ASCEND Clubs

The fun will be off the wall!

Explore ASCEND's

Social Clubs

Clubs are a great way to step out of your comfort zone and meet others who share your interest and passions!

Not an ASCEND member?

Enjoy a discounted $15 Club Day Pass while attending these meetups. Run Club, Cycle Club, and Book Club are COMPLETELY FREE to attend, but also offer up the Club Day Pass for those who wish to climb before or after.

Want To Be A Club Captain?

Club Captains have the responsibility of hosting regularly scheduled meet ups at the gym, recruiting new members, and creating a welcoming and safe space for those who join. Typically clubs meet weekly or monthly in the evenings, however as Club Captain you will work with ASCEND Management to set the club schedule. Club Captains should be dedicated to their roles for at least consecutive 12 months. As a "thank you" for supporting the ASCEND Community, Club Captains will receive a free membership and an ASCEND t-shirt!

If you're interested in becoming a Club Captain, please click the button below. Note that we are not always in need of a captain and you may not hear back from us right away. The best way to be seen is to join the club and be a regular participant!

Become A Club Captain

MC1R

Many Colors | 1 Route

MC1R is a club that provides people of color (PoC) a safe space to build connections and create a warm and welcoming community. Our mascot is: French fries! We come in many forms, shapes and colors, and some of us like to bring in the spice. White allies are also welcome! We encourage everyone to participate, make friends, bring friends, and develop climbing skills with the rest of us. Climbing is a delightful sport in desperate need of diversity, and we are here to contribute.

CURRENTLY ON HOLD WHILE WE SEEK A NEW CAPTAIN. Introducing... El Ascenso!: Para todos ustedes que están cansados de hablar Inglés todos los días, o para los que desean practicar sus ostentosas habilidades castellanas, o para los que les gusta como habla Antonio Banderas. Todos ustedes están cordialmente invitados a escalar y platicar con sus compañeros hispanohablantes. El Espanglish es más que bienvenido. Todavía no sabemos cómo decir boulder, hold, o autobelay. Aquí en Ascend también se habla Español!

Club Captains:

Pittsburgh: Mark Ayitey, Lisa Egede
Erie: Pedro Tresgallo

To keep up with reminders, last-minute changes and updates, please join:

WhatsApp | Instagram | Facebook

Queer Scouts

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!

Club Captains:

Pittsburgh: Hannah Lola Hughes | Mallory Waters
- Google Group | Facebook | Instagram
Erie: Pamela Perron
- Instagram

WOW

Women on Walls

An ASCEND social club where women climb, learn, and WOW each other! Just look for the WOW mascot, an adorable stuffed cactus!

Club Captains:

Pittsburgh: Nancy Tran, Lora Waybright, Eliza Porterfield, Sara Salisbury
- Facebook | Instagram
Erie: Tina Macko, Ingrid Bookhamer
- Facebook | Instagram

Over The Mountain Climbers

A social climbing club for those who feel old in their knees, but young in their hearts! Join your fellow aging climbers and show those youths that climbing can be a lifelong activity.

Club Captains:

Pittsburgh: Barbara Jensen, Lauri Davidson

Google Group | Facebook Group

Book Club

The ASCEND Book Club is a way for members of the community to read climbing and climbing-adjacent books together and share our thoughts and experiences! Whether you’re an avid reader or haven’t read a book in years we encourage you to join us! You don’t need to be a member to participate, and we (the Club Captains) are super excited to meet you all! PLEASE REGISTER BELOW!

Club Expectations: Ideally, club members will participate for an entire book, but anyone is welcome drop in. It is ok to not follow the reading schedule, as it is merely a suggestion to guide discussion during the meetings. The Club Captains are happy to lead discussions, but participants can also bring discussion questions!

Club Captains:

Pittsburgh: Malini Sharma, George Bartle
Erie: Bryonna Crowley

TLDR (which is funny for a book club!)

Join our Google Group so we can stay in touch in between meetings! This will be our main mode of communication.
Participation is FREE. Non-ASCEND members may purchase a discounted $15 Club Day Pass if they wish to climb on the day of the club meetup.

Erie

We meet from 6-7p on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month. Changes to this schedule will be shown below, so be sure to check back and register for each meetup.
Join our Google Group so we can stay in touch in between meetings!

Pittsburgh

We meet from 7-8p on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month. Changes to this schedule will be shown below, so be sure to check back and register for each meetup.
Join our Google Group so we can stay in touch in between meetings!

Sustainability Club

The ASCEND Sustainability Club is dedicated to making the world a better place through environmental stewardship, community engagement, and the promotion of sustainable practices.

Club Values: Sustainability. Environmental justice. Responsible outdoor practices. Curiosity. Respect.

Club Captains:

Pittsburgh: Gretchen Uhrinek, Emily Mullin
Erie: Kelsey Fredericks

Run Club

ASCEND Run Club formed in Pittsburgh in April 2017 and was later expanded in Erie in April of 2024. We're a casual group of climbers who are also born to run! Any and all are welcome and do not need to be a member of ASCEND to participate.

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!

Erie: We meet every 2nd Sunday morning at ASCEND Erie at 9:45a to mingle and warm up, and take off promptly at 10a! If you're late, you better be fast ;)
South Side: 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.
Point Breeze: Looking for a Monday night run in East Liberty? Head over to Fleet Feet in Bakery Square every Monday at 6:30p. Contact Fleet Feet for more information!
Pittsburgh Connect: Facebook | Strava
Erie Connect: Facebook | Strava
Club Captains:
- Pittsburgh: Kristin Rhoa, Paul Guarino
- Erie: Mark Zukowski

ASCEND Run Club Is A Proud Member Of The

Western PA Running Coalition

Mission

To authentically and intentionally grow the sport and community of running in Western Pennsylvania through a lens of diversity, equity and inclusion to:

Build & foster inclusive environments that encourage all to participate and feel safe and seen

Co-create and collaborate amongst stakeholders of the running community to better support marginalized and underrepresented communities in the sport of running
Shape the future of running into a more inclusive, thoughtful, equitable sport

Values

Movement | Equity | Integrity | Collaboration | Action

Objectives

Foster a collaborative community of allies committed to equity and inclusion among local running clubs.
To learn and implement best practices of inclusive engagement and support via pooling of resources, trainings and authentic conversations.
To work collaboratively to provide leadership, accountability, structure and direction to the running community of Western PA to create sustained permanent social change.
Develop, apply & advocate for diverse, equitable and inclusive approaches in the running community.
Applying and championing these approaches in the spaces we create and the communities we are a part of.

Cycling Club

We host a group rides with various distances and speeds. Pick the best fit for you then stick around after for some climbing. Weekly rides can be generated from anyone in our cycling community. Simply make a post on our ASCEND Cycling Club Strava/Discord groups with where you’ll start from, how far you’ll go and what your expected pace will be. 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?

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!

Pittsburgh

Club Captains: Michael Glatz

To keep up with reminders, last-minute changes and updates, please join:

Discord | Strava | Facebook | Instagram

Erie

Club Captains: Steve Steffy

To keep up with reminders, last-minute changes and updates, please join:

Discord | Strava