Community

Meetup days and times coming soon!

ASCEND’s MC1R group is a gym-affiliated club that serves as an inclusive space for people of color and ethnic minorities to climb together and explore the outdoors while supporting each other mentally and physically. Anyone is welcome to join (PoC and white people alike), and all are encouraged to participate, expand their community, and develop climbing skills while also engaging in conversation around racial and social justice. This group believes that systemic racism and oppression is prevalent in all settings and that it is important to intentionally create opportunities to challenge and rewrite that narrative. By having these conversations in a setting that is comfortable and openminded, and that is rooted in an enjoyable practice, participants can anchor these difficult issues to a more relatable context.

We encourage people of all backgrounds to ask questions, participate in the monthly conversations, and learn about the group. For further information, check out this blog post (coming soon), talk to our staff, follow them on Instagram, or email the MC1R coordinator, Maria Rose. See you on Tuesday nights!

Meetup days and times coming soon!

Queer Scouts is a LGBTQ climbing club, with the goal of creating connection and a safer and more inclusive outdoors community. Just look for the Queer Scout mascot, the tiny rainbow unicorn!

Meetup days and times coming soon!

A casual meetup located at ASCEND where womxn can crush climbs, beers*, and the patriarchy, or just hang out and meet new friends!

ASCEND Book Club details TBA.

Cycling Club will return Spring 2021!

Each month we will host a group ride with various distances and speeds. Pick the best fit for you then stick around after for food trucks and climbing. These monthly rides will be held on the same day as Big Free Yoga, so if you are feeling ambitious, go for the ASCEND Triathlon - yoga, biking, and climbing! You want to ride more than once a month? Yeah, me too! Weekly rides can be generated from anyone in our cycling community. Simply make a post on our ASCEND Cycling Club Strava group with where you’ll start from, how far you’ll go and what your expected pace will be. Current rides from the Pittsburgh, PA location only, but let us know if you'd like to spearhead a Youngstown, OH chapter! ASCEND Cycling Club is also proud to be a part of the Big EL at ASCEND BikeMS team. Looking for a way to get in miles, have fun, and give back?

If you're interested in becoming an ASCEND Cycling Club Ambassador or help kick things off in Youngstown, send us a message to help build the group's presence. In order to participate in Cycling Club you must complete the ASCEND Clubs Waiver - different than the ASCEND Facility Waiver. Registration is merely a courtesy to give us a heads up. If you don't register, but show up, cool! If you register and bail, no worries!

Here’s our 2021 ride schedule:

• Sunday, April 25th - 11:30 am - ASCEND Pittsburgh

• Ride options:  Three Rivers Heritage Trails and Riverview Park

• 15 mile turn around at end of North Shore trail

• 25 mile turn around at Riverview Park Observatory

• 35+ mile Riverview Park loops plus East Ave.

• Saturday, May 8th - 10am - ASCEND Pittsburgh

• Ride options:  Great Allegheny Passage Trail

• 25 Mile turn around at McKeesport Bridge

• 35 Mile turn around at Boston

• Saturday, June 12th - 10am - ASCEND Pittsburgh

• Ride options: Three Rivers Heritage Trails and Highland Park

• Saturday, July 10th - 10am - ASCEND Pittsburgh

• Ride options: TBD

• Saturday, August 14th - 10am - ASCEND Pittsburgh

• Ride options: TBD

• Saturday, September 11th - 10am - ASCEND Pittsburgh

• Ride options: TBD

• Saturday, October 9th - 10am - ASCEND Pittsburgh

• Ride options: TBD

REGISTER HERE

ASCEND Run Club formed in April 2017. We're a casual group of climbers who are also born to run! We meet every Monday evening near ASCEND Pittsburgh's front desk at 5:45p to mingle and warm up, and take off promptly at 6p! If you're late, you better be fast ;) Typically, everyone starts together and links with similar paces for a 4 mile or 8 mile run around the South Side, ending back at ASCEND. Any and all are welcome and do not need to be a member of ASCEND to participate. Spread the word and join our Facebook Group and Strava Group!

Please bring a mask or a buff to allow us to commingle in tighter spaces and on the busy parts of the trails. Remember, everyone has different comfort levels and expectations, so let's all be respectful of each other!

If you're interested in becoming an ASCEND Run Club Ambassador or help kick things off in Youngstown, send us a message to help build the group's presence. In order to participate in Run Club you must complete the ASCEND Clubs Waiver - different than the ASCEND Facility Waiver. Registration is merely a courtesy to give us a heads up. If you don't register, but show up, cool! If you register and bail, no worries!

REGISTER HERE