About Cliffhanger Coquitlam
Established in 2002, Cliffhanger Coquitlam is our second location in B.C Canada. Owned in part by long time Vancouver Manager Daniel Poggi, Cliffhanger Coquitlam is setting a new standard for indoor rock climbing gyms everywhere.
We are thrilled to provide you with the same professional, experienced and friendly staff that you have found in Cliffhanger Vancouver. We promise to provide the best indoor climbing experience anywhere! Thanks for visiting and have a great climb!
Staff Biographies
Colby Appleby (ACMG CGI 3)
Colby has been working at Cliffhanger for a little over 5 years. He currently manages Cliffhanger Coquitlam, teaches lessons, and puts holds on the wall. His favourite climbing area in the world (so far) would have to be Red Rocks, Las Vegas. Colby is a certified ACMG Climbing Gym Instructor, Level 3. He has been climbing since 1994, and has yet to kick the habit!
Khoi Chau (ACMG CGI 1)
Khoi’s first climbing experience was on the climbing wall at the PNE way back in 1999. With a trip to the climbing gym two years later came the realization that climbing was something he wanted to do as much as possible. But life somehow got in the way, and he didn’t start pursuing his passion until taking the Intro Course at Cliffhanger Coquitlam in 2007 – better late than never! Khoi primarily enjoys sport climbing and multipitch trad. He has climbed in Squamish, Smith Rock (his favourite place!) Skaha, Revelstoke, Red Rocks, Indian Creek, The Gunks, and various places in California and Washington State.
Jessica Marcone
Jessica has been climbing for 9 years now, and has worked at Cliffhanger Coquitlam since February of 2005. She is one of Cliffhanger’s floor supervisors, intro and lead instructors, and can occasionally be found behind the front desk. Jessica enjoys climbing in Cheakamus Canyon, Squamish, but her favourite climbing area is in Railay, Thailand. Being an outdoor adventure seeker, Jessica also likes to hike, surf, mountain bike, play tennis, and travel.
Geoff Creighton (ACMG CGI 3, Rock Guide)
Currently working for Cliffhanger as a Risk Management Consultant, and overseeing staff training, Geoff is a certified Rock Guide and Level 3 Climbing Gym Examiner with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG). Geoff has worked and managed operations at several climbing facilities in the lower mainland. He has been climbing as a multi-disciplinary rock/ice/alpine climber since the late seventies, garnering a number of first ascents in these disciplines to his credit. Geoff is also owner of High Performance Climbing walls, a design-build climbing wall company.
Dominique Bailey (ACMG CGI 2)
Dominique has been climbing for Four and a half years. She started in her hometown of Williams Lake on the local crags, and fell in love with it after her first lead. Upon moving to Vancouver for school, Dom walked into Cliffhanger and asked for a job. Now a CGI Level 2 with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, Dom can be found at the gym on Saturdays working with kids and patrolling the floor. When she isn’t working, she can be found at the bouldering wall and occasionally sporting a harness.
Kyle Rurak
Kyle took his Intro to Climbing course with Cliffhanger about 5 years ago, and instantly fell in love with the sport. Over the past 4 years he has taught many courses, coached many kids and loved everyday of it. He’s been heard saying “There is no better sport to challenge your mind and body” The climbing gym is like a second home to him now, but when he’s not there he’s working towards a career in photography or taking his dogs out for some fresh air.
Jessica Dailly
Jessica has been working at Cliffhanger for four years. She started as a belay staffer, and realized then how much she loves climbing. She is now a full-fledged gym rat, and has climbed in Austria, Germany, and of course, Squamish. She enjoys climbing because it involves strategy, is an overall workout, and is much more fun than lifting weights. Outside of Cliffhanger, she acts in musicals and enjoys watching performance art.
Ken Fung (ACMG CGI 1)
Ken is one of the old-timers at Cliffhanger Coquitlam, having worked there since the early days when it was just a concrete shell. He has had the privilege of teaching Cliffhanger’s first Chinese language Intro to Climbing course. When he’s not bouldering or sport climbing, he enjoys snowboarding, and biking, and paddling outrigger canoes. He’s also a big music buff, so if you’re in the gym and hear some house, old school funk, or hip hop beats, it’s probably DJ Fung on shift. High fives and smiles!