Queer Climbing Collective Joins Climb United's Affiliate Support Network

Elli Jahangiri’s entrance into climbing was as seamless as it gets. Friends lent her shoes and other gear, got her free day passes, mentored her in climbing movement, and brought her climbing outdoors. While Elli had few barriers to accessing climbing, she couldn't help but notice the barriers faced by climbers all around her. She was the anomalee. She had a seamless experience, but that was not the experience for nearly everyone else around her—especially her fellow queer, POC, and BIPOC climbing friends. Her brain got to working. How could she change that?

It started as a lot of things do with millennials...Elli created a group chat called “Queer Climbing Collective Board Members” as a joke with her friends. It was just a dream though. Just a joke. Soon, she made a logo...because why not dream more? Then it felt too real not to.

The official affinity group Queer Climbing Collective(QCC) started with weekly meet-ups at Mesa Rim, a gym in San Diego. Soon, queer climbers in other states latched on to the idea and wanted to start their own chapters in other parts of the country.

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