The AAC is super excited to be co-hosting a brand new climbing festival this summer that centers BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and adaptive climbers in Yosemite Valley, called United in Yosemite. In this episode, we sat down with Genevive Walker and Thomas Bukowski, who are each deeply embedded in the climbing world, helping create more inclusive climbing experiences, and are guides who will be running clinics at United in Yosemite. Our conversation covers what climbing means to them, the obstacles they face as guides, why United in Yosemite matters, and the magic these kinds of events can generate. Listen in to get a sneak peek of what to expect from the event and get a glimpse behind the scenes of the guiding world.
Transforming the Conditions for the Send
Saturday Session panelists Kareemah Batts, Roshni Brahmbhatt, Lyndon Cudlitz, Ady Wright, and Tommy Caldwell.
The 2023 Annual Benefit Gala
Together we laughed, cried, and celebrated this incredible community.
At this year's AAC Gala, the energy for advocacy was unprecedented. You could feel it in the room, the energy to transform the conditions for the send. At the AAC, we know there are a mess of things impacting the send, not just the weather! Bigger picture—climate change, equitable climbing access and inclusive community, the conservation of public lands, ever evolving climbing management plans, and education for climbers—are all impacting our climbing. At the AAC, we're fighting to transform those conditions in order to protect the heart of climbing—the people and places who make climbing so special. At this year's Gala, the climbing community turned out in force to support and celebrate this transformation.
Climbers near and far came together to celebrate the boldness that is crucial for our climbing endeavors and advocacy. We were joined by Former Vice President Al Gore, the Full Circle Everest Team, and a room full of AAC members, industry leaders, and climbing stars.
Dive deep into an unforgettable night in climbing, below!
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!
Featured
2022 Annual Benefit Gala Recap
This event was presented by Arc’teryx and Scarpa.
Mark Hudon and Jordan Cannon sing about the joy of being an El Cap climber “in the morning”. PC: Jim Aikman
From the moment climbers began arriving at this year’s Annual Benefit Gala, the energy was high. AAC members, volunteers, board members, athletes and supporters gathered for the first time since the onset of the pandemic. As climbers—average but passionate, young but absurdly strong, and of course, the legends—brushed shoulders with each other, you could mill around and bump into the person who had invented the quickdraw and perfected the backstep, or youngsters who are pushing the cutting edge of hard bouldering.
In the milieu of scrubbed up dirtbags and ex-dirtbags, there was a clear duality and connection. The older generation–like mountaineer Arlene Blum and prolific climbing writer Pat Ament–offered wisdom and perspective to the young, reflecting on the roots of climbing. Among the crowd, too, was the younger generation, like MCs Meaghan Martin and Cody Kaemmerlan, and crushers like Drew Ruana, who are each pushing climbing in new directions. This year’s Annual Benefit Gala seemed to particularly encapsulate how the AAC bridges the gap between where we have come from in climbing history, and the future we are striding towards. Even the Keynote speech, by the incredibly dynamic pairing of Mark Hudon and Jordan Cannon, epitomized this sense of the mingling of the past and the future.
PC: Jim Aikman
Jordan and Mark’s story is about an incredible friendship and climbing partnership, facilitated by Jordan’s fascination with climbing history and Mark’s uncompleted goals from his youth. The night of the Gala, Mark and Jordan were suited up, in Blues Brothers hats, and armed with a suitcase that housed Mark’s step stool (the man is very short). They played with seriousness and humor as they told the story of how they bonded despite their ages and heights over their shared goals to free climb El Cap—for Mark, in any way possible, and for Jordan, in a day. But their friendship and support of each other soon morphed into a story that pushed beyond their climbing goals.
When Jordan initially came out to Mark as a gay man, he was terrified. Terrified of this friend and father figure not understanding, of what his sponsors would say, and whether the climbing community would accept his authentic self. But his doubts were unnecessary. Just like in their climbing partnership, Mark was there to support him. For months, Mark helped coach Jordan through discovering who he truly was, and finding the strength to share himself with the world despite his fears. The two became even closer through this life mentoring, epitomizing the depths of climbing partnership, and how much our relationships in climbing teach us who we are and what we are capable of.
PC: Jim Aikman
With such a moving story to frame the evening, it was no surprise that attendees left feeling deeply connected with each other and to the AAC. Hundreds of attendees showed their support for their Club with their generous donations towards the policy, community, and education work that we do every day.
The rest of the weekend featured community and thoughtful conversations. At the Friday night Send N’ Social, our community gathered to share in the activity we love. On Saturday, Ashley Saupe from The Sharp End Podcast conducted an incredibly moving interview with Arc'teryx athlete Adam Campbell about the avalanche that took his wife’s life, and the struggles he faced as he blamed himself for it. Other talks on Saturday included a panel on Female First Ascents and how helpful they are to recognizing the cutting edge of women’s climbing, featuring the voices of Lynn Hill, Madeliene Sorkin, Sarah Leanne Hart, and Arlene Blum. Finally, Jordan Cannon and Patrick Dunn discussed LGBTQ+ visibility and mentorship in the climbing industry.
The Annual Gathering was a huge success because it brought the AAC Community together and escalated the momentum we have towards building an inclusive, excited, motivated community. We can’t wait for future events, like the 2022 Craggin’ Classic Series that can continue to foster this community!
If you enjoyed hearing about Jordan's journey, learn more about him and what he's doing to mentor others in the climbing world, highlighted in this film!
If you are interested in hearing the Female First Ascents Panel for yourself, keep an eye out for an episode dropping soon on the American Alpine Club Podcast!
You can listen to The Sharp End Podcast here.
Mark Hudon and Jordan Cannon: Keynote Speakers at AAC Annual Benefit Gala
Mark Hudon and Jordan Cannon in Yosemite. Photo by Jordan Cannon.
You may know about Mark and Jordan’s touching and hilarious partnership from the movie Free As Can Be, in which the two bond over their shared dream: freeing El Cap. But there is so much more to know about Jordan and Mark and their unique contributions to climbing! Check out the treasure trove of content below and learn more about these phenomenal climbers….and get hyped for their presentation at the Annual Benefit Gala, coming up on March 26th.
Learn More about Mark and Jordan:
Introducing the 2022 American Alpine Club Awardees
Each year, the American Alpine Club (AAC) has the honor of presenting its prestigious Annual Climbing Awards to outstanding climbers, conservationists, and volunteers. This year’s awards include Sean Bailey, Natalia Grossman, Rick Reese, Pat Ament, John Kascenska, John Heilprin, David Nyman, and Joe Terravecchia.
The awards will be presented at the AAC Annual Bennefit Gala on March 26, 2022 in Denver, CO.
Honorary Membership
Arlene Blum & Steve Roper will be awarded honorary memberships this year. "Both are “household” names in the climbing community and have distinguished themselves over many years in the mountains through their pioneering leadership of difficult ascents and in areas of the arts and science in mountain related endeavors.
The Robert Hicks Bates Award
Sean Bailey & Natalia Grossman will receive the Robert Hicks Bates Award which honors young climbers who show "outstanding promise for future accomplishment." The selection committee wanted to focus on competition climbing. Sean won two lead world cups and a boulder world cup in 2021, while Natalia won the boulder world championships and won two boulder world cups.
The David R. Brower Award
Rick Reese will be awarded The David Brower Conservation Award. Rick co-founded the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, now the leading conservation group fighting for the protection of this over 4.5million acre iconic ecosystem comprising nearly a dozen mountain ranges. Rick was clearly one of the most important western conservationists of our generation not to mention a bold, tenacious and accomplished pioneer climber and former climbing ranger.
The H. Adams Carter Literary Award
The AAC Literary Committee will award Pat Ament he H. Adams Carter Literary Award. Pat would have 30 books published, approaching 200 magazine articles, and 25 pieces selected for various international anthologies of best climbing writings – more than any other person. His writings include many poems in literary magazines. President emeritus of the AAC, Jim McCarthy, has called Pat "the poet laureate of American climbing writing."
Angelo Heilprin Citation
John Kascenska & John Heilprin will be awarded the 2022 Heilprin Citation for their "exemplary service to the Club." John Kascenska joined the American Alpine Club in 1996 and for many years has volunteered with several Club activities. John Heilprin served on the board of directors from 2012 to 2018.
David A. Sowles Memorial Award
David Nyman will be awarded the David A Sowles Memorial Award for the eight-day ordeal to rescue/evacuate Jim Sweeney from the base of the Elevator Shaft on Mt. Johnson in 1989. The award is conferred from time to time on mountaineers who have distinguished themselves, with unselfish devotion at personal risk or sacrifice of a major objective, in going to the assistance of fellow climbers imperiled in the mountains.
Please join us at the Annual Benefit Gala on March 26, 2022 in Denver, CO to hear from the awardees
