5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. | Event Check In Open
Check in for the event at the campground. Please don’t arrive before this time. Go climbing instead!

5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. | Friday Night Potluck
Our awesome Friday Night potluck is back! Bring a dish to share, your reusable plates and cutlery, and a friendly face to make new friends.

6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. | Mini Film Festival presented by Mountain Hardware
Kick off the evening with a set of four short films from Mountain Hardware!

7:45 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. | “The DLFA” – Film and Q&A with Burt Lindquist
Join us for a special showing of “The DLFA Project”, a documentary film about a group of misfit rock climbers known for hard climbing, beer drinking, and establishing bold first ascents at Devils Lake in the late 1970s and early 80s. This will be followed by a short Q&A with DLFA member and longtime community member, Burt Lindquist.

8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. | Climbing Pub Trivia with WeighMyRack!
Stick around after the films and join WeighMyRack for our world famous climbing trivia!
Grab a group of friends and test your climbing knowledge. Teams of 1-4 answer questions covering everything from climbing history, geology, culture, and of course GEAR. Questions are multiple choice, wide ranged and made to be accessible to new and seasoned climbers alike, with a 'Final Jeopardy' round that can mean it's anybody's game. It's free to play and we're giving away tons of fun prizes!

9:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. | Games, Live DJ & More
Climber party, games, music, and entertainment will run into the night.

7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. | Event Check In Open
If you missed check-in on Friday night, now’s the time!

7:00 a.m. | Free Breakfast Provided By The Chicago Mountaineering Club
Come hungry and be sure to high five our friends at the CMC for whipping up some tasty grub! After all, there’s nothing worse than climbing on an empty stomach. Bring your plates and utensils to help keep the event green.

8:00 a.m. | Free Bag Lunch Provided By Apex Adventure Alliance
No one wants to get hangry while climbing! Swing by the Apex Adventure Alliance booth to pack a bag lunch for the day and keep your psych and fuel going all day long. Bring a baggie or tupperware to pack it in!

8:30 a.m. | Meet For Clinics
If you’re signed up for one of our many educational clinics, make your way to the Devils Lake Climbing Guides tent to check in.

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Clinics Lead By Devils Lake Climbing Guides And Pros
Missed out on signing up for a clinic? That’s ok. Grab a crew and head out climbing at nearby Devil’s Lake State Park.

5:00 p.m. | Climber Throwdown Celebration And Shindig
Climber party, games, music, and entertainment will run from 5p.m. on. And so does your included dinner from local Food Trucks.

6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. | Silent Auction
Get the chance to snag some sweet deals on over $8000 of gear! Proceeds support the Live Your Dream Grant. This grant supports the every-day adventurers who harness this mindset for their own exploration.

6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. | Climber Shenanigans
We're back for a repeat of our usual fun. And you’re invited to play along! We’ll have more games, presentations, and other shenanigans all night long.

6:00 p.m. | Wisconsin Climbers Association Annual Update
Join Doug Hemken from the WCA for an annual update on the state of climbing access and stewardship in Wisconsin.

7:00 p.m. | “Ascend” Showing and Live Panel presented by Patagonia
Mina Bakhshi, Haniya Tavasoli and Rabia Hussain had a fair amount of autonomy for women in Afghanistan, able to pursue their education, go to work and explore hobbies and interests. Joining Ascend, a nonprofit organization teaching leadership and rock climbing to women, gave them the chance to test their personal and cultural limits and explore the mountains of their home country. But when the Taliban took over in August 2021, Ascend became their one chance to escape a regime that would restrict their freedoms and future.

Following the film showing, we’ll be joined for a special panel discussion by film subject and climber, Haniya Tavasoli, along with Kelly Pokharel, the director of Operations at Ascend Athletics.

8:00 p.m. | Vulnerability & Climbing: Marcus Garcia presented by Rab & Sterling Ropes
Join us as professional climber and guide Marcus Garcia shares the emotional journey of connecting deeply with his climbing mentor and how he managed the grief that came when his mentor died in an accident. Through this journey Marcus discovered a deep meaning and value in grief. The talk will conclude with a powerful film called “The Mentor” which documents some of Marcus’s journey.

9:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. | More Games, Live DJ and Dance Party
Climber party, games, and more. Join us with live DJs to dance the night away.

7:00 a.m. | Free Breakfast Provided By Climbers For Christ
Come hungry and be sure to high five our friends at CFC for whipping up some tasty grub! After all, there’s nothing worse than climbing on an empty stomach. Bring your plates and utensils to help keep the event green.

9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Stewardship Project
Join our friends from the Wisconsin Climbers Association to do some trail work at Devil’s Lake State Park. It’s an easy way to give back to this amazing place!

Climbing is inherently risky; are you ready to handle the inevitable unknowns? Join C.A.M.P. pros Jesse Mattner and Eric Barnard to learn the skills needed to handle realistic retreats and rescues. Whether you dropped your belay device, or you need to rescue an injured leader, this clinic will leave you feeling more prepared to venture into the unknown. There will be plenty of time for hands-on skills practice, so participants should be prepared for an engaging experience. This clinic includes a Sterling Hollowblock and Nano 22 carabiner for each participant to take home.

Prerequisites: Minimum 1-2 years of climbing experience. Experience or desire to climb multi-pitch climbs. Familiarity with belaying from above.

Equipment Needed: 3 locking carabiners. 3 non-locking carabiners. 1 assisted-braking belay device (CAMP Piu, Petzl GriGri, etc) and 1 120cm sewn sling (Dyneema, Nylon, etc), closed-toed hiking shoes, lunch/calories, hydration, and appropriate climbing clothing. All participants will receive a Sterling Hollowblock and Nano 22 carabiner.

Feeling flat-footed at the gym or crag? Stuck at a plateau you’d like to leave behind? Join professional climber and coach Alita Contreras and former professional ballerina and DLCG instructor Lauren Pulkstenis for a technique-focused climbing day where you’ll ratchet up your movement skills.

They will help you refine your existing abilities, identify and correct problematic practices, and offer advice for your personal climbing technique. Concepts will include power, flow, footwork, center of gravity, body tension, and static and dynamic movement. One day of focused practice will definitely help you climb harder and more gracefully!

Prerequisites: None

Equipment Needed: Personal climbing equipment including shoes, harness, helmet, belay device, closed-toed hiking shoes, lunch/calories, hydration, and appropriate climbing clothing.

About Alita Contreras: “I am Alejandra Contreras but everyone calls me Alita. I am a half Colombian/half Venezuelan professional climber. I am currently Colombia´s strongest female climber and I work as a climbing coach. Besides, I organize events that promote the development of female climbing and climbing in general.”

Are you new to outdoor climbing and want to be able to pull your weight on a climbing team? Let us show you the ropes! Join DLCG instructors Chris van der Linden and Jerry Dryer for a day of top-rope cragging, and gain the skills needed to contribute to an outdoor climbing team.

You’ll learn the basics of outdoor climbing systems, how to identify and manage risks, what and how to pack for a crag day, how to navigate terrain, the basic components of traditional anchor systems, and how to coil a rope that won’t fall apart when you pass it to your partner. After this course, you’ll have the confidence to seek new invitations and hold your own at the crag!

Note: Devil’s Lake is not a sport climbing area; we will not be discussing lead climbing or cleaning anchors in this clinic.

Prerequisites: None

Equipment Needed: Personal climbing equipment including climbing shoes, harness, helmet, personal anchor and belay device, closed-toed hiking shoes, lunch/calories, hydration, and appropriate climbing clothing. Reach out to us if you need to borrow any gear.

Devil’s Lake is a mecca for anyone psyched on bouldering, but it isn’t the easiest place to start. Lake problems trend toward the stiff end, locations are often difficult to find, and landings are often irregular, sharp and unforgiving. Sound like fun? We think so too!

Join Adventure Rock’s coaching dream team Mary Creegan and Jacob Bach to learn the local knowledge and skills. This clinic helps you transition your gym bouldering game to the quartzite boulders of Devils Lake. You’ll visit the Lake’s most accessible bouldering area, discuss and practice pad placement and spotting techniques, and gain tips on how to climb that slick purple quartzite.

Prerequisites: None

Equipment Needed: Rock climbing shoes, closed-toed hiking shoes, lunch/calories, hydration, and appropriate climbing clothing. A chalk bag and/or a crash pad are not required, but please bring them if you own them!

Ditch the parentals and head up the bluffs for a sick day of top-rope climbing on Devils Lake’s bullet-hard quartzite. Whether it’s your first time outside, or you’re looking to slay your next proj, it’s sure to be epic. Make new friends, bathe in nature, touch some rocks, and send it!

Prerequisites: For kids ages 10 to 17. Must have some previous climbing and belaying experience, this clinic is oriented towards youth who climb regularly (indoors or outside). No parents allowed!

Equipment Needed: Personal climbing equipment including rock climbing shoes, harness, helmet, and belay device, closed-toed hiking shoes, lunch/calories, hydration, and appropriate climbing clothing.

Anchor building is a fundamental skill for every outdoor climber. Unlike many other climbing areas, Devil’s Lake does not have bolts for anchoring. If you’ve never slung a tree or you don’t know a BHK from an HMS, join DLCG instructor Mark Grman for an introductory anchors course.

You will learn safe, secure systems for building traditional natural anchors, including background on the equipment and knots involved and modern techniques for rigging using natural protection (trees, boulders). Those familiar with old-school traditional anchors may enjoy gaining familiarity with new, modern approaches to systems and rigging techniques. All students will have opportunities to set a number of anchors and receive peer and instructor feedback.

Note: this course will focus on natural protection (trees, boulders) only and will not involve placing traditional gear.

Prerequisites: Some previous climbing experience recommended.

Equipment Needed: Personal climbing equipment including harness, helmet, personal anchor and belay/rappel equipment, closed-toed hiking shoes, lunch/calories, hydration, and appropriate climbing clothing. If you have your own rigging material (40 - 100’ static line, 6 - 8 carabiners, 1-2 48” slings) we encourage you to bring it as instructors will have limited amounts to share and you’ll have the opportunity for hands-on training with it.

Participants must identify as woman, non-binary, trans, or genderfluid and be comfortable in spaces that center around the experiences of women.

Anchor building is a fundamental skill for every outdoor climber. Unlike many other climbing areas, Devils Lake does not have bolts for anchoring. If you’ve never slung a tree or you don’t know a BHK from an HMS, join DLCG instructors Sarah Geers and Mallory Jasicki for an introductory anchors course.

You will learn safe, secure systems for building traditional natural anchors, including background on the equipment and knots involved and modern techniques for rigging using natural protection (trees, boulders). Those familiar with old-school traditional anchors may enjoy gaining familiarity with new, modern approaches to systems and rigging techniques. All students will have opportunities to set a number of anchors and receive peer and instructor feedback.

Prerequisites: Some previous climbing experience recommended. Participants must identify as woman, non-binary, trans, or genderqueer and be comfortable in spaces that center around the experience of women.

Equipment Needed: Personal climbing equipment including harness, helmet, personal anchor and belay/rappel equipment, closed-toed hiking shoes, lunch/calories, hydration, and appropriate climbing clothing. If you have your own rigging material (40 - 100’ static line, 6 - 8 carabiners, 1-2 48” slings) we encourage you to bring it as instructors will have limited amounts to share and you’ll have the opportunity for hands-on training with it.

There is a lot of complicated information out there about anchor systems! So let's learn to spot the "good from the bad" and what is essential in your system.

In this clinic, professional climber Marcus Garcia will explain basic anchors systems, discuss what matters most when building anchors, and how to keep a team secure on climbs. This clinic focuses on the simplicity of anchors and will help answer questions about using different anchor setups. Participants will walk away with new knowledge, regardless of their experience levels!

Prerequisites: Previous climbing and traditional anchor building experience recommended.

Equipment Needed: Personal climbing equipment including harness, helmet, personal anchor and belay/rappel equipment, closed-toed hiking shoes, lunch/calories, hydration, and appropriate climbing clothing. If you have your own rigging material (40 - 100’ static line, 6 - 8 carabiners, 1-2 48” slings, traditional gear rack) we encourage you to bring it as instructors will have limited amounts to share and you’ll have the opportunity for hands-on training with it.

About Marcus Garcia: “Marcus Garcia might be the best climber you’ve never heard of.” — Rock and Ice Magazine, issue 238. Marcus, 42 years old from Durango, Colorado, is an all-around climber, and has established over 200+ new routes, including everything from traditional, alpine, sport, and mixed climbing to big walls and desert towers. However, his biggest accomplishment and legacy is not how hard he can push himself, but what he passes on to the next generation of climbers as a coach and mentor.

If you’re looking to get in some climbing but your physical disabilities or limitations make it difficult to participate in other clinics, this is the place for you! The instructor team is stacked with supportive, experienced instructors that are ready to offer personalized assistance. Join Adaptive Adventures’ Jason Stubbeman, Boulders Climbing Gym’s local adaptive outing coordinator, paramedic, and AMGA-certified climbing instructor Kat Floyd, and their team for a day of top-rope climbing, rappelling, and camaraderie on Devils Lake’s East Bluff.

Clinic participants will complete a questionnaire upon registration to help determine the assistance they need to have a comfortable day climbing outside, and Jason or Kat will coordinate a plan for success.

Additional support provided includes: assistance accessing the climbing area through a drive-up access permit and vehicle shuttle, specialized harnesses that provide support for all mobility levels, other specialized equipment that allows for a more comfortable climbing experience, and personalized additional support as needed.

We understand that some folks may have tight budgets and need assistance with clinic and weekend fees. If you need financial assistance, please reach out to the contacts below:
Kat Floyd - [email protected]
Jason Stubbeman - [email protected]

Supported by Devils Lake Climbing Guides, Adaptive Adventures and Boulders Climbing Gym.

Prerequisites: None. This is a clinic for people with disabilities. Reach out to the contacts above if you are not sure if it is the right fit for you.

Equipment Needed: Personal mobility equipment, closed-toed hiking shoes (if applicable), lunch/calories, hydration, and appropriate climbing clothing. Please bring personal climbing equipment (harness, helmet, climbing shoes, belay device) if you have it.

The biggest reason to learn trad is the vast opportunities the skill opens to climb both in your backyard and around the globe. Join long-time trad climber and owner of Devils Lake Climbing Guides Nick Wilkes along with Brian Foster for this solid introduction to traditional lead climbing. In this clinic, we’ll teach real world skills to climb real world traditionally protected climbs. We’ll focus on grades that help you learn to place sound protection, manage a rope line, and route-find all while keeping a cool lead head.

Prerequisites: Solid belay skills are a must. Experience placing gear and building anchors and leading sport climbs is highly recommended.. Experienced traditional lead climbers might enjoy a refresher and feedback from the instructor, but this clinic focuses on introducing trad climbing to a newer audience.

Equipment Needed: Personal climbing equipment including shoes, harness, helmet, personal anchor and belay/rappel equipment, closed-toed hiking shoes, lunch/calories, hydration, and appropriate climbing clothing. Please bring a rack of hardware/protection if you have one, as instructors will have a limited amount of gear to share.

The biggest reason to learn trad is the vast opportunities the skill opens to climb both in your backyard and around the globe. Join DLCG instructors Angie Limbach and Rhiannon Kunesh to break into new territory in a safe, welcoming learning environment for folks that identify as women, non-binary, trans, or genderqueer. In this clinic, we’ll teach real world skills to climb real world traditionally protected climbs. We’ll focus on grades that help you learn to place sound protection, manage a rope line, and route-find all while keeping a cool lead head.

Prerequisites: Solid belay skills are a must. Experience placing gear and building anchors and leading sport climbs is highly recommended.. Experienced traditional lead climbers might enjoy a refresher and feedback from the instructor, but this clinic focuses on introducing trad climbing to a newer audience. Participants must identify as woman, non-binary, trans, or genderqueer and be comfortable in spaces that center around the experience of women.

Equipment Needed: Personal climbing equipment including shoes, harness, helmet, personal anchor and belay/rappel equipment, closed-toed hiking shoes, lunch/calories, hydration, and appropriate climbing clothing. Please bring a rack of hardware/protection if you have one, as instructors will have a limited amount of gear to share.

Looking to take your climbing to new heights? Join AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide Janel Rieger-Chavez to learn the skills needed to plan and execute multi-pitch climbing adventures. Whether your objective is sport or trad, we’ll cover preparation, navigation, route-finding, climbing systems, rope management, belay transitions, descent skills, and risk management considerations required to safely venture into multi-pitch terrain.

Note: this course will not focus on how to build anchors.

Prerequisites: Participants should have outdoor climbing experience, basic familiarity with anchoring concepts, and be lead belay certified in a gym.

Equipment Needed: Personal climbing equipment including shoes, harness, helmet, personal anchor and belay/rappel equipment, closed-toed hiking shoes, lunch/calories, hydration, and appropriate climbing clothing. Please bring a rack of hardware/protection if you have one, as instructors will have a limited amount of gear to share.

Friday, 8:00pm - 9:30pm

Location: The Barn at Skillet Creek Campground (near the front parking)

The hormonal complexity is different in males and females. An in-depth study of the cycles in both sexes is essential to understanding how our bodies and minds react during different phases of our hormonal cycles. Emotional, psychological and physical aspects derived from the cycle are often overlooked during the planning of training programs, which can result in setbacks in expected progress and ultimately frustration.

In this clinic you will understand in a deeper way the different phases of the menstrual cycle in a safe environment. We will extrapolate this knowledge to inform how to build a training plan for more accurate, healthy results.

Prerequisites: None

Equipment Needed: None

Meet at the Latino Outdoors booth in the vendor village Saturday morning.

This meetup is a unique opportunity to unite with fellow Latinx outdoor aficionados, embracing our shared cultural identity and gathering around shared experiences. Experience challenge and community with a day of top-rope rock climbing on the breathtaking bluffs of Devils Lake State Park hosted by trip leaders Juan Reyes and Ariel Barrios Jr of Latino Outdoors – Great Lakes. Whether you're trying climbing for the first time, or you’re a seasoned pro, all skill levels are warmly welcomed. Let's celebrate our heritage, forge connections, and relish the natural world in a community that truly understands and appreciates our experiences!

Prerequisites: No previous climbing experience required. Should identify as Latinx.

Equipment Needed: Personal climbing equipment including climbing shoes, harness, helmet, and belay device, closed-toed hiking shoes, lunch/calories, hydration, and appropriate climbing clothing.

Meet at the AAC booth near the beer tents in the vendor village Saturday morning.

Join a group of stoked LGBTQIA2+ climbers for a day of top-rope climbing at Devils Lake. Headed by Matt Moy with Chicago’s Queer on the Rocks and psyched community supporter Evan Stone, this meetup is a unique opportunity to enjoy outdoor climbing with folks of shared experience. All ability levels are welcome!

Prerequisites: No previous climbing experience required. Should identify as LGBTQIA2+.

Equipment Needed: Personal climbing equipment including climbing shoes, harness, helmet, and belay device, closed-toed hiking shoes, lunch/calories, hydration, and appropriate climbing clothing.