Climbing shops squeak by selling ice axes to non-climbers who mount them on their walls. Climbing guides survive by taking beginners up mountains and hosting birthday parties at the crag. Guidebook authors are lucky if they recoup their printing costs.

Climbers (and outdoor folks in general) just don't like to pay for stuff. I rode enough outdoor-enthusiast dot-coms into the ground back in the 90's to know to stay clear of that space.

I see where you're going with this though, and I'll grant that you can certainly find a way to squeeze out a niche in even a space this dirtbaggishly stingy. But if you're going to put in the effort, I'd recommend doing it in a vertical full of people used to paying lots of money to make their technically trivial problems go away.

There are plenty of those verticals waiting to be tapped, and chances are they're not your passion.

While it isn't a particularly expensive sport like hockey or golf, I'd say it isn't cheap either. Day passes at the gym are $16, and it is packed. And it's growing too! There's lots of newbies starting the sport, especially parents bringing their kids, or school groups.

This could vary widely from location to location though.

Gyms are a good example of this. They make the lion's share of their money off of Birthday Parties. Monthly dues won't even keep the lights on.

Other lifestyle sports have the same issues. There's a reason why most Surf Shops don't sell surfboards. They sell boardshorts to people who want to look like surfers. The actual participants don't spend much on their sports.

The ones I've been to have a range of climbs: from a small section available to beginners, to routes and bouldering that require a much higher level of technique and endurance.

From personal experience, I've already spent an embarrassing amount on courses, memberships, and equipment.

Daypasses cost $16 and end up generating a lot more revenue. Birthday parties cost $10/head, happen 16-30 times a month, and bring in enough to keep them afloat.

That's why you end up with tons of toproping areas, easy routes, and pretty looking features: to bring in the one-time visitors.

A good training area doesn't need to look pretty. In fact, the more it looks a lot like an inclined piece of plywood, the better. History shows, however, that training-focused gyms fail every time, whereas beginner & birthday party "social" gyms can sometimes squeak by.

It's certainly not an industry you go into to make money.

Let me know when you get into traditional climbing, all the gear that it comes with, and start flying to different crags, then it will surely start adding up :P