Climb United

Building community at the AAC’s Craggin Classic

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.

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.

Take a look at the Moab, New River Gorge, Smith Rock, and Shelf Road CU meetups!

No Longer an Old Boys’ Club

The AAC Triangle Chapter nourishes a strong female climbing community.

PC: AAC member Anne McLaughlin

Grassroots: Unearthering the Future of Climbing

By Sierra McGivney

A woman's place is on lead. No longer is climbing “an old boys’ club.” This is true now more than ever. The future of climbing is expanding beyond traditions of the past at a rapid pace. 

In North Carolina, AAC member Anne McLaughlin created a network of women climbers aiming to empower those who identify as female. What started as a Women's Climbing Night evolved into a network of women aged 20-70 who are all bound together by their love of climbing. 

“We called ourselves women’s climbing night until this year. We realized we were more than a night, we were a network,” says McLaughlin. 

McLaughlin yearned for a women’s climbing community in North Carolina. Although North Carolina has a strong climbing community, there was not a strong female presence. 

PC: AAC member Anne McLaughlin

Oftentimes women are introduced to climbing by male partners or friends. Although there is nothing inherently wrong with this, it does reflect the reality that the majority of educators, mentors, and guides are men, positions that allow for knowledge-sharing and decision-making that shape the culture of climbing. In addition, because of societal pressures, someone who identifies as a woman may feel as though they have to prove themselves in front of a male climbing partner. When women climb with other women that pressure can often disappear, and they can focus on the climb at hand. 

Jane Harrison, a friend of McLaughlin’s had run a women’s climbing meet-up when she was living in Oregon. She approached McLaughlin about starting one in the area. Together they began to devise a plan to create a Women’s Climbing Night for their local North Carolina community.

The key was to keep the event casual and have a core group of women who attend, organize, and facilitate. Instead of having a one-off event, they opted to have a consistent two nights a month blocked off for women’s climbing. Establishing rapport and consistency with their community encourages participants to have a long-term relationship with climbing. Harrison and McLaughlin began hosting meetups at their local gym, Triangle Rock Club in January of 2018. 

“Ever since then, we've just had more and more people joining up,”  says McLaughlin. “Right now I run the email list and we have over 260 women.” 

PC: AAC member Anne McLaughlin

Cory Johnson, the AAC Triangle Chapter Co-chair, got involved quickly with the Women’s Climbing Network (WCN). She discussed with McLaughlin how the AAC could partner with them. Now, the AAC Triangle Chapter supports the WCN by providing access to their gear closet for outdoor events and promotes them on the Triangle Facebook page. Johnson encourages women who attend the Triangle Chapter skills clinics to get connected with McLaughlin. 

“So many of the women who've joined our group came to it through taking a clinic through the American Alpine Club Triangle Chapter,” says McLaughlin. 

In the North Carolina climbing community, there is a strong desire to find good consistent partnerships and mentors. By creating a strong women’s climbing community that removes hurdles like gym to crag transition, McLaughlin has provided a safe climbing environment that empowers women. 

“There is a hunger out there for women to climb with other women and learn from other women,” says McLaughlin.

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PC: AAC member Anne McLaughlin

McLaughlin wasn’t always the strong trad crusher she is today. Her first time climbing left her disappointed and discouraged. At the time she was a graduate student at Georgia Tech and had signed up for a beginner outdoor climbing class. No prerequisite needed. The group piled into a van and drove out to Sand Rock, Alabama, a crag that McLaughlin would come to know well over the subsequent years. Sand Rock is known for its beginner-friendly toprope jug routes —full of horns, suitcase handles, and chicken heads—as well as crimpy face climbs and thin crack lines. Sport routes run parallel to difficult trad routes. There are even a couple of good bouldering problems—some even describe it as "the Southeast's most underrated bouldering area,” according to Mountain Project. 

McLaughlin was the only woman in the group on her first trip. The guides set up one of the notorious overhung juggy 5.6 climbs. The moves resembled a pull-up. Each tug upward makes the climber look and feel strong, while being a relatively easy route. But it was not “easy” for McLaughlin. She stood at the base, trying repeatedly to pull herself up with no success. She thought: I’m worse than everyone here. I’m failing. I’m just not a climber. 

Around the corner was a multitude of slab routes. Routes that might have favored McLaughlin's strengths. But McLaughlin had only been presented with one version of what climbing could be.

PC: Adriel Tomek

“Having that experience, [you realize] you have to set up people for success and play to people's strengths,” says McLaughlin. “Observe what they can do and what they are having trouble with, and tweak their opportunities to ensure they have an excellent first experience, especially outside.”

A couple of years later during an internship in Florida, McLaughlin tried climbing again. Her supervisor, Gwen Campbell, was a climber in her 50s and brought her to the local climbing gym in Orlando. Campbell was McLaughlin's biggest cheerleader. Every move McLaughlin made was followed by a cheer and shout of excitement.

 “She introduced me to climbing and I absolutely loved it,” says McLaughlin.

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Now, McLaughlin is the cheerleader. Although education is not the point of their trips, McLaughlin gives participants an opportunity to learn. She spends the day showing anyone interested how to clean sport routes, rappel, and flake the rope. One woman, Rachel, who is primarily a gym climber, began going to their outdoor events. McLaughlin anchored into the top of a climb at Pilot Mountain while Rachel cleaned the anchor. The sun beat down on the two of them as Rachel cleaned the anchor first with McLaughlin’s instruction and then with McLaughlin just watching to make sure she was safe. 

Later McLaughlin received an email from her, explaining that she had practiced cleaning the anchor and was able to take her friends out and teach them. She had felt empowered by McLaughlin's instruction and was grateful.  

“That made my day,” McLaughlin says with a smile. 

PC: AAC member Anne McLaughlin

The goal of the WCN is to connect and empower women, arming them with knowledge so they can advocate for the climbing they want to do, and make informed and safe decisions for themselves in the mountains. Participants are encouraged to find climbing partners and friends to meet up with outside of WCN nights and events. Independence within climbing allows women to make decisions in the mountains confidently, a skill every climber should have. The network provides an environment for women of all ages to grow, learn, and connect. 

“If you see it, you can be it,” says McLaughlin. 

A Gateway to Ice Climbing

The AAC DC Chapter hosts a New Ice Climber Weekend in the Adirondacks

PC: AAC member Ben Garza, https://www.bengarza.media/

Grassroots: Unearthing the Future of Climbing

By Sierra McGivney

“How would you describe the ice in the Adirondacks?”

“Delicious!” says Piotr Andrzejczak, the Washington D.C. AAC Chapter Chair.

PC: AAC member Ben Garza

The American Alpine Club Washington D.C. Chapter hosted the New Ice Climber Weekend on February 26 & 27. In collaboration with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club and Arc’teryx, the event was held in the Adirondacks. On a good day, the drive is around seven or eight hours to the 6.1 million-acre park in Upstate New York.

Ice in the Adirondacks is consistent. Even if there is a warm spell or a rainy day, the ice always heals and survives late into spring. Anything closer to Virginia is unpredictable. Ice routes that were once flowing over cliffsides can disappear in days. Unlike rock routes, ice changes constantly. 

“It can be brittle, scary, and intimidating or it can be cruise control,” says Andrezejczak.

PC: AAC member Ben Garza

When the group of ten participants arrived on Friday, months-old brown leaves were on the ground, but the ice was still in. Overnight the Adirondacks got about a foot of snow and transformed into a winter wonderland. On Saturday, rays of sunshine hit pillars of fat ice in Cascade Pass. Climbers donned sunscreen and sunglasses to protect themselves from getting burnt. 

The energy was high. Everyone wanted to learn. Participants got first-hand knowledge on placing ice screws, climbing techniques, and building V-Threads. 

The weekend exposed experienced rock climbers to a new discipline. Unlike going climbing with a guide, the New Ice Climber Weekend offered mentorship and promoted members finding ice climbing partners. Seneca Rocks Climbing School volunteered one of their lead SPI guides for the event and Andrezejczak also mentored climbers. 

“I am passionate and I feel very compelled to mentor other climbers to pursue their own personal dreams and aspirations,” says Andrezejczak. 

Andrezejczak instructing participants on ice screw placement. PC: AAC member Ben Garza

Everyone was asking questions, not quite sure what to expect on the first day. Participants swung their tools nervously as ice rained down from above at Pitchoff Quarry, a popular ice climbing destination, featuring stunning cliffs of cascading ice. Off to the side, mini-seminars were held, climbers listened eagerly, ready to learn. 

The next day, the group of climbers trekked across a snow-covered Chapel Pond to Positive Reinforcement, a wide flow of ice that offers a variety of climbs. Andrezejcak watched as the novice ice climbers fit their own crampons to their boots. Excitedly, climbers placed ice screws while top-roping, practicing their newfound skills. Some climbers launched themselves off the ground and onto the ice, practicing their ice dyno. 

“The second day everyone was self-functioning ice climbers like they graduated with an ice climbing diploma,” says Andrezejczak.  

The group even held an ice climbing speed competition. Each team climbed one of two neighboring routes. Competitors had to place two ice screws anywhere on the climb. It didn't matter where, as long as it was off the ground. Andrezejczak’s team's strategy was light and fast. Place the screws immediately and then climb up. The other team had the total opposite approach. Go fast and ditch your screws later, when you're tired so you can rest. 

The energy was addictive. “We just want to be a conduit for ice climbing,” says Andrezejczak. 

After the event, Andrezejczak ran into two participants from the New Ice Climber Weekend at his local climbing gym. Weeks later, both climbers were still stoked about the New Ice Climber Weekend.

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PC: AAC member Ben Garza

Looking for a community of like-minded people and climbing partners, Andrewzejczak, joined the AAC in 2015. He began by volunteering, and while living out in California, he helped establish the AAC San Diego Chapter. Andrzejczak loved that the AAC cultivated an environment that encouraged mentorships in a varity of climbing disciplines. 

When Andrezejczak moved to Washington, D.C. he inserted himself in the D.C. section leadership and ice climbing community. If you want to stay active in the winter on the east coast, naturally the next step is ice climbing. 

“I feel I'm more appreciative of ice climbing because of the uniqueness,” says Andrezejczak. “Things don't come in every year, so whenever you get on a route, that's a rare formation. That just gives [me] more appreciation and fulfillment.”

PC: AAC member Ben Garza

There are plenty of resources available for members of the D.C. Chapter who are interested in trying ice climbing. Andrezejczak hopes this can be a continuous opportunity that the D.C. section offers to members. Novice ice climbers can take advantage of the $30 a year gear closet that PATC offers as well. Finances should not be a burden. 

“This can be your gateway to becoming an alpinist,” says Andrezejczak. 

land of the Ho-de-no-sau-nee-ga (Haudenosaunee) and Kanienʼkehá꞉ka (Mohawk).

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