United We Climb
Every Fall, the American Alpine Club hosts the Craggin Classic, a climbing festival at world-class climbing destinations in the United States. Participants dance wearing glow sticks at night and climb all day. This year the Craggin Classic held Climb United meetups at all locations, creating a safe and welcoming community for everyone. Take a look at the new River Gorge, Smith Rock, Shelf Road, and Moab CU meetups!
Climb United works to uplift traditionally marginalized groups in the climbing community. Through intentional programs like the Route Naming Task Force, the Climb United Affiliate Support Network, and the Pull Focus Grant, Climb United is working towards change within the climbing community to welcome all groups. Climb United is all about gaining new perspectives from others to create a more accessible, loving, climbing community.
MOAB, UT
At the Moab meetup, we drove down to Big Bend and found some boulders sitting in the sun. We circled up, avoiding cacti and other climbers. Participants donned chalk bags, shoes, and crash pads. Everyone introduced themselves and added how they liked to eat our avocados—guac and avocado toast were the two clear winners.
"[The Climb United Meetup] creates a safe space to be welcomed and to meet new climbers and new friends," says Sabrina Claros, a climber located in the LA area that is a part of Lagartijas, a BIPOC climbing group in the LA area that focuses on reducing barriers in the climbing community. She is also an outdoor photographer, and these are her photos.
Climbers from Utah, Colorado, California, Washington, and even North Carolina converged in Moab, shouting encouragements and sharing sends. As Shara Zaia, the manager of Climb United, would say, "a team send."
Matty Kastellec, the co-organizer of SLAQC, and Jess Shade, a Climbing Grief Fund therapist, sat on camp chairs, smiling and laughing.
"If you are any type of 'other,' your safety is not guaranteed," said Kastellec when prompted about why the CU meetup is important.
Shade nodded: "The Climb United meetup increases capacity for connection." The meetup prompts phenomenal conversations that penetrate the surface and "allow us to go deep," said Shade.
Everyone joined in cheering and shouting encouragement as climbers tried different boulder problems. "This event is less about climbing and more about the people you meet," says Zaia.
NEW RIVER GORGE, WV
“I’m still riding a high after this weekend—new doors opened for me after climbing with Shara & Climb United. I’m a local to the area & made friends from all over the country. Particularly inspiring [were] women who were setting up/leading routes at Summersville that I have dreamt of sending...I could see my own potential through their leadership and strength. A truly empowering environment that I'll always remember and be thankful for" says Alexis C. Yost, Landscape Architecture Senior Mountaineers for Green Design.
At the meetup at the New, climbers gathered around hard sandstone amid a beautiful green forest. They donned helmets and clipped quickdraws to their gear loops for a day of sport climbing and getting to know one another.
SMITH ROCK, OR
"Two Wisconsin gals showing up to the Craggin’ Classic with only a handful of outdoor climbing experiences under our belts should have been intimidating, but our goal was clear. Spend the weekend laughing in a beautiful place with beautiful people...
...We may have had more laughs than sends, but the weekend was nothing shy of a success. Not only did we challenge ourselves as climbers, but we met so many amazing people who were more than willing to share their climbing knowledge, gear and beta. At the end of the day, for us, it’s the high fives, new friends and giggles that get us so stoked for next time,” says Maggie Jo Sanderson.
Jutting Basalt cliffs in the high desert of Oregon's Smith Rock State Park pierced the sky, the canyon filled with climbers who shared laughs and drinks while sending classic sports routes.
SHELF ROAD, CO
"It's important to me that Climb United works in partnership with any local affinity groups to honor the already-built community in those areas. Rather than co-opt local efforts, CU invited Cruxing in Color to shape the meetup, centering their work as an anchor point for the community in the Front Range of Colorado. Unsurprisingly, this meetup was the largest CU meetup at the Craggins, hosting 47 climbers," says Shara.
Every time CIC gets together, it feels like a reunion. Even if it's your first time, it's easy to feel like you've known the community for years. There is a lightness in feeling safe enough to show up as yourself.
“Finding Cruxing in Color has brought that sense of community and belonging to a new level for me, and I find myself climbing much more than I used to,” says Conner Choi.
Bishop, CA
Bishop boasts nearly endless sunshine and world-class bouldering problems. Unsuprisingly, smiles and laughter spread through the bouldering area as climbers dissected problems. Climbers got to know one another while offering beta and spots.
New connections were made, and friendships were formed. A community that was already tight-knit became tighter.