A faint cloud of dust erupts as you clap your chalk-caked hands together. You double-check your harness and figure-eight knot and then do the same to your partner.

A tingle of anxiety sprinkled with a dash of excitement sprouts from your gut and into your calloused fingers. “On belay?” you ask.

“Belay on.” Your partner responds. These signals prompt your feet to place themselves as best they can on the tiny foot holds in front of you. With a bit of a stretch and a hard pull, you hoist your body onto the wall, beginning your journey to the top.

The strong beats and gruff tones of Tab Beniot’s “Medicine” have you feeling invincible as you maneuver your way up the route, and the epic guitar riffs and thunderous beats of “Pour Some Sugar on Me” fuel your victorious descent.

Motivation Station: Wall of Rock

Music matters when you’re in the zone. And the climbing wall has the best.

As a climber myself, I know the impact that the right kind of vibe has on my performance, but I wanted to hear from the experts. What are their go-to tunes? Well, after hanging around the wall for a couple of days, I gathered the best-of-the-best music from those gnar-lovers who climb 5.11s for fun. For them, music is a way of life. The act of climbing a well-set route is a form of dance that salutes the journey and complements the experience. Music is part of that journey, and the wrong kind can throw you off.

While you can’t listen to music on your headphones while climbing, you can always ask one of the climbing wall supervisors to play one of these songs (if they aren’t already)! These jams are also perfect for getting in the pre-climb groove. The list starts off with a feel-good song by Moon Taxi and carries you all the way to the end with an Aerosmith favorite.

Find out which songs will get you flashing those routes and problems below!

Are there any songs I missed? Let us know by commenting below!

As always,

Be well, Auburn. 

Photography: Jack P.

Graphic: Sydnie S.