Touchstone Climbing began in 1994 as a dream of Mark and Debra Melvin to bring indoor rock climbing to San Francisco. After scouring the city for the perfect location and raising start-up capital, they opened Mission Cliffs in 1995 in the vibrant Mission District of San Francisco. The new gym captured the imagination of the city and immediately set a new standard for indoor climbing facilities. Within a month of its opening, Mission Cliffs hosted the sport climbing National Championship competition, introducing climbers from around the country to what was quickly heralded as the most spectacular facility in the world.
