The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance’s 12th annual climbing festival will take place next Saturday at Samak’s The Notch Pub, inviting all to party for a cause while celebrating Utah’s climbing community.
What began as a volunteer-run gathering in the Cottonwood Canyons has grown into a signature event, over the years moving from Alta, Brighton, and Solitude to other locations such as Camp Steiner and Camp Rogers. This summer, it’s at The Notch — “your last stop before the Uintas.”
While the location changes, the spirit remains the same, as does the alliance’s focus on building community, providing education and raising funds for climbing access and stewardship.
“This year will be a little different,” said Sarah Allen, events and sponsorship coordinator for Salt Lake Climbers Alliance. “We’re making it a one-day festival instead of a full weekend.”
The smaller-scale festival is due to the increase of monthly events throughout the year, including a film festival, speaker series, and a winter soiree fundraiser, amongst others. Allen said it’s all part of the group’s desire to offer variety and evolve with the needs of the climbing community.
With The Notch serving as basecamp for the day’s activities, every festival ticket includes the morning climbers’ meet-up and breakfast with Alpha Coffee, gear demos from leading brands and evening festivities.
A Vendor Village will feature a variety of outdoor companies such as Backcountry, REI, Scarpa, Petzl and Momentum Climbing, giving attendees a chance to connect with industry pros, try out new gear and meet potential climbing partners.
A highlight of the event will be the guided climbing clinics, hosted by local and statewide outfitters such as White Pine Touring, Red River Adventures, Inspired Summit Adventures, Utah Mountain Adventures and Backcountry Pros.
Clinics range from intro-to-outdoor climbing for those transitioning from the gym to advanced skills like multi-pitch and traditional climbing. Spots are limited, and participants must purchase a festival ticket before adding a clinic registration.
Francis Kopp, climbing guide and winter store manager at White Pine Touring, said one of the key benefits of these clinics is the opportunity to learn from professional guides who can adapt techniques to each participant’s experience level and learning style, while still teaching the same core standards.
White Pine Touring will host an anchor cleaning and rappelling clinic during the Aug. 23 event. Both topics are important for climbers’ safety.
“Those are two areas that are most common in outdoor recreation accidents,” said Kopp. “Even if you’ve done it a couple times, it’s nice to have someone review your process, show you areas where you can improve on or be a little bit more efficient, and also remind folks how important good communication between climbers and your belayer is.”
Clinics will take place at various crags in the Uintas, chosen by guides based on the skills being taught. Festival-goers who aren’t in a clinic can enjoy midday activities at their leisure before returning to base camp for the evening program.
Dinner, drinks and live music at The Notch cap off the day, turning the event into a community party, said Allen. Special guests will include professional climbers such as Rab athlete Hayden Jamieson and renowned big-wall climber Tommy Caldwell.
White Pine Touring will also offer its “Let’s Go Climbing” clinic on Sunday, Aug. 24, extending the weekend’s festivities.
“The idea was to give visitors another opportunity to participate, especially since many will be camping in the area overnight on Saturday and still be around on Sunday,” said Kopp, adding that because the organization operates regularly in the area, it made sense to add one more activity.
Those with tickets to the festival can use code WPTSLCA2025 for a 50% discount on the festival weekend’s White Pine Touring climbing clinics.
While the festival is a celebration, it’s also a fundraiser for Salt Lake Climbers Alliance’s mission: protecting Utah climbing areas through advocacy, anchor maintenance, and trail stewardship, explained Allen.
Proceeds support work across northern Utah, from the Cottonwood Canyons to Echo Canyon, Maple Canyon and American Fork. The alliance’s professional anchor replacement team — the only paid team of its kind in the nation — spends about 10 weeks each year upgrading hardware and improving climbing access.
The organization also keeps members informed on land-use issues and conservation efforts through monthly newsletters and partnerships with the U.S. Forest Service, Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, and other land managers. Attendees are encouraged to get involved by volunteering, signing petitions or joining stewardship days.
For tickets, clinic sign-ups and a full event schedule, visit saltlakeclimbers.org.
