Mountain Hardwear Announces Title Sponsorship of the Montana Women’s Climbing Festival

April 4, 2022

The event aims to create an empowering and inclusive space for the women’s and non-binary climbing community of Montana

Richmond, Calif. (April 4, 2022) /SPORTSWIRE WOMEN/ – Mountain Hardwear, leaders in performance equipment and apparel for climbers, mountaineers and outdoor athletes, is proud to announce its partnership with the Montana Women’s Climbing Festival as the 2022 title sponsor. By joining together, Mountain Hardwear and the Montana Women’s Climbing Festival hope to build an inclusive, safe and welcoming environment for the women’s and non-binary climbing community of Montana.

Now in its second year, the Montana Women’s Climbing Festival will take place from May 27-30, 2022. With a mission to inspire women of all skill and experience levels to reconnect and find empowerment in an inviting and educational format, the event aims to rewrite the narrative around gender, race, age, social background and performance levels in climbing. The festival was founded in 2020 by climber Anju Samuelson, who enlisted the help of fellow female climbers Becky Switzer, Karly Rager and Kristen Niethercut to launch the first event in 2021.

“After moving to Montana in 2018, I felt compelled to connect local female climbers together to build a solid foundation for the women’s climbing community,” says Montana Women’s Climbing Festival founder, Anju Samuelson. “Our mission with the first event was to create a safe space for women and non-binary people to gather and share a common love of climbing, and the accomplishment and camaraderie it provides. This year, with the support and shared vision of Mountain Hardwear, we hope to grow the women’s climbing community here in Montana and inspire others to band together to form meaningful relationships in their local communities.”

The first-ever event that took place in 2021 provided those in attendance with clinics, climbing opportunities and speaking engagements from accomplished female climbers. The 2022 event will continue to focus on the theme of building community by hosting participants at Hellgate Bay Campground near Helena, Montana in a group camping format with opportunities to engage in campfire conversations, breakout clinics and spend time climbing at Hellgate Canyon and Avalanche Canyon.

“The Montana Women’s Climbing Festival is setting an incredible example for the entire climbing community,” says Malorie Benz, senior manager of marketing operations at Mountain Hardwear. “By creating an environment that promotes diversity, inclusion and empowerment, this event closely matches the mission, vision and values that we share at Mountain Hardwear. We’re thrilled to partner with and support this climbing festival and hope that it inspires more women to start climbing.”

For those interested in attending the Montana Women’s Climbing Festival, tickets will be available today at 7 p.m. MST at mtwomensclimbingfest.com.

For any media inquiries or additional questions, please contact Eric Hockman at Eric@OutsidePR.com.

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Media Contact:

Montana Women’s Climbing Festival: Anju Samuelson – hello@mtwomensclimbingfest.com

Mountain Hardwear: Eric Hockman – Eric@OutsidePR.com

About Mountain Hardwear: Mountain Hardwear, Inc., founded in 1993 and based in Richmond, CA, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia Sportswear Company that distributes its products through specialty outdoor retailers in the United States and 34 countries worldwide. We build essential equipment for climbers, mountaineers, and outdoor athletes and have supported expeditions on the world’s highest peaks. This level of technical precision continues to inspire everything we do. Our designers challenge every stitch and detail to continuously improve both function and comfort. www.mountainhardwear.com 

About Montana Women’s Climbing Festival: The Montana Women’s Climbing Festival (MWCF) was established in 2020 to bring Montana women and non-binary folks together from all aspects of climbing, including: beginners to first ascenders, mentors to protégés, local crushers to those seeking an adventure in their own backyard. Regardless of race, origin, ability, fitness level, age or experience, all women who rock climb are welcome. The festival is a space that is solely for women to share, reconnect and build new relationships. The MWCF strives to build a solid foundation for the Montana female climbing community, as it brings people together and creates an inclusive, inspiring and unique space for empowerment. www.mtwomensclimbingfest.com/