Hit the Rock at the Salt Lake Climbing Festival
Mingle, learn, savor and get your groove on at this must-attend event for craggers.
By Michaela Wagner 8/7/2018 at 3:26pm
-Park City Magazine
ATTENTION ALL CLIMBERS! Are you ready for a weekend full of amazing climbing clinics, food, music, and friendly people who love hitting the rock as much as you do? Then grab your tickets for the upcoming Salt Lake Climbing Festival (Aug. 24-26) and immerse yourself in the best of the Wasatch climbing community. Whether you’ve been crushing climbs in the great outdoors for years or are just making your first ascents in the gym, the Salt Lake Climbing Festival is a must for local climbers of all ages.
Taking place at Brighton Resort, the annual festival is hosted by the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance (SLCA), an advocacy group that works tirelessly throughout the year on behalf of the climbing community, whether it’s replacing anchors on area routes or negotiating deals for access to prime climbing areas (including the landmark Gate Buttress parcel in Little Cottonwood Canyon). True to their pillars of “advocacy, stewardship, community, and education,” the climbing festival focuses on helping climbers take their skills to the next level.
“This weekend is all about the education,” says Julia Geisler, the Executive Director of the SLCA. “We have a bunch of professional instructors volunteering their time to share their knowledge with the climbing community in an effort to increase our competency out on the rock. Climbers of all abilities and ages are invited to come to this event. Everyone has something to learn.”
The incredible half-day, full-day, and two-day clinics cover everything from intro to advanced multi-pitch climbing, lead climbing, self-rescue, outdoor climbing for kids, climbing photography, anchor construction and much more. This year’s festival will also focus on injury treatment and prevention with several new clinics: Thai Stretch & Release, Mysofascial Release, and How To Self-Treat Nagging Injuries & Performance Limitations. Regardless of your ability or age, there’s something available for every type of climber. You can peruse the full clinic offerings here.
Festival attendees can also enjoy a number of evening activities, including a concert and camping.
In addition to climbing clinics, the festival is also set up to foster connections in the community. Participants will have plenty of time to mix and mingle with other climbers over breakfast, drinks, lawn games, and a Saturday night concert featuring the Salt Lake based band The Pour. You can also pick up schwag and get in on gear giveaways via the Vendor Village where event sponsors will be on hand throughout the weekend.
A standard Full Weekend Pass ($130) includes access to clinics, activities, Saturday breakfast and dinner, Sunday breakfast, camping (must have own gear), and the Vendor Village (options for Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night only are also available). If you can’t squeeze a full day in for the festival or you’re strapped for cash, we recommend grabbing the $25 ticket for Saturday night -- the most economical option and a great deal to boot. With it, you’ll get a new/renewed SLCA Membership, dinner from Yoshi’s Japanese Grill, drinks from Moab Brewery, and all the Saturday evening festivities, including the concert, lawn games, yoga, MountainBEERing with Backcountry, a Work/Climb Balance Workshop, and the Vendor Village.
See you all there!