ABOUT
Mission and vision
Our mission is to create a safe and inclusive space where we can shatter glass ceilings of social expectations, to support one another and rise together through a shared passion for rock climbing.
OUR STORY
Rock & Rise, formerly known as the Treeline Community, was born in 2017 as a safe space for women, focused on promoting a healthy lifestyle through outdoor adventure sports. The mission was to empower women within the climbing community by highlighting skills and accomplishments of female guides and speakers, showcasing local female-led businesses and artists, and facilitating important conversations on topics such as mental health, belonging and self identity. The Squamish-based women’s festival ran in 2017, 2018 and 2019, and a smaller version ran in 2021 (within the restraints at the time due to the COVID pandemic).
After a few years off, the 2024 climbing festival has evolved to now serve not only women but also people of expansive genders. Furthermore, we recognize that gender stigma and oppression are only one factor of privilege and opportunity in outdoor sports, and we are committed to promoting further diversity, such as through minority representation among our mentors and festival team, and providing scholarship opportunities for those facing financial barriers. Like the festival, we too are evolving and growing and we will continue to do the work to support this vision.
At Rock & Rise, we encourage strength through vulnerability and aim to help shift the norms of what a climber “should” be like. We are inspired by the determination and resilience of women and people of expansive genders, from cutting-edge accomplishments that push the limits of our sport to stories of overcoming barriers to pursue a passion at any ability level. We deeply believe that everyone should feel safe and welcome within the climbing community, as we strive to make our sport more accessible and our differences not something to be ashamed of but something to celebrate!!
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