---
title: "Directory and ranking methodology"
url: https://www.climblocal.org/methodology
description: "How Climb Local sources, classifies, deduplicates, and ranks gym profiles."
data_updated: 2026-10-04T04:30:06.538Z
---

# Directory and ranking methodology

## Directory coverage

Facility names, coordinates, contact details, opening hours, and mapped attributes are normalized into a build-time SQLite database. Nearby duplicate node and building records are collapsed.

## Official website enrichment

We supplement mapped records with terrain, training equipment, programs, amenities, prices, policies, and visit details documented on official facility websites. Every published website fact retains its source page and verification date. Automated extraction must provide a short evidence excerpt found verbatim on that page; unsupported values are discarded instead of guessed. Location-specific pages take priority, and missing evidence remains a data gap.

## Gym types

Facilities are classified as bouldering, rope climbing, mixed climbing, training-focused, or general climbing only when source evidence supports the type.

## Rankings

Category eligibility requires matching feature evidence. Ordering then uses documented feature breadth and profile completeness, including sourced contact details, hours, disciplines, amenities, and a small contribution from documented prices. The directory does not use customer-review ratings, and completeness is not a direct measure of facility quality. Sponsorship never buys placement.

## Location fallback

When a mapped record has no city, the nearest named place in the U.S. Census Bureau 2026 Gazetteer supplies the browsing location. Explicitly mapped city data receives priority.

## Corrections

[Contact Climb Local](https://www.climblocal.org/contact.md) with a current public source.

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*Source: [Climb Local](https://www.climblocal.org/methodology). Markdown alternate of the page at that URL.*