Mission
The mission of Stronger Together is to promote and protect inclusive and welcoming access to rock climbing for people across socio-economic, racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, and for people of all abilities.
Focus Areas
1. DIVERSITY & INCLUSION: Increase access to climbing by providing facilities and programs that build relationships across socio-economic, racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, and for people of all abilities.
2. YOUTH ENGAGEMENT: Introduce young people from a diversity of backgrounds to climbing, and foster a supportive and inclusive pipeline for continued engagement with the sport and the community.
3. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: Protect outdoor climbing areas by conserving the land and keeping access to climbing open to all.
Partner Organizations
Interested in exploring partnership opportunities with Triangle Rock Club? Reach out to us here!
Triangle PRIDE Climbing Club
Triangle PRIDE Climbing Club is an organization focused on increasing sexual orientation and gender identity diversity within the local climbing community. Through regular climbing meetups, social events, and trip-coordination, Triangle PRIDE Climbing Club hopes to develop a strong family of LGBT+ climbers and allies. We host gatherings at our Triangle-area locations.
American Alpine Club – Triangle Chapter
The Triangle Chapter of the American Alpine Club empowers climbers to pursue their passion for climbing. The AAC runs free “best practices” clinics at Triangle Rock Club, and we host these free of charge. These clinics are open to all, and you don’t need to be an AAC member to attend.
Ascend – Leadership Through Athletics
Ascend – Leadership Through Athletics is dedicated to helping girls reach their potential. Ascends intensive athletics-based leadership training gives girls tools to discover the inherent value and potential in themselves and in others. Ascend develops young women into leaders through the community service and the sport of mountain climbing.
Carolina Climbers Coalition
The Carolina Climbers Coalition (CCC) was founded as a nonprofit in 1995 with a mission to preserve, protect, and expand climbing within the Carolinas and beyond. The CCC works with various land managers, State Parks, National Forests, land trusts, other nonprofits, businesses, and the climbing community to help steward areas with existing climbing and open the access door to new climbing areas. TRC has historically supported membership drives, promoting CCC events and through fundraisers like Mile High Climb and various film screenings.
Climbing For Change
Climbing For Change, founded by pro climber and former TRC member Kai Lightner, aims to tackle racial disparities in climbing and diversify the climbing industry. The mission of this organization is connecting underserved communities with individuals and organizations that seek to increase minority participation in rock climbing and the outdoor adventure industry.
Duke Adaptive Climbing
The mission of Duke Adaptive Climbing is to provide rock climbing opportunities to individuals with disabilities in the Triangle Area. Opportunities to learn to rock climb are available to ambulatory and non-ambulatory teens, adults and children ages 6 and up. Duke Adaptive Climbing works to create a welcoming and fully inclusive environment to learn the sport of rock climbing. Triangle Rock Club provides free access to the facilities for these events.
Fayetteville Adaptive Climbing
With support from Duke Adaptive, Triangle Rock Club launched our very own Fayetteville Adaptive Climbing Program in June of 2016. Triangle Rock Club’s Adaptive Climbing Program gives individuals with disabilities the chance to experience the joy and exhilaration of the sport of climbing. Our Fayetteville community trains volunteers prior to our scheduled adaptive climb nights.
GallantFew
GallantFew is a 501c3 Non-profit, with a mission to assist Veterans and Service Members as they navigate the transitions of life. From Military to Civilian Life or one job to the next, GallantFew’s STAR Transition navigation assessment provides a roadmap to your next objective, filled with Hope and Purpose. GallantFew connects with Veterans through outdoor recreation like rock climbing and introduces them to other tools that can help enhance resilience in life. GallantFew looks to connect, educate, and empower Veterans of all Branches, and all time-frames to be a resource for someone in their community. GallantFew has hosted events our Triangle-area locations. These include hosting Military Climbing Night, a weekly link-up for Veterans and Service members to climb and find fellowship with others.
Global Climbing Day
Triangle Rock Club teams up annually with The North Face to lower the barriers to entry for climbing by celebrating Global Climbing Day. We provide free access to our facilities and safety training on Global Climbing Day.
Keep Virginia Cozy
Keep Virginia Cozy’s mission is to protect wilderness and inspire all Virginians to care for our wild places. We contribute to better protection, stewardship and restoration of our public lands, preserving our rich natural legacy for current and future generations. TRC has hosted a number of quarterly events with Keep Virginia Cozy, including the Mile High Climb–for which all proceeds went to Keep Virginia Cozy.
Rise RVA
Rise RVA’s mission is to inspire Richmond City’s middle school students to engage in their community, excel in their education, and exceed their expectations through the culture of rock climbing. Triangle Rock Club hosts the Homeroom Roccks program, which focuses primarily on team building and self motivation activities to encourage responsibility and awareness of the role each student can play in their classroom and community. This is an entry-level rock climbing program that introduces the fundamentals of rock climbing. In an effort to continue to build and foster positive relationships with students in our Homeroom Rocks program, we also host Rise RVA’s Belay Friday, an after school program that occurs on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month throughout the year.
Boys and Girls Club of Durham and Orange County
The Boys and Girls Club of Durham and Orange County strives to offer children and youth from all economic, cultural, and social backgrounds access to resources and opportunities that will enable them to overcome barriers and achieve their full potential in life. They work together with organizations and volunteers in each community, and partnership with businesses and local government entities, to create healthy community solutions for providing children and youth with what they need for optimal development.
Reality Ministries
Reality Ministries include all sorts of differences…ability, race, ethnicity, faith, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity, theological perspective, socioeconomic status, citizenship, and language. Committed to fostering a community of respect and standing against all forms of discrimination, they seek to be a community of welcome where inherent dignity is affirmed, diverse gifts are celebrated, and the sacredness of every person is valued.
Paradox Sports
Paradox Sports offers accessible climbing opportunities for people with differing abilities, defying the perception that people with a ‘disability’ cannot lead a life of adventure. They provide outdoor rock and ice climbing trips, training, and local programs. Paradox Sports is passionate about engaging and welcoming everyone who is interested in participating, and at their core, they believe in building community.
TRC’s Pledge of Support
Carolina Climbers Coalition
Triangle Rock Club has made a pledge of $50,000 in support to the CCC over the next few years to sustain their efforts of protecting access to climbing lands, maintaining existing climbing areas, and expanding climbing access in the Carolinas and beyond.
Paradox Sports
Paradox Sports is dedicated to transforming lives and communities through adaptive climbing opportunities that defy convention. They offer accessible climbing opportunities for people with differing abilities, fighting the perception that people with a ‘disability’ cannot lead a life of adventure. Triangle Rock Club partnered with Paradox Sports to host the Paradox Mile, an initiative to raise money for Paradox Sports and its adaptive climbing programs. In September 2022, TRC climbers committed to climbing 5,280 ft, while raising awareness and money for adaptive climbing!
2021 Climbathon
Teams raised money for local causes and competed to log the most climbs in our epic Climbathon event, held on Saturday, October 30th. This five-hour long climbing event was the culmination of a six-week fundraising challenge.
We raised money through TRC’s Climbathon to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Durham and Orange Counties and GallantFew.
Our Climbathon teams raised a combined total of $40,628. As the event concluded, TRC’s Managing Partners elected to provide a company donation to these nonprofits and bring our combined fundraising total to $50,000.
Many thanks to our brand partners for contributing prizes: Trango, Black Diamond, Friction Labs, MHM Distributors (Butora), Evolv, and Petzl. Thank you all for sharing in the excitement!