ParaCliffHangers Competitive Community

Want to join the PCH competitive community for Nationals 2024 in Gaithersburg, MD?
The application deadline is JANUARY 31, 2024!

ParaCliffHangers is a non-profit organization that empowers people with disabilities through adaptive rock climbing. ParaCliffHangers fosters a welcoming, community-driven environment where climbers with disabilities can learn, grow, and support each other to reach new heights. The goal of ParaCliffHangers’ Competition Community is to provide financial and logistical support for paraclimbers who desire to push themselves athletically at USAC and IFSC sponsored competitions, as well as to create a supportive community of paraclimbers from around the country.

Details:

Dates: March 9th + 10th (classification on March 7th + 8th)
Location: Sportrock Climbing Rio - Gaithersburg, MD
More Information: USAC Paraclimbing National Championships Website

Selection Criteria: 

One of ParaCliffHangers’ core values is fostering equity and empowerment to the entire adaptive community. To that end, the ParaCliffHangers Competitive Community selection and financial support is given without regard to athletic ability or past competitive performance. The sole athletic requirement for the Competitive Community is that all athletes must be capable of climbing on a loose belay on any grade of their choosing. This requirement exists because sanctioned paraclimbing competitions require participants to climb on a loose belay. If a paraclimber cannot meet this requirement, ParaCliffHangers has several community spots available for paraclimbers who wish to join ParaCliffHangers at USAC Paraclimbing Nationals.

In order to provide equitable financial support for our Competitive Community athletes, financial assistance will be given based on income level and requests made in the application. Please reach out to christina@paracliffhangers.org with any questions or additional requests for support. 

Registration: 

  • ParaCliffHangers covers the cost of a USAC Membership and the USAC Paraclimbing Nationals registration fee for those needing financial assistance.

Housing: 

ParaCliffHangers subsidizes the cost of one queen/full bed per a two bed hotel/motel room for those needing financial assistance including:

  • Competing paraclimbers

  • Up to three non-competing community paraclimbers

  • Callers for each competing Blind/VI climbers

  • A limited number of volunteers, necessary to facilitate ParaCliffHangers’s competition weekend; priority for these slots will go to volunteers who are active community members in a PCH chapter 

  • One Parent/Guardian for paraclimbers under 18

  • Aides for climbers who require assistance with moving about during the competition day

Friends/Family: 

  • Although we cannot cover the cost of their housing, we welcome friends and family to join ParaCliffHangers.

  • Significant others and their competitive paraclimber are welcome to share their PCH-sponsored bed. It is the paraclimber’s responsibility to find another competitor who is willing to bunk with a couple OR the couple may decide to pay the other half of their hotel room out-of-pocket.  

Transportation:

  • ParaCliffHangers does NOT cover the cost of air travel to/from the event

  • ParaCliffHangers provides required specific transportation to/from the event (i.e. classification, competition days, USAC team dinners) at previously designated times.

  • ParaCliffHangers will provide suggested flight and/or train times for folks traveling out of the California, North Carolina, New York, and New Jersey and will provide transportation for competitors from the airport to the hotel for those traveling on those flights.

Please note:

This form does not register you for USAC Paraclimbing Nationals. Visit https://usaclimbing.org/compete/paraclimbing/ to register for the event and for more information! Contact christina@paracliffhangers.org with any questions!