BOUNTIFUL—It’s seldom that people can find a new hobby that is exciting and engaging as well as a great workout, but the opportunities provided by The Scratch Pad in Bountiful are all these things and more. This unexpected sport, called “Dry Tooling” is relatively new on the scene, but it’s something definitely worth looking into. 

At the most basic, dry tooling is essentially ice climbing without the ice and has been practiced, in one form or another since ice climbing itself began. It’s a fascinating sport that requires a lot of time, thought, and patience, and it’s one that Scratch Pad owner and operator Dustin Lyons has dedicated his career to. 

Lyons and a climbing/business partner started the original Scratch Pad in 2021 in Orem, Utah with some traditional rock climbing holds in a shared space warehouse. It wasn’t long before word got out, and the small, but passionate dry tooling crowd found them out and began coming to practice in their facility. 

It was during that time that Lyons and his gym trained and sponsored a youth dry tooling team, including the now three-time youth world champion in his age bracket, Landers Gaydosh. The big challenge he faced, however, was the distance from the hub of dry tooling in Utah: Salt Lake City. Then, an unexpected global pandemic put a further strain on the business, and some hard decisions had to be made.

Lyons instructs students in the youth class before they scale the wall. Photos courtesy of The Scratch Pad, Dustin Lyons

In 2022, Lyons’ partner stepped away from the gym, and he had a tough decision to make: “I had to decide what I was going to do with the business,” Lyons said. Should he shutter the gym, and save himself the money? Or should he try and keep the business going somewhere closer, and more affordable? Ultimately, the decision came down to something Lyons told himself about the people who loved his gym.

“I don’t want to let the community down, and I don’t want to let me down,” he said. So, the search began. After a promising location in Salt Lake fell through, Lyons saw a message from the owner of the building he’s currently in: “Does anybody have a gym that needs a space?” With plenty of help from friends and volunteers, Lyons moved the salvaged equipment from his previous gym out of storage and into the current space in Bountiful.

The Scratch Pad, as a dry tooling gym, is almost a one-of-a-kind facility, with only the Ice Coop in Boulder Colorado running a similar model, it’s certainly the only gym of its kind in the Beehive State. Although the sport is still in its infancy, according to Lyons, “we bring people from all over the country.” These people can train, compete, and polish their skills for international competition, just like the others who have trained with Lyons in his space. 

Although the community is small, it’s one that Lyons and others are committed to growing. In addition to free climbing, Lyons offers classes for different age ranges and skill levels, and the sport is catching on with many of the younger students. In a recent course taught to 6-9-year-olds, Lyons reported that, despite touching on traditional rock climbing, the cry was echoed each day, “Are we going to dry tool today?” 

Climbers scale the walls, while others plan their route. Photos courtesy of The Scratch Pad, Dustin Lyons

The Scratch Pad is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 4 p.m. -10 p.m., with classes and team training on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, Lyons said, due to the nature of the building that hosts the gym, they are able to offer a premium membership which allows members to come and climb at nearly any time of the day or night. While it may be intimidating to start a new sport like this, the best thing to do, Lyons said, is to start.

“When people come and try (dry tooling), they absolutely love it.” And though it may be looked at as somewhat of an extreme sport, “We take safety quite seriously here,” said Lyons, and dry toolers from every skill level are looked after, and given the tools, equipment, and skills to ensure their safety at all times. More information on The Scratch Pad, memberships, classes, and more can all be found on their website, at climbthescratchpad.com/.