Queer Climbing Clinics, Fall 2022

Brie Chartier teaching anchor cleaning at Climb OUT Campout last year in Joshua Tree. Photo credit: Lani Gailey

As some of you know, I've been working for a while to get more queer folks climbing, more queer folks guiding, and increase the diversity in the climbing world. It's not been a straightforward road, be it wrangling my own guiding certifications, trying to convince festival event organizers to make space for queer clinics, or reaching queer folks interested in climbing in the first place.

I've managed a little more success recently, and I'm really excited to have a few things put together for this fall! Here they are, in chronological order:

Nov 5th - 6th

Queer Crush's Intro to Trad clinic

We're running the first outdoor clinics from Queer Crush, an organization that runs queer climbing gym meetups in California. The first one will cover basic trad climbing placements and techniques over two days, at Cosumnes River Gorge, on the first weekend in November. Sliding scale $350-250 for the weekend. More info below!

Nov 11th - 13th

Queer clinics at AAC Bishop Craggin Classics

Two rad queer clinics at the AAC Bishop Craggin Classics this year: (another) two-day intro to trad climbing clinic, taught by Patrick Dunn, on Friday and Saturday, $170; and a one-day rescue skills clinic, taught by Carlin Reynolds, on Sunday, $80. I'll be the guide / co-instructor on both of these clinics, which are supported by Scarpa and Out in the Wild.

Nov 17th - 20th

Climb OUT Campout in Joshua Tree

Last year, a gathering of queer guides – particularly Brie and Patrick – came together to create this event, a safe space for queer folks to hang out and climb together. This is the second year of Climb OUT Campout, we had a very successful gathering in Smith Rock in September, and I'm very excited for this next one in Joshua Tree just before Thanksgiving. $450 for the long weekend, includes three nights of camping in our own space outside the park, three days of guided climbing, and evening events. More info here!

Dec 3rd - 4th

Queer Crush's Intro to Outdoor Climbing clinic

And finally, also with Queer Crush, we're running an intro to outdoor climbing clinic the first weekend of December. No experience required, come and climb at Auburn Quarry with a bunch of other queers :) Sliding scale $300-200 for the weekend. More info below!

Phew! That's a lot of clinics this fall 😅 Hope to see you at some of them!

And, one more thing: a few of us having been pondering holding a retreat for queer guides, a space for us to gather and build a sense of community. If you're a queer climbing guide and would be interested in attending such a retreat, please register your interest with this form!