Queer Climbing Social
The Queer Climbing Social (QCS) provides a safe and inclusive space at Boulders Climbing Gym for the LGBTQ+ community to build confidence and community around social rock climbing and community activities.
WHO: LGBTQ+ Community
WHAT: Climbing, community, optional Skill Classes!
WHEN: First Saturday of the month, 3 pm - 6pm
COST: Free for members, Pay what you can for non members. ($10 suggested)
Rentals included!
Get regular club updates and event details!
Coordinator
Clara McGlynn (she/her):
After a lifetime of being relatively non-sporty, Clara got bit by the climbing bug a few years ago and never looked back. Her goal with Queer Climb Madison is to provide LGBTQIA+ folks with opportunities to explore the sport in community, whether it's their first time in a gym, their third decade of multi-pitch projecting, or anywhere in between.
Hosts
Patricia Chan (she/her):
Patricia is a graduate student at UW in Botany and an avid lover of the outdoors. She joined QCS in 2019 in search of community and became inspired by the strength of connections that climbing could facilitate. What Patty appreciates most about queer climb is having an accessible, welcoming, and alcohol-free space for the LGBT community in a context where we can feel comfortable with movement and connecting with our bodies. Always learning and slowly gaining skills, Patty strives to do multi-day big wall climbs someday.
SJ Hemmerich (they/them):
SJ is a graduate student at UW-Madison in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis with a focus on trans/nonbinary inclusivity in K-12 schools. They’ve been climbing on and off since moving to Madison in 2006. Once they heard about QCS, it quickly became a favorite event: they hardly ever missed one and tended to go for the entire 3 hours, so! It made sense for SJ to help host the event because QCS is one of their favorite events: They love being in the midst of joyful queer folks challenging themselves and having fun. SJ loves meeting first time attendees that seem to come every month. I mostly top rope and have started lead climbing a bit, but my favorite climbing experience was my (ambitious) first bouldering route called “Plumber’s Crack” at Red Rock Canyon in Nevada.
Past Hosts
Lily Hislop (she/her):
Jacqueline Goldstein (she/her)
Becca Ridge (she/her):
Madison Edwards (They/Them):
Nathan Morrison (he/him):