ARC’TERYX • CLINIC INSTRUCTOR + FILM SCREENING ATHLETE Q&A

Alannah Yip is a Canadian climber and Arc'teryx athlete who competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. She is a member of the IFSC Athletes Commission and has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of British Columbia. Growing up in the mountains in North Vancouver influenced her life greatly and she enjoys being in the forest hiking, trail running, and mountain biking when she is not climbing. Her favourite rest day activities include jigsaw puzzles and eating snacks.

SCARPA • CLINIC INSTRUCTOR

Nikki Smith is a climber with more than 30 years of experience and has been working in the outdoor industry and climbing world since 1998. Her photography has been featured in many outdoor publications, and she is a National Geographic Adventure photo contributor. She’s authored five climbing guidebooks to date and has written many feature articles for major climbing magazines including Rock and Ice, Alpinist, Deadpoint, and Urban Climber. She has completed over 200 roped first ascents of sport, trad, mixed and ice climbs from 30’ to 1,600’ throughout Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho, and has traveled the world to climb. Nikki is an advocate for the outdoors and is a part of the Protect Our Winters Athlete Alliance. Nikki is also an illustrator and painter.

ARC’TERYX • CLINIC INSTRUCTOR

Maya Madere is a 27-year-old comp kid turned outdoor climber and Arc'teryx athlete. She has been climbing for 14 years and still can't decide whether she likes bouldering or sport climbing better. She's been on the US National Team in both disciplines and continues to split her time between comps and projects on rock. Maya grew up in Austin, Texas and later moved to California to study Computer Science at Stanford, where she fell in love with Bishop on many a weekend road trip. She now lives in Boulder, Colorado, where she spends most of her non-climbing hours skiing, knitting or cooking for her friends.

LA SPORTIVA • CLINIC INSTRUCTOR

I'm a setter, coach, and indoor competition climber from Bronx, NY. My obsession is slab, comp climbing, and teaching technique. I started climbing recreationally during college in 2013, started working at my local gym in 2015, started competing in 2017, and started setting in 2020. I currently work at Central Rock Manhattan and teach 4 advanced classes on a weekly basis. My approach to teaching and learning technique is very analytical; I prefer to break movement down into exercises and isolate from there. I hope to use all of my personal experiences and observations over the years to compile a fast and easy track to great technique for my students.

OCUN • CLINIC INSTRUCTOR

At age 26, Melina already has a long and decorated history in the American competition scene. In 2025, she joined a prestigious group of international medalists by placing third in Bouldering at the IFSC Climbing World Championships in Seoul. She earned her other World Championship podium — a silver medal in Lead Climbing — at the 2022 FISU World University Championships, showcasing her rare versatility across the lead and bouldering disciplines.  Melina also made history as the only athlete, male or female, to win both Lead and Bouldering Open National Championship titles in two consecutive years (2023 and 2024).

In recent years, Melina has begun exploring outdoor bouldering and has already completed multiple V14 ascents, including The Mantra (Little Cottonwood Canyon, UT) and Direct North (Bishop, CA). She hopes to dedicate more time to outdoor climbing in the coming years during breaks from the World Cup season. 

TOUCHSTONE • CLINIC INSTRUCTOR

Zoey enjoys the classics: Long walks on the beach, watching the sunset, and heinous 40 meter rope stretching crimp lines. Usually referred to as 'Oh so you're the Zoey who set that climb' by Touchstone members, she loves setting in the style of 'I put my foot... where?!', revolving around flexibly intensive movement or simple, hard crimping. Also, Zoey and her girlfriend enjoy sliding down mountains, and then complaining that climbing doesn't get you in shape for skiing. She's easily found at the local Los Angeles sport crags, or setting for any of the gyms she works for, hosting her monthly Queer Crush meet-up / advocating for the queer climbing community, or most commonly, sitting at her computer, playing video games, and eating fried chicken.

TOUCHSTONE • CLINIC INSTRUCTOR

Ada has been climbing for almost their entire life and loves to share their passion through teaching. After growing up climbing in Northern California, they moved from being a competitive climbing coach, to a guide and have been doing that for the last five years as a single pitch instructor and apprentice rock guide. When they aren't climbing they can be found trail running with their pup or deep in a new knitting project! 

FLASH FOXY EDUCATION • CLINIC INSTRUCTOR + PANELIST: SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS THEN & NOW

Genevive Walker has been climbing for about ten years and with the Shawangunks as her original home crag, trad climbing always had a special place in her heart. Over the years, she combined her love of travel with climbing and experienced different varieties of rock, amazing people, and interesting cultures along the way. Her favorite part of traveling is meeting people from all walks of life and sharing the common passion for travel and climbing. She is a single pitch instructor and rock guide apprentice who has been guiding for six years. As much as she loves guiding, teaching is her passion. Any chance Genevive has to share the skills she learned with others in the community, she will with enthusiasm.

FLASH FOXY EDUCATION • CLINIC INSTRUCTOR

Sean Taft-Morales was born and raised in Washington, DC and has been climbing since age 12. They are the Director of Sportrock Climbing Guides, and have over 15 years of professional climbing instruction and guiding under their belt. They’re also an American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Rock Guide and an SPI Provider. Sean has been a key part of the AMGA Affinity programs and has taught or assessed all of the LGBTQIA+ Affinity SPI Programs. They also have also volunteered to travel to Afghanistan to teach Ascend: Leadership Through Athletics, a women's climbing group, an SPI instructor course. Together they set some of the first routes in the Panjshir Province.

FLASH FOXY EDUCATION • CLINIC INSTRUCTOR

Carlin began climbing as soon as they were left unsupervised in central New Jersey, where there are trees instead of rocks. In college they discovered “real” climbing with their school’s competitive team, and in 2018, placed among the top 25 boulderers at USAC Collegiate Nationals. In 2020, Carlin was pursuing trad climbing in Joshua Tree when the pandemic began, and they began working seasonal jobs and living out of a Toyota Prius to make ends meet. They started guiding the following winter; in 2025, they completed their training as an AMGA Certified Rock Guide. These days, Carlin guides rock climbing year-round primarily in Yosemite, Joshua Tree, and the Eastern Sierra. They're also the Technical Director of OUT in the Wild. You can find Carlin in the cheese aisle of the grocery store, or at a trailhead looking for a reason to leave the #4 behind. 

PRE-FEST YOGA INSTRUCTOR

Jean “Tucky” has been a dedicated yoga practitioner, rock climber, and alpinist for over 20 years. She teaches an engaging and dynamic Yoga for Climbers class, blending traditional yoga with vinyasa to support movement and recovery. Originally from Kentucky but shaped by the mountains of Colorado, Jean’s passion for crack climbing led her to Yosemite, where she worked with Yosemite Search and Rescue, the Yosemite Mountaineering School, and as a Tuolumne Meadows Interpretive Park Ranger. She has climbed 12 different routes on El Capitan and thrives in the world of multi-pitch trad climbing. Now based in Bishop for the past 15 years, Jean works seasonally as a yoga instructor and a Friends of the Inyo Trail Ambassador. She enjoys all forms of climbing—trad, alpine, sport, and bouldering—continuing to find adventure in the Eastern Sierra and beyond.

OPENING PARTY DJ + FILM SCREENING ATHLETE Q&A

Marian May Perez is a community builder, outdoor advocate, DJ, and co-founder living at the intersection of people, purpose, and the outdoors. With 15+ years across nonprofit leadership, retail management, and event production in the outdoor industry, they specialize in creating inclusive spaces where people feel genuinely welcomed.

They co-founded Rise Outside to make climbing, hiking, and backpacking accessible to underrepresented communities across the Northeast, and serves as a Regional Ambassador for Arc'teryx New York and Event Coordinator for Flash Foxy. A certified AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, Wilderness First Responder, and Leave No Trace Level 2 Instructor, May brings both technical expertise and deep community roots to everything they do.

Behind the decks, they bring that same inclusive energy, spinning a wide variety of music styles and creating moments where everyone feels at home on the dance floor. Bilingual in English and Spanish, they show up as a Queer and Afro-Latine community member in every space they help build.

LAND ACKNOWLEDEGMENT

George Brown is a proud member of the Paiute Tribe. He is currently a member of the Bishop Tribal Youth Council and an officer at the Bishop Union High Drama Club. He enjoys doing robotics, playing banjo, and coding.

CLIMBER ETHICS PRESENTATION

Kara Flowers is one of the Bishop Climbing Rangers. She is returning to talk LNT, ethics, and overall good crag vibes for the Bishop area. Kara began climbing in western North Carolina, where she worked in outdoor education leading adventure trips through the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. For the past five years, she has traveled up and down the West Coast climbing as much as possible on beautiful granite, exploring the mysteries of the desert, and meeting inspiring climbers and adventurers. She is passionate about creating a positive and inclusive space within the climbing community, raising and milking dairy animals, foraging for mushrooms and wild medicinal plants, and regenerative farming. She’ll be around all weekend to answer questions about the beautiful land, Payahuunadü, to chat about how to dismantle toxic ideas of self-worth and grade-based climbing. 

LINE DANCING WORKSHOP FACILITATOR

Lyssa Ichikawa is a facilitator, space holder, co-creator, co-conspirator, and consultant. Lyssa's focus is on anti-oppression work that is rooted in healing, learning, and unlearning. With a background in education and 18 years of classroom teaching experience, Lyssa loves supporting all members of a learning community.

They bring this background and history of grassroots, DIY organizing to the Bootleg team as the behind the scenes admin lead (and occasional DJ). Lyssa has been dancing since the age of three and has a BFA in Musical Theater (of course) and a huge love of dance, movement, play, and performance. They are grateful to be a part of the Bootleg team and find deep joy in collaborating, connecting, and sharing resources, power, and love of line dance with the LTBTQAI2S+ community and beyond!

LINE DANCING WORKSHOP FACILITATOR

With over 20 years of experience in education, Abi Hamilton has taught and danced with people of all ages and abilities. They currently serve as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultant, trainer, and facilitator for organizations across the state of California. They bring their passions for community organizing, volunteer coordinating, and enhancing community life to the Bootleg team. Abi discovered their passion for line dancing two decades ago at Oil Can Harry's and has been dancing ever since! They have also been a part of the LA Wranglers, a country-western performance group based in Los Angeles, since 2017. Abi's dancing has been featured in TV shows, commercials, music videos, and live events. Abi is currently teaching at Stud Country, a weekly queer line dance party, at their Los Angeles and San Francisco locations.

Recently, Abi has started choreographing for music videos and other line dance projects. Launching Bootleg is important to Abi because they wanted a line dance space that was specifically for people who look like them in an industry and a city that is primarily straight, white, cisgendered, and skinny bodied.

TEA TALK FACILITATOR • QUEER ECOLOGY OF THE EASTERN SIERRA

Pete Johnson is in love with the plants! A certified California Naturalist working in Eastern Sierra conservation, they enjoy really long walks in the mountains to meet, adore, and protect their small-ranged local wildflower neighbors. They are an advocate for queer and trans athletes in ultrarunning and bikepacking. You'll find them where the Great Basin meets the Mojave Desert meets the Eastern Sierra. 

TEA TALK FACILITATOR • ASL FOR OUTDOORS

Sonya is a teacher, advocate, artist, climber, and a member of the Deaf community where she currently resides in Los Angeles, Ca.  Sonya has always been a wild child of the 70’s,  grew up on the family ranch in Las Vegas with Red Rock Canyon nearby.  Often Sonya and her deaf classmates would escape school to be outside exploring and climbing something. Her curiosity for the outdoors began early on, due to many family adventures locally and road trips visiting many national parks. She attended Azusa Pacific University earning a BA and MA degree. In college, she took classes which focused on outdoor recreational activities such as rock climbing, hiking, mountaineering, where her passion for the outdoors grew.

TEA TALK FACILITATOR • ACRO YOGA

Matt Moy is a Chicago-based climber, guide, youth instructor, yoga & acroyoga teacher and movement-loving activist dedicated to building joyful, inclusive outdoor spaces. They connected with climbing in 2008 while living in Uganda and have been moving, organizing, and advocating ever since. As an Arc'teryx Chicago ambassador, Matt supports community, access, and education efforts through their work leading Queers on the Rocks, Asian Climbing Collective Chicago, and their local AAC chapter while teaching with Chicago Climbs. Whether they’re working with youth, guiding outside, or acro-ing in the park, Matt brings care, connection, some corny jokes, and a fierce commitment to equity into every space - plus top-tier hugs and constant hydration/self-care hype.

PANELIST: SCHOLARSHIP RECIPENTS THEN & NOW

Jess moved from the Midwest in 2019 and was eager to start a new adventure in Ogden, Utah. This included taking an Intro to Climbing class at Weber State University where she fell in love with the sport.

She is now an AMGA SPI certified climbing instructor at WSU and co-created the course Risk, Resilience, and Rock Climbing, a gender studies and climbing course that investigates power and privilege in the climbing world and how to expand the field to be more inclusive, intersectional, and accessible to people from a variety of backgrounds.

Jess also works as an advocate where she supports survivors of interpersonal violence and sexual assault. She guides in Northern Utah through Aspect Adventure and has created trauma-informed climbing spaces where survivors can feel empowered and brave in their bodies. Jess serves as the Ambassador for the Ogden branch of the Ladies Climbing Coalition, an affinity space for women and gender-marginalized climbers.

When she isn't climbing, you can find Jess trail running, hiking with her dog Chika, or pole dancing

PANELIST: SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS THEN & NOW

Jay 雷貽丰 is a therapist (LMFT) specializing in trans well-being and climbing therapy in California and Nevada. They are an Apprentice Rock Guide and co-founder of Queer Crush. Jay believes people deserve to feel free in their bodies. Climbing offers healing and autonomy, especially for survivors. Originally from Hong Kong, Jay travels to climb in places like Red Rock and Patagonia and develops routes internationally. Catch them wedged in a desert offwidth eating bamboo wrapped zongzi!

PANELIST: SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS THEN & NOW

Marlo (she/they) is a Deaf outdoor leader and educator working across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. As Field and Logistics Director at CorpsTHAT, they lead training and field operations while advancing equitable access to conservation and outdoor careers for the Deaf* community. They serve on national advisory councils focused on accessibility, risk management, and inclusion, and as the first Deaf-certified Wilderness First Aid instructor, they are passionate about teaching wilderness medicine to the Deaf community while helping shape inclusive outdoor safety practices. Outside of work, they enjoy rock climbing, backpacking, trail running, skiing, bikepacking, and paddling.

FILM SCREENING ATHLETE Q&A

Shara Zaia is an athlete, storyteller, and community organizer whose work centers identity and belonging. Drawing from years of advocacy in the education sector and the outdoor industry, Shara is driven by a desire to uplift overlooked perspectives. As co-founder of Cruxing in Color, a Colorado-based 501(c)(3), she supports marginalized climbers with free gyM memberships, gear, educational clinics, and community events. After building inclusive programming for the American Alpine Club, she now works full-time planning events for Protect Our Winters where she advocates for a healthy planet.

GARMENT + GEAR GLOW UP STATION

Elisabeth is a Portland-based fiber artist and loves experimenting with knit wear, crochet, and various mending techniques. In a world of fast fashion, Elisabeth advocates to care for the clothing you already own by mending and adding personality to them. Fashion is an important part of self expression and she believes your favorite pieces can be the ones you wear outdoors. She will be at the Gear Glow-Up Station to share techniques like boro, Sashiko, and darning. She’ll also have her trusty sewing machine in hand for quick clothing alterations! 

Drop by to add some extra life and love to anything your heart desires!

OWENS VALLEY PAIUTE-SHOSHONE CULTURAL CENTER • INDIGENOUS HISTORY TOURS

Tara is an enrolled member of the Bishop Paiute Tribe and has been the Director for the Owens Valley Paiute Shoshone Cultural Center since 2014.  She continues to inspire others and bring focus to the cultural heritage and local traditions. Tara has seen our community grow and believes we have potential and opportunities to expand, educate, and showcase all that our town has to offer, while preserving and honoring the legacy and heritage of the past

ACCESS FUND • SUNDAY EVENING PRESENTATION

Andrea Hassler (she/her) is a conservation, stewardship, and environmental education professional with a 15+ year career working for non-profits in Colorado and Tennessee. She earned her Master's Degree at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs where her thesis work focused on post-fire restoration, utilizing interviews, field surveys, and GIS analysis to understand values and motivations in community-focused watershed restoration. She currently serves as the Access Fund Stewardship & Education Director, facilitating place-based education and climbing area stewardship projects across the country. Her work has taken her to work in recreation-based communities to support public land access and mobilize outdoor recreation stewardship and place-based education.

AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide

AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide

AMGA Rock Guide

AMGA Apprentice SPI

AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide

AMGA Certified SPI

AMGA Rock Guide, AMGA SPI Provider

AMGA Certified Rock Guide

AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide

AMGA Certified SPI

HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

@catlikeacat

PHOTOGRAPHER

@marie_louise_

PHOTOGRAPHER

@mars.ruiz

PHOTOGRAPHER

@Shesaliibra

MANAGING DIRECTOR

EVENT ASSISTANT

VOLUNTEER + MEETUP COORDINATOR