International Climbers' Meet
Download An Additional PDF Document (2009_ICM_Schedule.pdf)
Each year, climbing clubs around the globe send climbers to the International Climbers Meet, a week-long event supported by the AAC, sponsored by various industry partners (past supporters have been Black Diamond and Southwest Adventure Guides) and made successful by the attendees that share a common passion: climbing. Hosted by AAC members local to the area, the group of internationals share campfires, meals, vans, crags, and even the climbing wounds that come with a particular region (the gobies caused by the cracks of Indian Creek have become legendary). Get a feel for the event through Brittany Griffith’s account of the 2009 ICM, here.
The ICM was originally the project of AAC Past President Jim Donini, who was inspired by similar events put on by the British Mountaineering Club and pitched the project to the AAC Board. With a unanimous thumbs-up of approval from both the board and staff, as well as the excitement of the climbing community, the first International Climbers’ Meet became a reality in 2008. For the meet’s first two years, ICM attendees camped and climbed at the world famous Indian Creek Canyon in Southeast Utah, home to unparalleled splitter cracks that Donini describes as “quintessentially American.” The host climbers were able to share their expertise and provide on-spot tutorials in the subtleties of jamming to many internationals who had never climbed on vertical, holdless sandstone.
Climbers from over 25 countries have participated in the event, from as far away as Turkey, Russia, South Africa, China and Brazil, among a list of other countries. The group’s days are filled with climbing, nights are spent around the campfire, and each event also includes a conservation component, such as a service day spent planting shrubs to re-vegetate the area around Newspaper Rock, a popular area of Indian Creek. The planning team from the AAC makes sure to choose a location in which the Club has a great relationship with the local BLM or other conservation organization, so that we can give back to the places we use.
Jim Donini summed up the ICM in this way: “My most lasting impression is that climbers, no matter where they are from, are all members of one tribe. The camaraderie between climbers from vastly different cultural backgrounds was astonishing. New friendships were forged that transcend culture, religion and borders. I feel that what I saw happen at the ICM is the future for our shrinking planet. People coming together and appreciating each other because of what they have in common not shunning each other because of cultural differences.”
The 2010 ICM is slated for October 4-10 in Yosemite, CA. Stay tuned for updates and a call for volunteer host climbers who know the area well. In the meantime, contact Dana Richardson at the AAC for details.