2021 Festival Recap

Festival impressions by Cora Steinbach

It hit me as Anju, Kristen, and I greeted the radiant and passionate women that drove into Hellgate Gulch Campground, “This weekend is going to be powerful!” The first annual Montana Women’s Climbing Festival was brought to life with each car that drove towards the campground. The days to follow were the vision of my good friend, Anju Samuelson, a strong and motivated German- born climber. Her vision was gathering of women, with at least a couple things in common- proximity and a love for rock climbing. Along with Anju, three more women put muscle into organizing the festival. Kristen Neithercut- an experienced event coordinator and certified climbing instructor- handled much of the planning and speaking letting her wonderful personality shine through. Becky Switzer- a long-time Bozeman community member, crusher, and sponsored climber- organized the clinics and raffle donations. Finally, Karly Rager Priest- certified Bozeman-based coach and an incredible athlete herself- contributed lots of effort, her coaching expertise, and incredible eye for detail. With the sponsorship of Gnarly Nutrition and The North Face, many of the financial hurdles were overcome and strengthen the organizer’s confidence in this event.

              Vans, Subarus, Suburbans, truck campers, and one wheel skateboards all rattled across the cattle grate and into the little campground. Ladies in their early 20’s to their late 50’s piled out and efficiently started setting up camps- rubbing shoulders with local athletes and route setting legends. The key sense of community that makes climbing feel like more than a sport, was instantly established on that Friday night. No one sat alone as we gathered for an introduction of place from Steph Bonucci, who graciously explained the Native American history of Hellgate Gulch. Somberly, we all gripped our beverages a little tighter, straining to understand the presence of the first peoples. Lorca Smetana brought us back to the present moment when she slid behind the microphone. Lorca is the living survivor of many tragedies, and she shared slivers of insight on how to incorporate resilience into our lives. As the wind intensified around the shelter and brought in some much-needed rain, Lorca reminded us that we have all been emotionally drained at one time. We were reminded that we were there not only to connect as female climbers, but to support each other. For myself, this was an indispensable conversation for the weekend, as I have lost female friends in the mountains and had to give and receive support.

              Two aspects of the weekend became clear on Saturday morning.

First: the sky, which had been choked with smoke for the entirety of summer 2021.
Second: the priorities of the festival attendees. The priority of time to interact and cook breakfast with ladies far outweighed anybody’s priority to rush to the crag.

Eventually, cars trickled out with windows down to revel in the clean air and excitement of the climbing just up the road. Not long after most everyone else, Anju and I strode up the gravel two-track towards the Winter Wall in Hellgate Gulch. It was a wall of women! Neon pink ropes snaked up the rock in the location where Karly’s clinic on the “Fear of Falling” was being held. Meg Swanson, a Montana climber who put up many of the routes in Hellgate, looked content belaying just above solid partners Anne Gilbert Chase and Kate Rutherford. Chatter and whoops and laughter all blended together and propelled those on the sharp end up the wall. I watched Anju and Kristen embrace, as Kristen rejoiced, “We did it, Anju”! Further up the canyon, I listened to old friends reconnect and hold meaningful conversations. Steph Bonucci dangled a board with two conveniently placed bolts and hangers around her neck at the “Gym to Crag” clinic. The women practiced building sport anchors and took turns donning the “boob board”. Zoe Hallowell held the waist of Emily Stifler Wolfe as she leaned out and over the stream to stick-clip a bolt. Taking in all these scenes, it was impossible not to feel emotional.

              Later that day, the sea of bright green wristbands each of us wore reconvened under the shelter. A slew of raffle prizes was displayed on the picnic tables and the women investigated- seeing what they might need. Becky wrangled up the long rolls of tickets and explained what the raffle would be benefitting- a cause near and dear to many of our hearts. In 2017, Bozeman- and the greater climbing community- lost sister and athlete Inge Perkins to an avalanche in the Madison Range. As many reeled from the loss of such a humble and talented young woman, a scholarship was set up in her honor. The Inge Perkins Scholarship supports now two developing female climbers, one on the Bozeman Climbing Team and one on the Montana Junior Mountaineering Team. In remembrance, many little tickets dropped into party cups as Anne Gilbert Chase took stance at the mic. Gilbert shared her wisdom on partnerships in the mountains, her experiences with female expedition partners, and the reality of trusting partners with your life. Gilbert smiled out at two of her partners in the crowd and the air of friendship and love did not go unnoticed. After looking at many a rime-covered human in Gilbert’s slideshow, Kate Rutherford warmed our hearts with her genuine enthusiasm for regenerative agriculture and sustainable fabrics from Patagonia. Stepping back from the shelter, the energy and buzz from day one was palpable.

              Day two began much like the first morning, with relaxed conversation and laughter over various breakfasts. A few late arrivals were welcomed in, and the clinics gathered with instructors Anne Gilbert Chase and Taylor Fragomeni. The day was much warmer and the mood a bit more subdued- maybe in anticipation of having to return to the patriarchy. Groups were clustered in the shadier nooks of the canyon and hugged the walls. Other non-festival folks engaged in the favorite Montana pastime of UTV-ing. Gilbert watched her participants with an expert eye in her clinic titled, “Climb Smarter, Not Harder”. Over in Taylor’s “Performance Climbing” clinic four Dillon- based mothers cheered as they learned how to stick clip bolts. Being able to stick clip up routes meant a lot to these ladies’ autonomy, as they always had relied on their male counterparts to lead. The afternoon waned on, and lots of “see you soons”, were had. Anju, Kristen, and I started our quick drive home too. Anju looked relieved, Kristen looked to be asleep in the backseat, and I myself likely looked glazed over in thought.

              It’s well understood amongst climbers the forms in which climbing becomes a metaphor and a grounding point for other aspects of life. The lessons we learn from our partners and ourselves translate to other relationships, our professional lives, and our connection to natural places. We all feel and mostly appreciate the physical changes climbing brings us- especially the unique movement and headspace we can enter. While the festival was as much about celebrating these parts of the sport, the importance of an event like this stems from the need for connection. Climbing partnerships can be some of the strongest relationships we can bring into our lives, especially when we can also share the bond of identifying as women.

              It took one idea to bring together over 40 Montana women and 10-12 more clinic instructors, professionals, and volunteers. Anju understood how cliquey the climbing community can be and figured bringing everyone to one central spot, in an all-female environment, could allow groups across Montana to intermingle. An event like this in Montana should have happened long before 2021, but those who did attend the first Montana Women’s Climbing Fest will look forward to this weekend for years to come.

1 Local legend Meg Swanson belaying one Montana peer, in the background: women getting ready to climb, by Anju Samuelson

2 Climbing coach Karly Rager Priest instructing in her clinic “Fear of Falling”, by Seth Langbauer

3 Participants listening closely to Lorca Smetana’s presentation, by Seth Langbauer

4 Students in Anne Gilbert Chase’s clinic “Climb smarter, not harder” cheering on a climber, by Seth Langbauer

5 Steph’s Clinic “Gym to Crag”, by Anju Samuelson

6 Organizers from left to right: Becky Switzer, Anju Samuelson, Kristen Neithercut and Karly Rager Priest, by Seth Langbauer