APEX owner Phillip Blume (right) is pictured with Mike Rivers in front of a climbing wall at APEX Climbing & Spa. Rivers played a key role in Blume’s rock climbing background, serving as a mentor throughout Blume’s childhood. (Submitted Photo)
Phillip Blume, a former Crawford resident, is bringing the natural world to Watkinsville, opening APEX Climbing & Spa that combines a rock climbing gym, wellness and community.
“Our mission at APEX is ultimately to use climbing as a way for people to appreciate nature, to grow confidence and to build character,” Blume said.
Blume opened APEX Climbing and Spa in Wire Park on April 25.
The gym offers more than just a place for people to climb. It also contains a spa, coffee shop, fitness center and a partnership with Lotus Yoga & Pilates to provide fitness classes.
“If you walk in, it feels different than a typical rock climbing gym,” Blume said. “It feels like you’re coming into a national park’s lodge.”
Much of Blume’s inspiration for the gym comes from his personal experience with nature.
Living in Crawford, Blume often climbed at Shaking Rock Park in Lexington with his dad and friends. While small compared to his climbs in national parks, Blume said he feels a special connection with the park.
“I felt a lot of ownership over it, like it was almost personal and my own,” Blume said. “It’s like a metaphor in my mind for how you can make a place in nature your own, and it feels like home.”
Blume and his family spent a year living in national parks in an airstream trailer in 2022. He visited climbing gyms around the country and in New Zealand.
“We kind of brought back a hybrid but really put our signature on it,” Blume said.
While visiting Tokyo in 2005, Blume met his now wife Eileen, who had been living there. A repeat visitor, Blume became familiar with Japanese wellness practices, which he incorporated into APEX.
“We wanted to bring something unique. Less wild and adventurous, and more peaceful, recovering part of our life was Japanese spa traditions,” Blume said. “That was a special part of the culture there that we wanted to introduce people to.”
Blume was around 10 years old when he was introduced to rock climbing.
He became connected with Mike Rivers through Prince Avenue Baptist Church. Rivers, who lived in Athens at the time, volunteered to conduct wilderness trips.
“Phillip was one of the young men who was really interested in the outdoor aspect of our program,” Rivers said. “He caught on quickly and seemed to enjoy it. I’m not the least surprised at what he’s doing now.”
Blume said he hopes APEX provides a learning environment, but also a space for the community to come together to enjoy the sport.
“Anybody can step into it,” he said. “The culture of rock climbing has always been, and continues to be, one of just full acceptance. It doesn’t matter if you feel like you’re doing very poorly, even the most advanced climbers are there rooting for you.”
Blume has plans to add more elements, like a mini golf course. As the state’s volunteer director for the American Scholastic Climbing League, Blume said he plans to partner with local schools to provide rock climbing teams.
“That’s the big thing that I’m excited about, outside of owning APEX,” Blume said. “We’ll be the first to bring it down to the Southeast and actually have rock climbing teams organized for local schools.”