Mountain Voices: Creating Our Own Mountain Culture

So excited to have a story I wrote published in this new book, Mountain Voices!

Mountain Voices is about a century of change in the mountains of Western Canada through photography and stories.

My story talks about how I found my own way to approach mountaineering as queer/trans person who does not fit into the dominant hypermasculine culture in the outdoor industry.

Me and others (including many men!) prefer a more caring, emotionally safe space where you can be yourself and no one is left behind. This is often not what you find in a random outdoors meetup or guided groups, where getting to the top is prioritized over all else.

I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive. I think you can still accomplish amazing things, even while everyone feels physically and emotionally safe.

My experience of leading a trip up Mt Shuksan via Fischer Chimneys is one of the experiences I drew from when I wrote my story for Mountain Voices. (And I’ve written quite a lot more about gender and climbing/adventuring, if this resonates!)