Recently I was contacted by McKenzi Taylor of Rock Climbing Women about the possibility of advertising her new website on Cragmama.  I’m pretty selective about what/whose graphics I place up on my sidebar – nothing’s more annoying to me than having to scroll through endless ads when I’m reading a blog post.  That being said, her topic (rock climbing + women), certainly seemed to fit my niche, so I did a little more digging.  After hearing McKenzi’s story, I realized she definitely had an idea that I could get behind so…..tada!  If you look on the sidebar to the right you’ll notice a shiny new graphic that will take you to Rock Climbing Women!  Here’s a little of her story – what her website is about, what inspired her to create it, and how you can get involved…

McKenzi hittin’ up The Bong at Joshua Tree, CA

 About McKenzi: “I got my first taste of climbing with a friend in Spearfish Canyon, SD…5 years later got a consistent partner and have been climbing ever since, even going so far as to move to a climbing destination – Red Rock Canyon!  I started out all trad, all the way – with trad there is always an adventure to be had!  But long moderate routes weren’t always a realistic option depending on schedules and partners, so I’ve become a lot more open to sport climbing and bouldering as well.  I now spend time just getting out when I can, no matter what style of climbing it is!”

About Rock Climbing Women (RCW):  “I got the idea to start RCW primarily as a desire to branch out and find other female climbing partners.  I wanted to be inspired by women that were climbing at a similar grade as me…all I was seeing were ladies climbing 5.12’s and I just got discouraged.  I formed the site to really open up a new avenue for women to be able to share their stories about climbing and feel empowered to get out there, no matter their age or their skill.  I want it to be a safe place to ask questions and share beta about favorite routes, destinations, etc – basically just a community website that anyone can post on and get information from!  Eventually I would love to host climbing trips for women as well…”

About Getting Involved:  “Right now we are actively looking for contributors – on anything from gear reviews, destinations, personal stories, and forum threads.  Upcoming articles will include topics such as climbing terminology, climbing as a family activity, as well as a women who started climbing in her 50’s!  The site has endless possibilities and is really reader-based – so input from the female climbing community is greatly encouraged.  If you or someone you know is interested in contributing to RCW in any capacity, please get in touch via our facebook page or through email: mckenzi.taylor@gmail.com.”

Rock Climbing Women is definitely a site on the “watch” list for 2014.  The community is small but growing, and has the potential to be a great resource for female climbers once the word gets out.  Head over there sometime soon to check it out!