Pride 2021 spotlight: Capital Climbers
This organization helps LGBTQ+ climbers meet and practice their sport together.
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Throughout the month of June, we’re highlighting organizations and initiatives that advocate for greater outdoor access among the LGBTQ+ community. Today’s feature is Capital Climbers, a group offering meet-ups for LGBTQ+ climbers.
Starting a new sport like climbing can be intimidating, what with all the new gear, terminology, and skills. On top of that, there’s also the social anxiety of finding and meeting new climbing partners. For many in the LGBTQ+ community, it’s intimidating to walk into that climbing gym or up to the local crag for the first time, which is why a support network like Capital Climbers is so valuable.
Serving the greater DC metro area, Capital Climbers works to foster community and provide mentorship to new and veteran climbers alike. They offer gym meet-ups at Earth Treks in Arlington, Va., and Rockville, Md., as well as Sport Rock in Alexandria, Va. They also organize meet-ups at crags across the Mid-Atlantic for all ability levels.
You can join the Capital Climbers community on Facebook to see where they will be climbing next. And if you’re not in the DC area, check out these other similar groups: QuICK Climb in Boston, Mass., Queer Crush at Touchstone locations in California, CRUX Climbing in New York, and LGBTQ+ Climbing Nights at Petra Cliffs in Burlington, Vt. Many in-person events at these organizations were on pause for COVID, but are restarting as states begin to safely ease restrictions.
