Overview:
Evan Gill, a Baltimore native, founded Culture Climbers less than a year after moving to Denver to make rock climbing more equitable.
As I clap my hands, the residue of chalk floats in the air. I stand at the base of the multi-colored wall ahead of me at Lifetime Fitness, scoping my route. It’s the anticipation, the rush a new climb gives as the mental game plays just as hard as the physical game.
I think of rock climbing as an adrenaline-driven call to reclaim your peace when facing your largest problems. Every move and grip pushes away whatever’s been troubling you.
I began climbing in 2023 while working at a gym. A former boss of mine insisted that since I worked there so often, trying to climb wouldn’t hurt, and so I did. It was tough in the beginning, from the falls to bruises, but I never gave up.
While I was excelling at climbing, finding spaces where I truly felt included as a Black woman proved to be even more challenging than getting back up from a fall. I heard about Culture Climbers, a group dedicated to bringing together Black climbers, and was reassured.
The club began in February of this year and meets at various climbing gyms located in the Denver area. Culture Climbers was created by Baltimore native Evan Gill, only a year after his move to Denver. Gill has climbed for nearly five and a half years, something the husband and father of two didn’t expect.
“I didn’t know anything about climbing,” Gill said. “But a buddy introduced me to climbing and I’ve been climbing ever since.”
Gill used his experience to educate others about these rather adventurous spaces, which led to the creation of Culture Climbers.
“Coming here [To Colorado], it was like really a culture shock, honestly,” Gill said. “So I helped out with other organizations like Vibe Tribe adventures, and I sat on their board of directors for a while, and helped out Colorado Blackpackers, and I started learning that there’s a community out here, but there was like a definite gap in climbing in our community. So I just wanted to see what I could do.”
With nearly 50 people in attendance at the first session, Gill knew he had identified a need in the community. Gill describes Culture Climbers as a way to network while also creating an engaging and professional environment for members of the Black community.
“I wanna build my own space where we can introduce [people] to climbing in a responsible manner indoors,” Gill said. “And then make them have it accessible and take it outside.”
But before you “take it outside,” as Gill puts it, you have to start indoors at places like Movement Climbing Gym just outside of Englewood, where Culture Climbers’ fourth event this year was held. Dubbed “Black Friday” by the organizers, this Culture Climbers event occurs at least one Friday of the month from 6:30 to 10 p.m. and has beginners and skilled climbers come together.
The session was full of fun and ease. Participants are welcome to visit their preferred climbing gym for free and receive a belay test, climbing gear and instruction from certified instructors who are also members of the group.
DJ OldGregRenande set the mood with oldies and energetic beats, providing another boost for climbers. Gill’s voice rang through the gym before the raffles, calling out names of those who would have the opportunity to attend the following day’s Denver Outdoor Festival.
Among those drawn to the event was Leah Miller, a climbing instructor for Englewood Movement gym, who met Gill through hiking and climbing. She was intrigued when he shared his vision of creating an inclusive climbing space designed specifically for Black people and shaped by Black people.
“When I’m on the wall, it doesn’t matter what happens that day,” Miller said. “It’s me and the wall. And just to be able to work through the challenges, the puzzles of it all, having to do that physically, it was like a nice pattern. It’s like stepping into something more embodied; it just felt like a nice balance.”
For twelve years, the engineer’s relationship with climbing has only deepened, especially thanks to Culture Climbers, which created a safe, accessible opportunity to embrace outdoor sports. Erin Key, 34, a freelance marketing and brand consultant, also appreciates the group’s welcoming nature. She’s climbed on and off for just a few years but felt that Culture Climbers made the gym space inclusive.
“It started as a curiosity that eventually turned into a hobby, enough to also know the feeling of being the only Black person in the climbing gym,” Key said. “It’s a normal experience for POC, and it’s also why inclusive spaces matter”.
To Key, it not only meant to have access but also a sense of “ownership and belonging.”
Other climbers agreed that Gill’s events were both inclusive and inexpensive. Some gym memberships for climbing alone can cost between $80 and $150 per month, with gear costing up to $120 for a harness and even more for shoes, so having these free events to rent gear at no cost, as well as offering raffles, makes it even more appealing. Gill hopes to continue Culture Climbers and his sister organization, Black Sherpa.
“I am an outdoor enthusiast that loves to educate myself on outdoors and educate other people on the outdoors,” Gill said. “That’s really why I do this.”
And for those looking to try new things, Culture Climber attendee John Amaglo suggests getting out there and experiencing things yourself.
“Definitely do something outdoors,” Amaglo said. “Do some climbing, do some sport. Go out, meet people, don’t stay at home.”
For me, pushing myself and discovering a passion was one of the most amazing things I could do for myself. Growing up, I was quieter and focused on things other than sports. Climbing not only gave me confidence but also the ability to push myself when I needed to.
Since attending Culture Climbers, I’ve come to appreciate how much strength can be built simply by the people and the vibe. I hope that people who want to find their passion continue on their journey and remain committed to their goals.
