2022 Mentorship Program

Guiding as a career is full of hurdles; a large financial and time commitment, as well as the experience and skill to qualify for rigorous training programs.  We established the SMM mentorship program to address, and counter, this disparity in our industry.

The program aims to provide an opportunity to explore what it means to be a guide in a supportive and encouraging environment. To create a space where you can shadow current instructors while having the opportunity to ask questions about the realities of becoming and being a guide. It is open to women (trans, cis) and non-binary climbers who feel comfortable in a space that centers women.

There are ten spots for new applicants for the 2022 season. If you are interested in becoming a guide or instructor but are unsure about the initial financial investment, this is a great opportunity for you!

You must have availability to attend mentee training March 5th at Smith Rock State Park OR arrange an alternative training with Katie. 

Basic requirements are weekend availability (2-6) at Smith Rock State Park, Joshua Tree, or Moab from March to November, including a day of training at the beginning of the season. Ideally, candidates will feel comfortable leading sport at the 5.9 grade and above and have been introduced to the basics of traditional climbing.  Most importantly, we want to use our resources and platform to help diversify the climbing community and reach underrepresented and marginalized groups, so if this mission speaks to you, we want to hear more!

The application deadline is February 15th and participants will be notified by March 1st. 

Nazanin Ghoddousi

She/Her

Portland, Or

The SMM mentorship helped me heal my relationship with climbing. Around 2016 I became discouraged and uncomfortable at the level of gatekeeping and elitism, especially in leadership roles. I personally experienced many encounters fuled by xenophobia and misogny that I could not simply ignore and I wasn’t sure if climbing was something I wanted to be part of. 

This program became one of the few spaces that I felt like I could show up as my authentic self and heal my personal relationship with a sport that had given me so much. The approach that SMM promotes is one that values the mentor/mentee relationship-not as a hierarchical structure but a reciprocal one. In this space I gained valuable insight about what guiding would like for me personally and if it was a manageable goal- financially and emotionally. More importantly, this experience reminded me of the confidence I once had with my skills and experience in rock climbing. I was able to come out of the mentorship owning my leadership skills and breaking ties with the imposter syndrome that so many of us deal with. I will be pursuing my SPI certification this year and gaining experience mentoring others as a certified SPI. The SMM mentorship allowed me to grow as a climber because the environment they create promotes a positive learning experience. If you want to surround yourself with like-minded individuals that share a common goal of diversifying a sport that has historically excluded many, this is the space for you.  In my opinion, one of SMM’s strongest traits is owning their imperfections. They are less concerned with being perfect, and more concerned with taking feedback constructively and catering to your individual needs as a mentee. I met so many awesome humans that have become life long friends. I am looking forward to supporting each other in our individual pursuits of guiding and leadership.  

Kat Grandel

She/Her

Portland, Oregon

“It started with a free clinic jointly hosted by She Moves Mountains + PDX Climbers of Color that was filled by women of color that want to be outside. They understood my fears, my background, my goals without any explanation, because I was climbing in a group of similar peers - a first in my life. All these women crushing their goals in and out of climbing while I was only starting to find the relief needed to focus on just climbing. The relief washed over me, and one by one their magic shifted my outlook on the outdoors.  I would lying if I said I wasn’t apprehensive about applying to the mentorship program with She Moves Mountains last year. Am I good enough? Am I strong enough? Do I know enough about climbing? But after a year as a mentee, I’m happy those thoughts did not hold me back. We all start somewhere, and mentorship is about growing. 

She Moves Mountains fosters an environment where I am valued for what I bring to the table, and not what I lack. They see me, nourish my spirit and gently encourage me to try again.   Climbing is a tool, and in the right hands it can bring a whole community together. Clinic after clinic, women were pushing themselves emotionally and physically - inspiring me, teaching me. Through their fear, learning, and ambitions - I felt my own confidence, leadership, and ability growing.   If you are on the fence, I want to gently encourage you to go for it. It might very well change your life like it has mine.”