While the weather was less than ideal, we still had an awesome event with lots of stoked women climbers! We had women from ages 20 to 66 attend with women who’ve been climbing for 40+ years as well as ones who’ve only climbed outside once before. There were groups bouldering, trad climbing and top roping both Saturday and Sunday in the beautiful West Trapps while a few women avoided the rain by heading to Gravity Vault in Poughkeepsie. Julie Seyfert Lillis also hosted two 1/2 trad climbing clinic for interested participants (one on Saturday and one Sunday).
Friday evening we had an amazing panel, hosted by Rock and Snow, with longtime local climbers Elaine Matthews, Julie Seyfert Lillis and Whitney Boland. It was attended by a good mix of long time climbers and brand new ones with great questions. We were also able to raise $300 for Gabby O’Shea, a local young climber who was recently seriously injured in a hit and run bike accident with raffle prizes from Rock and Snow and Organic Climbing.
The BBQ hosted by the Gunks Climbers Coalition (GCC) and Mohonk Preserve on Saturday evening was so fun! It was really great to see longtime local climbers talking and meeting some of the women who are newer to climbing and really excited to learn more about the history of climbing in the Gunks. The Patagonia Meatpacking store generously donated beer to the party and we also had an awesome raffle, which raised over $350 for the GCC. The raffled comprised of prizes by our awesome sponsor Organic Climbing as well as the Cliffs at LIC, Patagonia Meatpacking store, Arcteryx Soho, Access Fund and Rock and Snow.
The event rounded out with an Adopt-a-Crag in partnership with GCC and Mohonk Preserve. The volunteers were able to spend the morning cleaning the existing Upper and Undercliff roads as well as building an entirely new temporary trail that climbers will be able to use this spring to access the cliff when construction on the Steel Bridge commences next April. Extra shoutout to our headline sponsor Organic Climbing for supporting women in climbing and this event (also to Kellie at Peak Magazine for the coverage and to Dank Brooklyn Banana Bread for keeping us happy at breakfast)!
Thank you SO MUCH to all our sponsors and local partners and all the women who came out for the event and made the weekend so awesome! Enjoy our picture gallery below!
Flash Foxy 