Nowadays, there isn’t an area of life where women don’t crush. Whether it’s work, life, sports, or media, we live in an age where women crush just about everything.
When the media first began to cover climbing, women like Lynn Hill were breaking world records and besting men at the sport. Today, women like Sasha Digiulian,Ashima Shiraishi and Megan Mascarenas (this year’s national bouldering champ) are helping define the sport of rock climbing by breaking world records and pushing the boundaries of what both women and men can accomplish. Even now, women are challenging gender and cultural norms in Iran through rock climbing.
I was first introduced to the sport of rock climbing over 10 years ago, when my older sister and I signed up for a week-long adventure with Outward Bound. For 7 days, we camped in the Vedauwoo rock formations of Wyoming to learn all sorts of knots, how to belay, different climbing techniques and safety rules. Once we split up into groups, we top-roped a ton of routes, smeared on challenging inclines, climbed through chimneys (my favorite), and conquered 300+ feet multi pitches. By the time our trip ended, I was completing 5.10C’s. I didn’t know much about grades. I would just look at a route and think, I can do this. Then, I would plug and chug my way to the top.It would be years before I took up climbing again. My sleepy hometown had a good climbing gym, but whenever I walked into the facility, I felt alone. My sister didn’t pursue the sport after our trip, and I didn’t know anyone else who climbed. It seemed like most people who were into climbing in the Chicagoland area already knew each other, knew a lot about the sport, and had people to climb with. I didn’t know anyone, and I was super shy back then. So my love for climbing got shelved, and the rest of life took over.
Last year, I moved back to Chicago after a whirlwind of travel adventures with a non-profit, and I started bouldering at Hidden Peak, a small bouldering gym in Chicago. The problems were challenging and the holds were worn smooth, but the community was welcoming, encouraging, and diverse. Plus, the space is small… you kind of HAVE to talk to each other. Once I got back into groove of climbing again, I had a blast tackling problems with other people. On Wednesdays at the Peak, women began to gather to train together, climb hard, and cheer each other on, a session we affectionately called “Women Crush Wednesday”.
Once First Ascent Avondale opened, Women Crush Wednesday migrated to the space upstairs, and has since become a weekly thing. At 7PM every Wednesday, women of all abilities, ethnicities and climbing styles get together to work on bouldering problems together. We share beta, we laugh, we talk, and we train hard. At the end, we do a series of exercises, working our core, arms, backs, and legs. It sounds intense, but it’s really a ton of fun. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to meet people.
I don’t know where my climbing life would be without the women that I’ve met through the climbing community. I don’t think I’d be climbing nearly as well or be having nearly as much fun as I am now. While I don’t need to wait for Wednesdays to crush or climb, it’s been fun to have a dedicated time and space to do it with other ladies.
So if you see us upstairs and you’re a woman, no matter what your climbing ability is, come join us! Feel free to introduce yourself and work problems with us.
Are you ready to crush? We’ll see you at First Ascent Avondale at 7pm every Wednesday.
Photo Credits: Christie Batka, Pilar Amado, Nari Ho.