CLINICS
Flash Foxy Climbing Festival • Bishop • March 13-15, 2026
Schedule is always subject to change. All programs run rain-or-shine. No refunds.
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All clinics are 6 hrs and have a maximum of 12 participants.
Clinics are reserved for registered festival participants. Clinic registration link will be sent via Eventbrite, early bird clinic registration will open the day before. Clinic Registration link (and waitlist link) can also be found in the festival linktree.
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There is a $125 per day registration fee for all clinics.
Registration link will be sent directly to all festival participants. Clinic registration link (and waitlist link) can also be found in the festival linktree.
Clinic registration opens February 15th @ 9am PST! Early Bird clinic registration opens February 14th @ 9am PST.
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All location listings are tentative and subject to change day-of. If you have an accessibility concern related to venue locations please email events@flashfoxy.com after registering for your clinic and we will work with you to see if the clinic can be held at a venue that meets your accessibility needs. If we are unable to accommodate your needs we will gladly refund the clinic registration fee.
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Climbing gear is provided for all clinics. There will be climbing harness, shoe and helmet demos available. If you have any gear that you would like to ask questions about/practice with at your clinic, feel free to bring it!
All clinics will be run in partnership with Fifth Class Climbing School & Guide Service.
CLINIC SCHEDULE
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Intro to Outdoor Bouldering with Zoey Grinstead (she/her) presented by Touchstone
Fancy Footwork with Maya Madere (she/her) presented by Arc’teryx
Multi-Pitch Magic with Ada Jones (they/them) presented by Touchstone
(SOLD OUT ) Whip with Yip with Alannah Yip (she/her) presented by Arc’teryx
(SOLD OUT) Self-Rescue with Carlin Reynolds (they/them) presented by Flash Foxy Education
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Movement Tactics with Ady Wright (she/her) presented by La Sportiva
Train Your Brain with Melina Costanza (she/her) presented by Ocun
Gym-to-Crag: Learn the Ropes! with Nikki Smith (she/her) presented by SCARPA
(SOLD OUT) How to Climb Efficiently! with Genevive Walker (she/her) presented by Flash Foxy Education
(SOLD OUT) Trad for Sport Climbers with Sean Taft-Morales (they/them) presented by Flash Foxy Education
SATURDAY
Saturday Clinic
Intro to Outdoor Bouldering
with Zoey Grinstead (she/her) presented by Touchstone
Climber Requirements: Beginners welcome!
Learn the basics of gym to boulder with Touchstone athlete Zoey! This clinic will go over everything you need to know to about heading outdoors to boulder responsibly. From how to pick the right boulderfield for you to how to pull on once you’re there, we’ll dive into the basics of how to have a great time pebble wrestling and answer all-important questions like: “What snacks should I bring?” and “Is that a mattress on your back?” Whether it’s your first time touching non-plastic rocks or you’re a trad mami who wants to experiment without ropes, this clinic is ideal for any climber who would like to learn more about bouldering outside. In this course, we'll cover everything from pad placement, outdoor etiquette, spotting, safe topping out and downclimbing practices to basic techniques that will embolden your outdoors experience. Join us for an amazing, info-packed day of bouldering in the Tablelands!
Saturday Clinic
Fancy footwork
with Maya Madere (she/her) presented by Arc’teryx
Climber Requirements: Must have some prior bouldering experience and be comfortable climbing at least V2 indoors. No outdoor experience required.
Looking to push your bouldering limits or advance your understanding of climbing movement? Big biceps and fingers of steel will only take you so far. Join Maya for a day of discovering the underappreciated heroes of climbing -- your legs! We'll explore techniques for footwork and lower body movement on a variety of boulders, from smeary slabs to heel-hookable hueco lines. Bring your best climbing shoes and a crash pad if you have one.
Saturday Clinic - 2 spots left!
MULTI-PITCH MAGIC
with Ada Jones (they/them) presented by Touchstone
Climber Requirements: Must know how to belay someone lead-climbing. Single-pitch trad climbing experience, as a leader or follower, is highly recommended.
Have you started climbing multi-pitch routes, but aren't sure how to speed up and accomplish bigger objectives? Tired of hiking out in the dark? Join us for a jam packed clinic designed to clean up your systems, speed up your transitions, and cut out unnecessary steps, while maximizing security and minimizing risk. We'll discuss route planning, different strategies based on team composition and objectives, and spend a lot of time practicing new skills for the way up, as well as rappelling down. Bring your climbing partner, so you can dial in your systems together!
Saturday Clinic - SOLD OUT
Whip with Yip
with Alannah Yip (she/her) presented by Arc’teryx
Climber Requirements: Must be able to comfortably top rope 5.9. Must know how to lead belay. Some experience lead climbing, indoors or outdoors, is required.
This clinic is about learning to fall safely and confidently through progressive practice. You'll learn falling technique, dynamic belay technique, how to make better on wall decisions, and get to understand fear and stress response better. If you have some rope experience and are looking to manage fear and unlock more confident movement on the wall then this clinic is for you!
Saturday Clinic - SOLD OUT
Self-Rescue
with Carlin Reynolds (they/them) presented by Flash Foxy Education
Climber Requirements: Must know how to belay on top rope. Some experience top-roping indoors or outdoors is required.
This clinic helps you prepare for those inevitable mishaps at the crag, and how to extricate you and your climbing partners from them so you don’t have to call for a rescue. We’ll cover basic methods of ascending a rope to help a climber, assisting a climber through a crux from both above or below, taking over a belay from someone else, and simple rappel techniques. We'll use scenarios to explore improvised solutions and best practices, instead of just teaching a few cookie-cutter drills that might not apply in the real world, and you’ll leave with a solid set of tools to handle most situations that could happen at a crag.
SUNDAY
Sunday Clinic
TRAin your brain
with Melina Costanza (she/her) presented by Ocun
Climber Requirements: Must have some prior bouldering experience and be comfortable climbing at least V3 indoors. No outdoor experience required.
Join Ocun athlete Melina Costanza for a bouldering mindset clinic focused on fear management, projecting tactics, and staying present on the wall. Because the crux isn’t always physical.
Sunday Clinic
Movement Tactics
with Ady Wright (she/her) presented by La Sportiva
Climber Requirements: Must have some prior bouldering experience and be comfortable climbing at least V2 indoors. No outdoor experience required.
This clinic focuses on hip placement, some body positioning, and body tension. Many climbers focus on applying tension through their hands, arms, and/or toes. We eventually learn how to access our back and apply tension along one side of the body, but cross body tension is a huge game changer. We can achieve that by recruiting our glutes. This cue is so often forgotten that I’m most famously known for yelling “squeeze the cheeks” as a silly but helpful reminder. We’ll learn many body tension methods and drills, but it’ll always start with the cheeks.
Sunday Clinic - 3 spots left!
GYM-TO-CRAG: LEARN THE ROPES!
with Nikki Smith (she/her) presented by SCARPA
Climber Requirements: Beginners welcome!
It's time to take your climbing to new heights! This course is great for everyone from first-timers to experienced indoor climbers who want to try top roping outdoors. Top roping is one of the most accessible forms of climbing, and this course will give you all the tools you need to get started or build on the knowledge you already have. We’ll cover basic outdoors skills, technical systems, and provide tips and tricks to help you have the best outdoor climbing experience possible.
Sunday Clinic - SOLD OUT
how to Climb efficiently!
with Genevive Walker (she/her) presented by Flash Foxy Education
Climber Requirements: Must know how to belay someone climbing on top-rope. Some lead climbing experience, either indoor or outdoor, is useful but not required.
Proper clipping stances, solid body positioning, and a strong breath connection are the building blocks of efficient climbing movement. Learn the essential skills necessary to move smoothly through the crux and trust your skills on tough moves and tricky rock. In this clinic, you will get to put the tips and tricks that you learn into effect on the wall all while receiving helpful feedback. This clinic is appropriate for any climber at any phase in their climbing!
Sunday Clinic - SOLD OUT
TRAD FOR SPORT CLIMBERS
with Sean Taft-Morales (they/them) presented by Flash Foxy Education
Climber Requirements: Must know how to belay someone lead climbing. Some experience leading sport climbs, indoors or outdoors, is required.
This clinic is for sport climbers who are ready to venture away from bolted cliffs, whether ready to lead or just stoked to follow, and learn the technical skills and components for traditional climbing! We’ll cover the essentials like learning how to place stoppers and cams, and we’ll also have candid conversations about risk and how to manage it when the variables start to add up. Our instructors will provide low-risk environments for practice and review the skills you need to continue your practice after the course. Maybe we’ll even convince you that trad can be less scary than sport climbing!
Climbing Areas
FREE access to KAYA Digital Guidebook! Fill out this link by March 12th!!
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Google Maps: Happy Boulders
The Happy Boulders has climbs of all shapes and sizes on friendly volcanic rock. This is a great place for newer boulderers to explore Bishop climbing!
Approach + Trail Surface: moderate-steep uphill 0.5-1.0 miles on soft sand. Trails between climbing areas are mixed terrain including low flat boulders, packed sand and soft sand.
Directions: The Happy Boulders can be accessed by two different routes out of Bishop. From Main Street (395) you can take the junction for Highway 6. Then turn left onto Five Bridges Road and continue until you reach the intersection at which you will turn left onto Chalk Bluff road. Continue down Chalk Bluff road for 2.3 miles until you reach the Happy Boulder parking. From Main Street (395) continue north out of Bishop as if you were driving to Mammoth. Turn Right onto Pleasant Valley Dam Road and continue on it until you get past the County campground. Turn right onto Chalk Bluff road and continue for about 3.6 miles until you reach the Happy Boulders parking area.
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Google Maps: Buttermilks
The Buttermilks hosts iconic boulders beneath large beautiful mountains. The rock is sharp, the landings are flat, and the boulders tend to be pretty tall. This area is best for folks with a bit more bouldering experience.
Approach + Trail Surface: mild-moderate uphill 0.25-0.5 miles on packed dirt/sand/gravel mix. Trails between boulders are packed dirt/sand/gravel mix
Directions: Turn off State Route 168 about 7 miles west of Bishop onto Buttermilk Road. There is parking available along the roadside. The Department of Water and Power land is closed to camping. Inquire at the White Mountain Ranger Station for camping information and a map. DRIVE SLOW on Buttermilk Road, it has been known to crack oil pans of low clearance speeding vehicles
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Google Maps:Owens River Gorge
The Owens River Gorge has sport climbs on volcanic tuff that shines in the 5.10 and up grades, although there are also ample options in the lower-grade ranges. The approach can be arduous and steep, and often includes river crossings. The central and upper gorge are better suited to intermediate/advanced climbers. The lower gorge has better options for newer climbers.
Approach + Trail Surface: mild-steep terrain 0.5-1.0 miles. Length and difficulty of approaches vary. Trail surfaces include: packed dirt roads, large steep gravel stairs, scrambling over large boulders on steep terrain and crossing rivers using logs as bridges.
Directions: From Bishop go North on 395 to the Paradise Swall Meadows exit and turn right. Go approximately 1/2 mile and at the T intersection turn left (Gorge Rd). There are 3 parking areas to choose depending on where in the Gorge you wish to climb. The first parking area is 3.3 miles from the intersection of Gorge road and 395. Adjacent to the parking area you will go through a gate and follow the paved central gorge power station road for 1 mile down to the Central gorge power station. The second parking area also accesses the central gorge and ends just uphill from the central gorge power station. You will find a trail adjacent to the parking area that goes down a steep 2nd/3rd class loose gully. Be careful not to dislodge anything because there are climbs below the gully. This parking area is 4.8 miles up the Gorge road from the intersection of Gorge Road and 395. The last parking area is for the upper gorge. This parking area is 6.4 miles up Gorge Road from the intersection of Gorge Road and 395. You will park off the pavement and walk through a gate down the paved upper power plant road approximately 1/2 mile then drop into a 3rd class gully. There is a trail along the entire length of the bottom of the gorge so you can use any of the access points to access all climbs at Owens.
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Google Maps: Alabama Hills
The Alabama Hills sits beneath Mount Whitney and hosts gorgeous views of the Eastern Sierra. You’ll find sport bolted granite climbing on beautiful, brown patina with minimal approaches. This area is excellent for beginner and intermediate climbers!
Approach + Trail Surface: many areas can be approached within 100ft of parking. Some areas may have longer approaches and may depend on road conditions. Trail surface is packed dirt/sand with occasional scrambling to access specific climbs.
Directions: Take Whitney Portal Road off US 395 to this area. Most of the climbing is accessed from Movie Road, which heads north from the Whitney Portal Road.