Rock climbing is shaped by, and shapes, society. An illustrative example of this is how the advocacy around the issue of discriminatory route names in outdoor sport climbing gained momentum in the summer of 2020 alongside transnational calls for racial justice. In this presentation, I discuss the implications of naming practices within a shifting cultural terrain. I begin with a discussion of key theoretical concepts. Next, I provide background on the conditions that make route naming possible in climbing before revisiting data I collected in 2018 that examined climbers’ reactions to misogynistic route names. From here, I document significant route name changes that took place within the outdoor climbing ‘community’ in Canada and the United States since the summer of 2020, and I highlight people and organizations that are reclaiming and transforming climbing spaces. My presentation aims to weave together a tale of collective grassroots resistance and oppressive naming practices. I conclude with a discussion of the importance of archiving resistance in climbing and leisure more broadly.

The Natural Resources & Environmental Studies Institute (NRESi) at UNBC hosts a weekly lecture series at the Prince George campus. Anyone from the university or wider community with interest in the topic area is welcome to attend. Presentations are also made available to remote participants through Zoom Webinar. Go to http://www.unbc.ca/nres-institute/colloquium-webcasts to view the presentation remotely.

Past NRESi colloquium presentations and special lectures can be viewed on our video archive, available here.