Flash Foxy Climbing Festival
PHOTO ALBUMS
A few important notes about the use of these images. All photos taken at Flash Foxy festivals are for personal use only and cannot be used in any commercial way. These images may be shared on social media with credit to photographers AND @heyflashfoxy. Love the photos? Follow our photographers below!
2024 Flash Foxy Climbing Festival
March 15-17 • Bishop, CA
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We were joined by 325 women and genderqueer climbers for a beautiful weekend in Payahuunadu where we learned from 22 guides, athletes and community leaders. We hosted 10 clinics, 2 workshops, 11 meetups, 2 yoga sessions, a stewardship project, and a pretty sweet DJ dance party! We listened to a panel discussion about making space for our authentic selves in climbing and guiding, learned from the local Indigenous community during 2 cultural dance presentations, and watched 5 films plus some really rad trailers! We collaborated with 22 community partners including conservation organizations, affinity groups, and nonprofits, and our Open Air Market had more than a dozen vendor booths to explore. A massive thank you to our presenting sponsor Patagonia, and all our sponsors, for their support which makes all this possible!
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At our Friday/Saturday raffle, we raised $3,500 to be split equally between Friends of the Inyo, our local stewardship partner, and the Owens Valley Paiute Shoshone Cultural Center. As a continued acknowledgment that our events take place on and benefit from native lands, we also donate $5 from every ticket sale to accompany our donation to the Bishop Paiute Tribe - which this year is going to the Cultural Center to assist with their summer artist speaker series. This is an additional $1,000 on top of the money raised by raffle ticket sales.
At a separate raffle on Sunday evening, we raised $1,850 to be split between Wild Iris, a local crisis center for victims of domestic violence, and the Bishop Area Climbers Coalition.
We were also able to raise $400 for the Flash Foxy Scholarship Fund through “Superhuman” ticket sales. These funds help us provide free tickets and travel stipends for our festivals and education programs.
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We partnered closely with 9 affinity climbing organizations, 23 local organizations and small businesses, and the Bishop Chamber of Commerce. This includes but is not limited to local breweries, catering, gear stores, printing studios, guiding company, lodging, non-profits, Indigenous tribes, and more. The climbing community and local community at large in Bishop is incredibly welcoming and generous and we are grateful to have so many awesome local partners.
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“The sort of weekend that leaves you feeling dusty, tired but so very happy.” - @crownshyclimbs, participant
“If your bestie asks you to go to @heyflashfoxy always say yes!” - @lamour___fou, participant
“I’m always anxious before a climbing fest especially when I show up alone but I felt so welcomed here 🧡” - @svnniskis, participant
“@heyflashfoxy this weekend in Bishop was an absolute blast 😍 it was my first climbing festival and I could not be more grateful and overwhelmed with love and appreciation for the amazing group of people I met climbing, dancing, and being outside with 🥰🥰” - @jo_flashman, participant
“Didn’t send my nonlinear progress boulder last week but I had fun trying and got this incredible clip of @jafitzyah explaining the Power of Tears— a quintessential @heyflashfoxy fest experience” - @the_melicorn, participant
“Way impressed with the climbers who joined for the ASL climbing meetup this past weekend with @deafclimber our mostly hearing group was stoked to learn and practice climbing in a new to them language #soproud ☺️it can be intimidating to put yourself out there, especially when you’ll likely make mistakes or maybe even look silly. but when we can put that ego aside, there is SO MUCH to learn from others perspective & experience.” - @megaelangelo, participant
“I’m grateful to have been offered a complimentary space (due to my current situation) in order to attend. I’ve been vending at this festival for three years now, and it’s always enjoyable. The atmosphere is incredibly welcoming, and everyone is so kind. Thank you for allowing me to be a staple at Flash Foxy!” - @quailsings, local artist vendor
2023 Flash Foxy Climbing Festival
March 17-19 • Bishop, CA
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We hosted 12 clinics, 8 workshops, 9 guest speakers, 2 stewardship projects and a dance party! We watched 6 film screenings, a cultural dance performance, a panel and a community slideshow. We learned from 27 guides, athletes and facilitators. We collaborated with 19 community partners including conservation organizations, affinity groups, land managers and the local Indigenous tribe and had more than 25 vendor booths at our Open Air Market to explore.
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At our Friday/Saturday raffle, we raised $2,735 which is split equally between local stewardship partner, Friends of the Inyo, the Access Fund and the Bishop Paiute Tribe. As a continued acknowledgement that our events take place on and benefit from native lands, we also donate $5 from every ticket sale to the Bishop Paiute Tribe. This is an additional $1,250 on top of the money raised by raffle ticket sales. At a separate raffle on Sunday evening we raised $856 which is split equally between the Bishop Area Climbers Coalition and Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps. We also were able to raise $1,075 for the Flash Foxy Scholarship Fund through “Superhuman” ticket sales. These funds will allow us to continue providing free tickets and travel stipends to future events as well as our Educational courses.
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We partnered closely with 26 local small businesses and organizations and the Bishop Chamber of Commerce. This includes but is not limited to local gear stores, coffee shops, breweries, printing studios, guide company, lodging, non-profits, local tribe and more. The local community in Bishop has been so supportive of us, especially with our last minute changes, and we feel incredibly grateful to have so many awesome local partners willing to help us pivot, offer us space and cheer us on as we work together to create a more welcoming and inclusive climbing community in Bishop!
At our Sunday Stewardship Project we had over 50 volunteers work on two projects at the Bishop Paiute Conservation Open Space Area (COSA) and attend a discussion group with the local BLM office. At the COSA we built a culvert to help divert flooding from recent storms and took down an old barbed wire fence! We’re super grateful for our badass stewardship partners - Friends of the Inyo, Access Fund, Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps, Bishop Area Climbers Coalition, Bishop Area Climbing Rangers, USFS and BLM.
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“‘Is anyone sitting in this seat?’ ‘You are!’ - The number of times I heard these exact words among people this past weekend @heyflashfoxy festival made them really stick out. Time after time I keep coming back to this community and its gatherings because of the way it makes me feel to be part of it — maybe even more so as a guide than as a participant at my first fest a few years back. There is ferocity here, and also tenderness. These things can co-exist for sure, bbs.” - @dnlljnsn (guide)
“This was my 2nd year attending @heyflashfoxy! Just love this event and community! Great to see old and new friends and even a few friends from Banff and Hawaii!! Last year, I gave a presentation and showed the film “Elevated” for the 1st time to the wonderful FF community! This year we were invited to attend as a community partner and attendee! I was able to bring 2 other Deaf friends!! My friends and I participated in clinics that were indoors and we had access!! We learned so much and met so many wonderful people!!! This is what it looks like to have quality access and inclusion at a festival! I am so grateful for the support and folks working with me to create a better space and outdoor community!! We are breaking barriers together!!” - @deafclimber (participant)
“However, as I departed on Friday, driving from Reno to Bishop, I was overcome with a deep sense of joy and gratitude. I realized just how much I needed a change of scenery from my familiar surroundings, even if only for a short while. Singing my heart out in the car, tears of happiness filled my eyes as I savored the feeling of freedom and adventure that comes with exploring new places. Thank you @merylpicard, @urban_ndn_ @bennettrahn @heyflashfoxy @shelmatic for welcoming me into your community and to share my passion with other Indigenous folks. Reunited with my fellow native sister/brothers is what the soul needed!” - @cass.am (athlete)
“Intro to Big Wall clinic at @heyflashfoxy climbing festival with guides @neodude and @carlin.trustme . Weather shutdowns didn’t prevent us from learning. Thanks to our guides for an adaptive and fun class! I really enjoyed the festival, and I am looking forward to next year.” - @natiendo (participant)
“Had the loveliest time at the @heyflashfoxy Climbing Festival in Payahuunadü (Bishop, CA). A huge thank you to Shelma, Lou, Marian and all of the instructors and facilitators for their leadership as Mother Nature redirected various aspects of the programming. The entire weekend was anchored in creating community, increasing our knowledge of stewardship, and supporting local small businesses and organizations. But, above all, it was about educating ourselves about the Paiute and Shoshone native communities who have lived in Payahuunadu for centuries.” - @_yourhealingnature (partner)
“For me the festival is about connection, community, and growth. Reconnecting with friends, making new ones, sharing any knowledge I have with others within the community, and learning more about myself and how to help grow our community and industry into a more welcoming space - there’s so much that goes into this festival. And even though the weather kept us from climbing, it was a good reminder to listen and respect the land. Plus there was soooo much more going on and that I got from the festival, climbing would’ve just been extra.” - @walkergenevive (athlete)
“We are very grateful that the organizers of Flash Foxy decided to go ahead with the festival. It definitely helps the local businesses and also gives people something fun to do downtown that’s climbing related, but does not send them out to the areas that have been impacted by flooding, rockslides, etc. It actually helps keep our emergency personnel from having to rescue stranded climbers.” - Tawni Thompson, Executive Director of the Bishop Chamber of Commerce
2022 Flash Foxy Climbing Festival
March 25-27 • Bishop, CA
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We had 448 women and genderqueer climbers attend our sold out festival this year!! This includes 336 participants (including 17 scholarship recipients), 25 volunteers, 24 guides, athletes and facilitators and 63 community partners and vendors. We had folks from 36 states and territories and 3 countries and ages ranging from 1-68!
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Our raffle fundraiser raised $3,300 for the Access Fund, local stewardship partner Friends of Inyo, and the Bishop Paiute Tribe, who will be receiving the funds equally. This year we are also donating $5 from every ticket sale to the Bishop Paiute Tribe Scholarship Fund, this will be an additional donation of $1,750 on top of the money raised by raffle ticket sales. At a smaller raffle on Sunday evening, we raised $848 for the Bishop Area Climbers Coalition. We also raised a total of $2,275 for the Flash Foxy Scholarship fund through donations for custom DMM x Flash Foxy carabiners and from “Superhuman” ticket sales. These funds will allow us to continue providing free tickets and travel stipends to future festivals!
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We partnered closely with 5 affinity climbing organizations, 20 local small businesses and community organizations and the Bishop Chamber of Commerce. This includes but is not limited to local gear stores, coffee shops, brewery, printing studio, guiding company, lodging, non-profits, local tribes and more.
