Flash Foxy Education Program
presented by Arc’teryx
Our goal is to provide accessible, standardized learning opportunities for climbers to learn from accredited AMGA-certified instructors, centering the experience of women and genderqueer folks, and creating a program that responds to the unique needs of all marginalized genders. In order to stand by our commitment to making education accessible, all Flash Foxy Education Courses are offered on a sliding scale. Additionally, full scholarships are available for most courses. This program is possible thanks to generous support from our presenting sponsor, Arc’teryx.
At this time, our education courses are only open to participants who identify as women or genderqueer climbers. Select programs may be open to allies and will be specifically noted.
Types of courses
What kinds of courses does Flash Foxy Education offer? So many! Check them out via the button below. Note: not all courses currently available.
scholarships
Courses are offered on a sliding scale starting at $50. To ensure our programs are financially accessible, full scholarships are also available.
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Got questions? Maybe we have the answer! If you don’t find the answer here, email us at education@flashfoxy.com.
Upcoming Courses
presented by Arc’teryx
*Please note schedule is always subject to change. All events are rain or shine. Lodging is not included.
COST Flash Foxy Education courses are offered on a sliding scale.
Full scholarships are available for most courses.
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Thanks to our generous sponsor Arc’teryx, all Flash Foxy Education Courses are offered on a sliding-scale! To ensure our programs are financially accessible, full scholarships are also available for most courses.
It’s up to you how much you pay, but here are some things you can keep in mind when deciding what price is best for you.
The average cost of a 2-day guided course is about $350.
All the tuition payments go right back into this program so that we can run more courses and provided more full scholarships!
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Here’s a loose guideline to help you decide where you might fall on the sliding-scale:
It can be hard to pay rent and cover other basic necessities > Apply for a scholarship!
I can pay for basic necessities, but I do not have extra income for things like a climbing gym membership > Apply for a scholarship!
I can pay for basic necessities and some luxury items like a climbing gym membership > $50-$100
I am able to afford or save up for occasional weekend trips and the costs associated with that (rental car, park fees, owning gear, etc) > $100-$200
I can afford regular weekend trips and the costs associated with that (rental car, park fees, owning gear, etc) > $200-$300
I am financially comfortable and able to help support scholarships for future course participants > $300-$400
*Please also consider that income is not the same as wealth. Income is the amount of money you make. Wealth is passed down from generation to generation and usually takes the form of inheritances, land ownership, and/or earning power. We ask that you take into account not only your income but also your wealth when choosing your price point within our sliding scale.
Learn to lead & bolted anchor basics!
Sport Climbing 101
in partnership with Bluegrass Climbing School
Saturday 4/26 - Sunday 4/27
Red River Gorge, KY
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Flash Foxy's Sport Climbing 101 course covers all the skills you’ll need to break into outdoor sport climbing! We'll focus on essential skills like lead belaying with both tube devices and assisted breaking devices, and lead climbing in a low-risk mock setting. Learn basic anchor building techniques to help you get up and down routes at your local sport climbing crag. We’ll focus on understanding materials and what to look for when building strong anchors.
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Must know how to belay someone top rope climbing. Participants have top roped a minimum of five climbs on at least two separate occasions (indoors or outdoors). Must be able to comfortably top rope 5.9 indoors or 5.6 at the course venue.
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Have a working knowledge of key equipment, including climbing shoes, harnesses, helmets, chalk, climbing rope, slings/cordelette, carabiners, quickdraws, and belay devices.
Experience and participate in common practices, including stretching, warming up, reading a route, and working a route.
Practice (mock) belaying a lead climber with an assisted-braking device, including setting up to belay, managing the rope, taking and giving slack, catching falls, and lowering a climber.
Practice (mock) leading up and lowering down a route, including tying-in with the figure eight follow-through, clipping, finding and maintaining stances, managing the rope, and doing system checks with their belayer.
Practice building and cleaning common single-pitch anchors.
Be knowledgeable about sport climbing jargon.
Connect with other climbers interested in sport climbing.
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Genevive Walker (she/her) & Cat Runner (he/him)
How gear works, lead belay techniques, & bolted anchor basics
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Flash Foxy’s Trad Climbing 101 course equips climbers with the skills they need to explore the adventurous practice and spirit of traditional climbing whether you're new to the craft or trying to refine the skills you already have. 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. We'll practice lead belay techniques on tube-style and assisted breaking belay devices, and finish up with the basics of building and cleaning anchors on bolts. Most of our course time will be spent working on skills with very little rock climbing, so come prepared to spend time hanging in your harness!
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Must know how to belay someone on top rope. Participants have top-roped a minimum of ten climbs on at least three separate occasions (indoor or outdoors). Experience sport climbing (indoors or outdoors) and/or following trad climbs is helpful but not required.
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Have a working knowledge of key equipment, including climbing shoes, harnesses, helmets, chalk, climbing rope, slings/cordelette, carabiners, quickdraws and alpine draws, cams and stoppers, and belay/rappel devices.
Experience and participate in common practices, including stretching, warming up, reading a route, and working a route.
Practice (mock) belaying a lead climber with an assisted-braking device, including setting up to belay, managing the rope, taking and giving slack, and lowering a climber.
Practice (mock) leading up and lowering down a route, including tying-in with the figure eight follow-through, placing and clipping gear, finding and maintaining stances, managing the rope, and doing system checks with their belayer.
Practice building and cleaning common single pitch anchors, including via lowering + rappelling.
Be knowledgeable about trad climbing jargon.
Connect with other climbers interested in trad climbing.
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Jess Pleyel (she/her) & Sunni Ford (they/them)
Multipitch 101
in partnership with Rise Outside
Saturday 5/3 - Sunday 5/4
New Paltz, NY aka “The Gunks”
Introduction to multi-pitch climbing
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Flash Foxy’s Multi-pitch 101 course equips climbers with the know-how to climb and descend from routes longer than one rope-length. This course covers essentials like building multi-pitch anchors, taking the roles of leader and follower, rappelling from a multi-pitch route, staying safe and organized during transitions at anchors, and solving basic problems on routes. Our instructors will provide low-risk environments for practice and review the skills you need to continue your practice after the course. We’ll also discuss navigation, what to bring, and how to plan for your adventures. This is a skills-intensive course, and we’ll focus on learning fundamentals on the ground, then practicing those skills in a low-risk vertical setting with review and feedback from our instructors. Most of our course time will be spent working on skills with very little rock climbing, so come prepared with comfortable but capable shoes!
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Must know how to belay someone lead climbing. Participants have top roped a minimum of ten climbs on at least three separate occasions (indoors or outdoors). Must be able to comfortably top rope 5.9 indoors or 5.6 at the course venue. Some experience lead climbing or mock leading, like in Flash Foxy's Sport Climbing 101-102 or Trad Climbing 101-102, is required.
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Have a working knowledge of key equipment, including climbing shoes, harnesses, helmets, chalk, climbing rope, slings/cordelette, carabiners, quickdraws and alpine draws, assisted and non-assisted belay/rappel devices, and friction cords.
Practice building common multi-pitch anchors on bolts and with natural features.
Understand techniques to add safety for both a leader and a follower in multi-pitch terrain.
Be proficient in belaying a follower from an anchor at the top of a pitch using a variety of belay devices.
Practice (mock) leading and following a multi-pitch route, including clipping gear, managing the rope, building anchors, securing oneself to anchors, belaying a follower, cleaning gear from a pitch, and communicating as a team.
Practice multi-pitch transitions when alternating leaders and when leading in blocks (same leader on consecutive pitches).
Practice transitions from climbing to rappelling, as well as transitions for multiple rappels in a row.
Be proficient in rappelling using an extended belay device and third hand.
Be knowledgeable about route planning, navigation, and what to bring on multi-pitch outings.
Connect with other climbers interested in multi-pitch climbing.
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Hann Smiley (they/them) & Andy Lackland
Introduction to multi-pitch climbing
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Flash Foxy’s Multi-pitch 101 course equips climbers with the know-how to climb and descend from routes longer than one rope-length. This course covers essentials like building multi-pitch anchors, taking the roles of leader and follower, rappelling from a multi-pitch route, staying safe and organized during transitions at anchors, and solving basic problems on routes. Our instructors will provide low-risk environments for practice and review the skills you need to continue your practice after the course. We’ll also discuss navigation, what to bring, and how to plan for your adventures. This is a skills-intensive course, and we’ll focus on learning fundamentals on the ground, then practicing those skills in a low-risk vertical setting with review and feedback from our instructors. Most of our course time will be spent working on skills with very little rock climbing, so come prepared with comfortable but capable shoes!
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Must know how to belay someone lead climbing. Participants have top roped a minimum of ten climbs on at least three separate occasions (indoors or outdoors). Must be able to comfortably top rope 5.9 indoors or 5.6 at the course venue. Some experience lead climbing or mock leading, like in Flash Foxy's Sport Climbing 101-102 or Trad Climbing 101-102, is required.
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Have a working knowledge of key equipment, including climbing shoes, harnesses, helmets, chalk, climbing rope, slings/cordelette, carabiners, quickdraws and alpine draws, assisted and non-assisted belay/rappel devices, and friction cords.
Practice building common multi-pitch anchors on bolts and with natural features.
Understand techniques to add safety for both a leader and a follower in multi-pitch terrain.
Be proficient in belaying a follower from an anchor at the top of a pitch using a variety of belay devices.
Practice (mock) leading and following a multi-pitch route, including clipping gear, managing the rope, building anchors, securing oneself to anchors, belaying a follower, cleaning gear from a pitch, and communicating as a team.
Practice multi-pitch transitions when alternating leaders and when leading in blocks (same leader on consecutive pitches).
Practice transitions from climbing to rappelling, as well as transitions for multiple rappels in a row.
Be proficient in rappelling using an extended belay device and third hand.
Be knowledgeable about route planning, navigation, and what to bring on multi-pitch outings.
Connect with other climbers interested in multi-pitch climbing.
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Ada Jones (they/them) & Haley Briscoe (she/her)
Your first time climbing (outdoors)!
Top Rope Climbing 101
in partnership with Sportrock Climbing Guides
Saturday 6/14
Washington, DC - Great Falls National Park, VA
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Flash Foxy's Top Rope Climbing 101 course is great for everyone from first-timers to experienced indoor climbers. 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.
This program focuses on providing students with maximum active climbing time with minimal ground-school instruction.
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None, beginners welcome!
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Have a working knowledge of key equipment, including climbing shoes, harnesses, helmets, chalk, climbing rope, carabiners, and belay devices.
Experience and participate in common practices, including stretching, warming up, reading a route, and working a route.
Be proficient climbing up and lowering down a route, including tying-in with the figure eight follow-through and doing system checks with their belayer.
Practice and receive coaching on basic and intermediate climbing movement.
Be knowledgeable about top roping jargon.
Connect with other climbers interested in top roping.
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Sean Taft-Morales (they/them) & Sarah Yun (she/her)
Your first time outdoors PLUS belaying & cleaning bolted anchors
Top Rope Climbing 101-102
in partnership with Rise Outside
Saturday 6/28 - Sunday 6/29
New Paltz, NY aka “The Gunks”
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Flash Foxy's Top Rope Climbing 101-102 course is great for everyone from first-timers to experienced indoor climbers. 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. Additionally, this course will give you all the tools you need to build your own anchors and climb on them! We’ll focus on understanding materials and what to look for when building strong anchors for top roping.
This course will be a mix of ground-school skill building and time to climb outdoors!
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None, beginners welcome!
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Have a working knowledge of key equipment, including climbing shoes, harnesses, helmets, chalk, climbing rope, carabiners, and belay devices.
Experience and participate in common practices, including stretching, warming up, reading a route, and working a route.
Be proficient climbing up and lowering down a route, including tying-in with the figure eight follow-through and doing system checks with their belayer.
Practice and receive coaching on basic and intermediate climbing movement.
Practice building and cleaning common single pitch anchors.
Be knowledgeable about top roping jargon.
Connect with other climbers interested in top roping.
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Sam Haines (they/them) & Athe Torri-Cervantes (they/them)
How gear works, lead belay techniques, & bolted anchor basics
TRad Climbing 101
in partnership with Rise Outside
Saturday 7/12- Sunday 7/13
New Paltz, NY aka “The Gunks”
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Flash Foxy’s Trad Climbing 101 course equips climbers with the skills they need to explore the adventurous practice and spirit of traditional climbing whether you're new to the craft or trying to refine the skills you already have. 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. We'll practice lead belay techniques on tube-style and assisted breaking belay devices, and finish up with the basics of building and cleaning anchors on bolts. Most of our course time will be spent working on skills with very little rock climbing, so come prepared to spend time hanging in your harness!
-
Must know how to belay someone on top rope. Participants have top-roped a minimum of ten climbs on at least three separate occasions (indoor or outdoors). Experience sport climbing (indoors or outdoors) and/or following trad climbs is helpful but not required.
-
Have a working knowledge of key equipment, including climbing shoes, harnesses, helmets, chalk, climbing rope, slings/cordelette, carabiners, quickdraws and alpine draws, cams and stoppers, and belay/rappel devices.
Experience and participate in common practices, including stretching, warming up, reading a route, and working a route.
Practice (mock) belaying a lead climber with an assisted-braking device, including setting up to belay, managing the rope, taking and giving slack, and lowering a climber.
Practice (mock) leading up and lowering down a route, including tying-in with the figure eight follow-through, placing and clipping gear, finding and maintaining stances, managing the rope, and doing system checks with their belayer.
Practice building and cleaning common single pitch anchors, including via lowering + rappelling.
Be knowledgeable about trad climbing jargon.
Connect with other climbers interested in trad climbing.
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Hann Smiley (they/them) & Lizzy Redlich (she/they)
*Scroll through the calendar to see both upcoming and past programs!
*Wondering what course is right for you? Check out our Guide to Courses!
Our Instructors
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Carlin Reynolds (they/them)
AMGA Assistant Rock Guide, AMGA Certified SPI, Wilderness First Responder
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Lor Sabourin (they/them)
AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor, Wilderness First Responder
