificates through the Australian Climbing Instructors Association, took 6 months off work and spent it all… in the library. Researching how to start a business and how to write all of the SOPs. Fun times. I got there eventually, and over the next 8 years I slowly… very slowly… built up a name for myself as “the” person to go to to learn outdoor climbing.
My goal was never to be a school-trip operator however, having set my sights firmly on the “skills teaching” aspect of professional outdoor rock climbing.
Of course, that all changed in November 2022, when I picked up a phone call from Chris Peisker where he informed me that he was retiring at the end of the year, and was planning to discontinue The Climbing Company, so I should call all the schools that will begin panicking about who is going to guide them for their regular programs, and get them to be guided by MCS instead.
Two days later I called Chris back and offered to buy his business as a going concern instead. It just made more sense that way. Looks like I was getting into guiding after all.
the purchase process
Acquiring The Climbing Company wasn’t just a business transaction. The company had a 35-year legacy and a lot of people who had an idea of what it *should* look like, and also there was the merging both names into one coherent entity issue. The process involved more than financial negotiations; it required understanding the deep relationships Chris had built with guides, schools, and the Natimuk community.
One thing I noticed when I was going through paperwork was, Chris never really did anything on a computer unless he had to. He uses emails, and invoicing software, and that’s it. Everything booking related, even financials were literally on paper. But that didn’t mean he did a bad job at paperwork – on the contrary as a trained accountant myself, I am qualified to say I was extremely impressed at how thorough the records were once they made it onto paper. There were general ledger entries, there were invoice trackings, there were address books, there were weekly page tallies and monthly reports. He even tracked his private expenses alongside the business ones.
Here’s one example. This is a bar chart that Chris made of [pre-COVID] numbers of guides operating on rock each year.
- “Sub” appears to be where he sent guides out to work for another operator under his license. You can see the clear growth of the number of activity days just in this graphic alone!
- As a bonus, this allowed me to identify a simple, easily countable metric to figure out what “growth” means for the company. Hurrah, something to aim for!
There were lots and lots (and lots) more documents to go through. I sat in his office for an entire day, on the floor with paperwork all around me. Following the numbers from one sheet of paper to another. Enjoying this is sort of why I was good at auditing when I was doing that. These numbers told the story of an extremely precise, tenacious individual who never let stress from guides or demanding clients or worn out gear any one of the million things that can go wrong in business, stop him from recording every. single. data point. It spoke of the experience built up over decades and, when COVID turned up, the frustration that must have resulted was evident when the numbers just sort of collapsed. In this way, even large periods of missing data can tell part of the story.
The handover period was invaluable. Chris didn’t just pass on files and equipment; he shared the nuanced knowledge that only came from 35 years of operating at Arapiles.
Implementing Change
Coming from an accounting background, I saw immediate opportunities to modernise operations while preserving what made Climbco a “heart and soul” company first. The changes I implemented were designed to professionalise the business without losing its soul.
You can get a job with us to see them š
Expanding the guides’ pay rates: The first major change was implementing an experience-based guide rate structure. Previously, all guides received the same day rate regardless of their qualifications or experience. The new model recognises the value that senior guides bring.
Our most experienced guides are irreplaceable assets who understand both the technical and educational aspects of what we do, and they deserve to be paid for that extra experience.
While respecting Chris’s thorough record-keeping, I knew we needed systems that could scale. I developed several custom tools:
Airtable Job Scheduling: Airtable is a great platform, basically a way to administer a database in a visual way. Airtable could be thought of as little bit like using a spreadsheet, in the same way that using modern trad protection is a bit like a hemp rope and a body belay. Anyway, we administer all of our jobs in Airtable.
The Roster System: Using the data stored in Airtable as a… well, as a database, I created “The Climbing Company Employee Portal and Guides Roster App” or TCCEPAGRA. A digital platform that allows guides to see available work, submit availability, and helps me optimise guide allocation based on experience levels and group requirements. What used to require hours of phone calls now happens seamlessly online.
ā¦okay. that acronym is completely made up and will never be used again.
Recognizing that equipment is critical to safety and efficiency, I brought on Rob Mudie as our dedicated gear store manager. Rob’s appointment transformed our equipment operations from reactive maintenance to proactive gear management. His systematic approach ensures that every piece of equipment meets our safety standards and is properly maintained, tracked, and replaced when necessary.
Geographic Expansion
While Mt Arapiles/Dyurrite remains our spiritual home and primary locations, I recognised the need to serve schools across Victoria more effectively. I focused on locations that complement rather than compete with our Arapiles programs:
Grampians/Gariwerd
Leveraging the stunning cliff lines of the Grampians for schools seeking spectacular top-rope experiences close to their regular camp sites
Cathedral Range
Out north-east of Melbourne is a sandstone/shale crag with plenty of adventure to be had, and one of the hardest “tourist walks” to be found in the state.
You Yangs, camel’s hump and Werribee Gorge
Providing accessible options for Melbourne schools wanting shorter programs or dealing with tight budgets.
Mt Buffalo
High-quality granite climbing in an alpine setting, perfect for schools seeking variety in their outdoor education programs.
Each location required developing new relationships with land managers, understanding local environmental sensitivities, and training guides in location-specific safety considerations.
Winter Sports Partnership
The most significant expansion came through partnering with Hamid Shafaghi, an IFMGA-certified mountain guide with over 20 years of experience in high-altitude environments. Hamid’s expertise in alpine terrain opened entirely new possibilities for The Climbing Company.
Hamid has developed comprehensive winter sports programs including:
- Backcountry skiing and snowboarding
- Cross-country skiing instruction
- Snowshoe hiking adventures
- Alpine camping and snow survival skills
This partnership meant we could offer year-round outdoor education. Now schools can experience the Victorian Alps in winter, learning snow science, survival skills, and alpine safety in a controlled, educational environment.
Hamid brought technical expertise AND an international perspective on mountain education, helping us develop programs that meet world-class standards while remaining accessible to Australian recreators.
Brand Evolution
As both business names were thrown together, it became clear that our visual identity needed to reflect the merger while honouring the heritage of both names. The brand redesign process needed to articulate what The Climbing Company AND Melbourne Climbing School each represented in 2023, and what we want them to represent going forward.
First I found Steph Gooden of XFX Graphic Design, who made these two complementary brand logos that I LOVED.
You can check out more of Steph’s work on facebook here:
Eventually though, the plan was always to drop the “Melbourne Climbing School” name in favour of “The Climbing Company”. Legally speaking both names were just that – names. The actual legal entity that both names trade under is called “The Climbing Company Pty Ltd”. Feel free to look us up on the ABR if you feel so inclined!
So late 2024, I happened upon another designer. This time it was Claire Martin of Astre Creative. And what Claire did was, hands down, one of the most impressive visual journeys I have ever seen. Her initial consultation document was brilliant – she analysed other companies and presented two distinct paths that she called ‘Peak Pursuit’ (the bold, National Geographic/North Face aesthetic of professional adventure) and ‘Wild and Wonderful’ (the playful, Urban Climb-inspired approach with vibrant energy). We chose the former.
The vision moving forward
While the business is on solid footing, the challenges we face go far beyond financial metrics:
Access and Land Management:
The most pressing challenge is maintaining access to the climbing areas that form the backbone of our educational programs. Land management decisions, environmental considerations, and competing land uses create ongoing uncertainty. We must constantly advocate for the educational value of outdoor programs while demonstrating our commitment to environmental stewardship.
Cultural Sensitivity:
Operating on traditional lands requires ongoing dialogue with Indigenous communities and continuous education about cultural heritage. This is a big challenge but one we’re slowly, slowly chipping away at. I have high hopes for the future.
Safety in a Risk-Averse Culture
Balancing genuine safety with the risk aversion that permeates education presents constant challenges. We must provide authentic outdoor experiences that challenge students while meeting increasingly stringent safety requirements and insurance demands.
Guide Development
Finding and developing guides who can balance technical expertise with educational skills remains challenging. Our guides must understand adolescent development, group dynamics, and curriculum requirements as well as rope systems and risk management.
Environmental Stewardship
As climate change affects weather patterns and environmental pressures increase on natural areas, we must continuously adapt our programs while advocating for sustainable outdoor education practices.
The Climbing Company’s story continues to evolve, but the core mission remains unchanged: introducing people from all walks of life to the transformative power of the vertical world. Every challenge we face is ultimately about preserving and enhancing our ability to provide these life-changing experiences safely and sustainably.
What excites me most is that we’re not just maintaining a legacy, we’re continuing it. The combination of traditional expertise and modern systems, the expansion into new territories and seasons, and the continuous focus on educational excellence positions The Climbing Company to serve Australian outdoor education for another 35 years.
The numbers tell part of our story, but the real measure of our success is in the thousands of students and recreational climbers who have discovered confidence, resilience, and a newfound love for the enviroment through their experiences with us. That’s a legacy worth preserving and a future worth building toward.
Until next time,
Aaron
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