When most Pride events revolve around dance floors and city streets, Arc’teryx’s Queer Ascent is taking things somewhere steeper.
The outdoor brand’s multi-day LGBTQ+ climbing experience returns to Truckee, California, from June 4-7, bringing together queer climbers, allies, athletes, and first-timers for a weekend centered on movement, connection, and community. Set against the granite walls of Donner Summit, the event combines climbing clinics, film screenings, panels, social gatherings, and live performances into what feels less like a traditional sports event and more like a queer summer camp for outdoorsy adventurers.
Created in partnership with Arc’teryx athlete Jordan Cannon, Queer Ascent was born from a realization that queer climbers rarely had spaces intentionally designed for them.
“It was a pretty simple idea, really, that came together after I attended my first gay event in 2021: Aspen Gay Ski Week,” Cannon told me. “Having attended numerous climbing events over the years, especially the Arc’teryx Academies, I realized there really weren’t many spaces specifically centered around queer climbers, particularly brand-supported ones.”
That absence became the foundation for Queer Ascent.
“So that’s what I set out to create: a place for queer climbers to meet, climb, and spend a weekend together in one of my favorite summer climbing destinations,” he said.
Building Community On The Wall
For many LGBTQ+ people, outdoor recreation can still feel intimidating. Climbing culture has historically skewed straight and male, leaving some queer athletes feeling like outsiders in spaces marketed as rugged or hyper-masculine.
Cannon says the difference in queer-centered environments is immediate.
“As a gay climber, there’s something really powerful about being surrounded by people who immediately understand certain parts of your experience without needing explanation,” he explained.
Still, he’s quick to point out that Queer Ascent isn’t about exclusivity.
“The goal isn’t to create separation, it’s to create connection,” Cannon said. “If someone sees the event and feels drawn to it, chances are they belong there.”
That openness is reflected throughout the programming. Attendees can participate in climbing clinics led by Arc’teryx athletes and guides, community climbing sessions, and evening events designed to encourage conversation beyond the sport itself.
Rather than forcing a balance between technical instruction and emotional connection, Cannon says the atmosphere develops naturally through the people involved.
“A lot of it comes down to intentionally choosing the right athletes, guides, and instructors,” he said. “People who not only bring technical experience but who also understand how important it is to create a warm, welcoming environment where people feel comfortable showing up as themselves.”
A Different Kind Of Pride Weekend
This year’s expanded four-day schedule gives participants more time to settle in and build relationships organically. Cannon says that extra breathing room changes the rhythm of the weekend.
“I’m really excited that we were able to extend the event by an additional day this year,” he told me. “It gives people more time to connect and allows the weekend to unfold a little more naturally without feeling rushed.”
Alongside climbing, the event includes a happy hour mixer, a film screening and panel discussion at Tahoe Art Haus, and one addition Cannon already expects to become a fan favorite: a “Queer Prom” themed dance party.
“And then we usually wrap things up with a relaxed lake day, swimming, eating ice cream, and hopefully sending people home with a lot of new friends and climbing partners,” he added.
The combination of outdoor adventure and queer celebration reflects a broader shift happening across the outdoor industry. More brands are recognizing that representation cannot stop at marketing campaigns or Pride Month merchandise drops.
“I think one of the biggest changes in recent years has simply been visibility,” Cannon said. “There are more openly 2SLGBTQIA+ climbers, runners, skiers, and outdoor athletes now than when I first started climbing.”
At the same time, he believes visibility alone is not enough.
“It’s one thing to feature queer athletes during Pride Month; it’s another to consistently invest in queer communities, events, and leadership year-round,” he explained.
More Than A Climbing Event
For Cannon, Queer Ascent also reflects something personal. As a professional climber who spends much of the year traveling, he says building consistent queer community within the outdoor world has not always been easy.
“My vision for Queer Ascent was really just to create the kind of event that I personally would want to attend,” he said. “A space where people can climb together, connect naturally, and feel fully themselves in the outdoors.”
That intention sits at the center of the weekend. While climbing is the vehicle bringing people together, Cannon hopes participants leave with something deeper than improved technique.
“I hope people leave Queer Ascent feeling more empowered, both as climbers and as themselves,” he said.
“I think a lot of queer people grow up internalizing the idea that being different is somehow a weakness, especially in traditionally rugged or masculine outdoor spaces. But my hope is that people leave realizing the opposite: that when fully embraced, our identities, perspectives, and sense of community can actually become a source of strength.”
More information about Queer Ascent, including tickets and programming details, is available here.
