About Us
Founded in 2018 by a group of paraclimbers, coaches, and volunteers, The Adaptive Climber’s Festival (ACF) is an annual, community-focused, three-day event that provides space for climbers with disabilities to come together, learn, and celebrate with one another.
Our Mission
We look to expand opportunities for climbers with disabilities to climb, learn, and hang out in the great outdoors.
We camp out, cook delicious food, and climb - a lot! ACF offers a variety of educational clinics led and designed by professional adaptive climbers and certified rock guides, all made possible by partnering with adaptive climbing organizations and non-profits from across the United States to help bring our ideas to life.
Our Values
Climbing: We believe that everyone can climb. Simple as that. We aim to foster a supportive environment for people of all abilities to climb, learn, and connect with the sport alongside professional athletes, coaches, and friends. We don’t take people with disabilities climbing; we make people with disabilities climbers.
Camaraderie: Paraclimbing is more than a community - it's a family. Historically, the only events that brought this family together were climbing competitions. We seek to provide more opportunities for paraclimbers to climb and learn alongside one another outside of the competition mindset. We reject the abled savior mentality, and build connections through allyship.
Community: Aside from climbing, we also host educational clinics, learn about stewardship, cook great food, and throw a darn good party around a campfire. We strive to provide a welcoming space for all paraclimbers (and their families) to come hang out, on or off the rock.
The Adaptive Climbers Festival operates under Catalyst Sports, a 501c3 nonprofit organization (tax exempt number: 80-0760565). View our 2024 Impact Report to learn more about our contributions to the adaptive community.
Who’s Welcome at the ACF?
Participants - ACF participation is open to climbers with disabilities, simple as that. Family members are welcome to tag along to the festival as well.
Guests - If your family member(s) would like to come to ACF, please be aware that they will need to go through the full registration process. Clinics and educational opportunities are only open to climbers with disabilities. Adaptive climbers will also have priority for the climbing walls and routes at Muir Valley.
If you are considering bringing a guest with you to ACF, please try to limit it to one person and/or please don’t plan to bring a big crew with you. Non-paraclimbers are always welcome at ACF but are not our priority. Thanks for your understanding.
If you have any questions about participation and bringing a loved one, please don’t hesitate to email us!