ABOUT
What we are all about
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 festival evolved to 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!!
OUR TEAM
Aarthi Anandan (she/they)
Climbing & accessibility team
Languages: English, Malay, Tamil and Singlish
Aarthi grew up across Southeast Asia and now calls the mountains of BC home. She started climbing through curiosity and community, and ended up falling in love with the outdoors and the feeling of being on rock. Trained as a lawyer, Aarthi brings a thoughtful and care centred approach to creating spaces where people feel welcomed and supported. She is especially passionate about supporting beginners, building confidence, and making climbing and outdoor spaces feel more accessible and truly for everyone.
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Amanda Bischke
Climbing & accessibility team
Languages: English, French
Amanda started climbing while studying kinesiology at the University of Calgary. Now Squamish is her summer home and she travels to rock or ice destinations in the winter. Climbing offers infinite learning opportunities which she embraces with an inquisitive and playful approach. With over ten years experience as a climbing instructor, she equally enjoys sharing the experience with others. Amanda is passionate about cultivating an environment where all participants leave feeling empowered to lead their own adventures.
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Brittany Seki (she/her)
Logistics team
Languages: English
When Brittany immersed herself among inspiring women climbers, she fell in love with the lifestyle! Eight years, five re-soles, and countless crag cookies later, she facilitates inclusive spaces at Vancouver gyms and crags for women and gender-diverse climbers of all levels. The half-Japanese Ontarian is passionate about programs that build community among underrepresented groups through shared activities, from motorcycling and teaching yoga, to climbing (of course). After moving across Canada over 2.5 years ago, she is stoked to continue fostering empowered climbing spaces for women and gender-diverse folks by developing supportive programming for Rock and Rise 2026.
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Bronwyn Hodgins
Logistics team
Languages: English, Spanish, French
Bronwyn is a professional climber and ACMG rock guide. She was the first Canadian woman to free climb El Capitan in Yosemite and has led big wall expeditions to Baffin Island, Greenland, Mexico and Chile. She spends roughly 6 months of the year in Squamish, sharing her passion through guiding. For the rest of the year, she can be found at climbing destinations worldwide tackling hard ascents. She is passionate about advocating for female leadership in adventure sports, and excited to learn more about diversifying the community.
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Diana Liu
Logistics team
Languages: English, Mandarin
This is Diana Liu. (Yuxi Liu is my legal name but people found it hard to pronounce so I also go by Diana). Yux is my trail name in case anyone wants to call me that!
Diana/Yux is part of the logistics team for the non-climbing programming at Rock & Rise Festival, helping keep things running smoothly behind the scenes so everyone can focus on having a great time. She loves being part of events that bring people together and cares deeply about community care and resilience. When she is not coordinating schedules or supplies, she is usually out trail running, lifting weights, practicing yoga, or spending time outdoors soaking up nature.
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Hoai-Nam Bui
Media & finances team
Languages: English
Hoai-Nam learned to climb in 2018, while pursuing her doctorate in biology at McGill University. In the eight years since, climbing has given her community, purpose, and a means of connecting with the world around her. She is passionate about making the crag a more inclusive place and is a strong advocate for short-person beta. Hoai-Nam lives in Squamish.
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Holly Stewart
Media & finances team
Languages: English
Holly has lived in many places in BC and feels lucky to now call Squamish home. She first tied into a climbing rope over ten years ago and is passionate about supporting female climbers and encouraging diversity in the community. She is almost tall enough to ride most rollercoasters and will happily share all her short person beta!
Jamie Ho (she/her)
Logistics team
Languages: English, Cantonese, Spanish, Mandarin
Jaime, originally from Hong Kong, is a yoga teacher and adventure guide. She has a performing arts degree in Events and Stage Management, and is now living in Squamish with her dog Baxter. Dancing between cracks and tufas, she sees climbing as a way to come home to our body. “Share space, make space, celebrate!” - Joining the Rock & Rise team, Jaime is committed to cultivating a more equitable climbing culture and increasing BIPOC and queer representation within the community.
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On her days off, you’ll find her climbing, chatting with banana slugs in the woods, or creating immersive experiences in the theatre.
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Laura Hulley (she/her)
Media & finances team
Languages: English
A long-time climber and outdoor enthusiast, Laura has worked in the climbing industry for the past 5 years. When she's not out on the rocks you can find her at the local makerspace - throwing some pottery or tinkering in the wood shop.
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Community is at the heart of everything she does, and is the reason she joined the Rock and Rise team! She sees climbing and the outdoors as one of the best ways to connect, and strives to make the space as friendly and welcoming as possible.
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Laura Pollock (she/her)
Climbing & accessibility team
Languages: English
​Laura Pollock grew up in Calgary with a lifelong love of the outdoors. After earning a degree in Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership, she moved to Squamish to pursue a career in the outdoor industry, where she discovered a passion for rock climbing. It quickly became one of her favourite ways to challenge herself, travel, and connect with friends while spending time outdoors. Through climbing, Laura found a strong and supportive community, and recognizing the impact it had on her life, she is now working as an ACMG certified Top Rope Climbing Instructor committed to paying it forward by creating inclusive spaces and diverse programs that support every climbers at every stage of their journey.
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Pim Shaitosa
Media & finances team
Languages: Swedish, English, Japanese, Spanish
Pim's passion for climbing and self discovery has taken her across the globe in search of inspiration and a place to call home. Growing up as a Swedish/Thai mixie in Sweden made her feel a lack of belonging; Too Asian to be Swedish and too Swedish to be Thai. She has therefore made it her mission to create inclusivity and to empower minorities within the outdoors community. She does this through female, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ focused events, public speaking and photography as well as collaborations with sustainable and ethical brands that align with her values. ​
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OUR VALUES
Respect and Compassion are paramount: At Rock and Rise we believe respect and compassion for yourself and others to be the single most important element in creating safer spaces where everyone feels warmly welcomed and supported.
The Power of Belonging: If we were to put why we created Rock and Rise into one word it would be “belonging.” Our mission is not to simply invite more folks to try this sport. No, our mission is much deeper than that. It’s to question what makes us feel (or not feel) like we belong in climbing spaces and create an intentional space that widens that door to welcome in as many new and unique folks as we can — a space where a wildly diverse assortment of humans can feel safe and able to express their true selves while connecting over a shared passion for climbing. Because community is important, and one can’t have community without a sense of belonging.
Climbing has No Gender: Climbing has nothing to do with your gender, the way you cut your hair or wear your clothes or the body you were born into. A gap in gender representation is due to the long history of men dominating in this sport and the deeply-entrenched patriarchal expectations and pressures, especially in our colonial western society. Rock and Rise is here to change that, and you can help!
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Trust and Vulnerability within a Climbing Partnership/Group: Climbing has inherent risks. To help keep everyone safe it’s important to communicate clearly with your climbing partner; be honest about your knowledge and abilities, as well as make space for each other to express apprehensions and/or needs. It can be a dangerous recipe when someone doesn’t feel emotionally safe to speak up and ends up feeling pressured into a position that they don’t feel comfortable with. Remember also that people and situations are dynamic: what may have felt good yesterday might not be in the cards today.
There’s Space for Everyone: We strive to make Rock and Rise accessible and welcoming to everyone, regardless of gender, background, race, body shape, sexual orientation, religion, perspective, age and ability, and expect you to be considerate in how you speak and act. We won’t tolerate discrimination or hate speech.
There’s Always Something to Learn: In climbing there are often many ways to perform a skill. Perhaps you did a heel hook, but for someone else’s body a toe hook works better. Maybe you made an anchor with a figure 8 in a sling, while they made an anchor with their cord as a quad. Always ask first before offering feedback or advice, unless it is a matter of safety for yourself or others, or expressing your own needs — not unsolicited critiques of your partner’s technique!
Shift Judgments to Curiosity: Rock and Rise may be a more diverse space than you are used to, especially within climbing and outdoors communities. You may see a lot of folks who have differences from you, whether apparent or less visible. If you notice yourself being judgemental, instead try to shift this judgement into curiosity: How might this person’s experience differ from yours? What would it be like in their shoes? Isn’t it beautiful how unique each human being is on this planet?
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No One is Perfect, Your Intention and Effort is the Key: We all make mistakes. We all have underlying assumptions, shaped by the world we grew up in. We invite you to set a clear intention to be as open and inclusive as possible. If you slip up, acknowledge the mistake and take it as a learning opportunity! At Rock and Rise there will be plenty of resources available, and knowledgeable folks who’d be happy to chat about this topic! It’s up to all of us to make this weekend a special one and, in doing so, be role models for the greater climbing and outdoor sports communities.