Rock Climbing Institute was founded in 2025. In 2024, the American Alpine Club unexpectedly announced that it would be cancelling the Craggin’ Classic series. These events were unique in the rock climbing industry in that they prioritized community engagement over high level difficulty rock climbing. RCI recognized the massive hole this would leave in the rock climbing community’s ability to provide meaningful community engagement opportunities for climbers who are not focused on individual achievement. Our aim is to bring climbers together in the spirit of comradery.
Our core values are:
Community – Providing a fun and safe place for climbers to come together and celebrate their identity as a rock climber, regardless of their personal ability level. Climbers of all backgrounds, regardless of their motivation for climbing, can participate in events that are both educational and enjoyable in nature.
Accessibility – We recognize that equitable access to climbing outdoors is limited and we aim to mitigate those inequities. We provide scholarship opportunities for those facing financial hardships and for those who have roots in historically oppressed demographics. We offer adaptive climbing courses for climbers with disabilities that would otherwise exclude them from participating.
Quality – Both on and off the rock, we aim to please. Instructors are guaranteed to be certified AMGA or IFMGA mountain guides, ensuring your safety and the quality of instruction to be of the highest degree possible.