CLINICS AND EVENTS
Every month Sportrock hosts a variety of clinics and events. Clinics can be a fun way to meet fellow climbing enthusiasts, cross-train, or further develop your skills.
Events
Headlamp Climbing!
Headlamp climbing is back and this year we’re getting tie-dyed!
Join us on Friday, October 28th, at 8pm in Alexandria and 7pm in Sterling for our annual Halloween event where we turn out the lights and climb by headlamps and blacklights only!
On Tuesday, October 25th from 4pm-10pm, we also invite you to come tie-dye shirts with UV paint at either our Sterling or our Alexandria location!
Headlamp climbing is a blast every year so grab your fangs, broom sticks, and cauldrons! This year’s night of fun will include a spooky scavenger hunt, prizes, pumpkin carving, and more!
Clinics
Sensory Climbing
On the first Sunday of every month from 8 am to 9 am we are open for sensory-friendly climbing with no overhead lights (natural light only), small group sizes, no music, and encouraging and experienced instructors.
Sensory-friendly climbing is open to kids living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. Our sensory-friendly climbing empowers individuals living with autism by teaching goal setting, pushing through fear, and the value of hard work, all while having fun!
American Alpine Club
Sportrock is proud to partner with the American Alpine Club to offer a series of educational clinics designed to get recreational climbers up to speed on best practices and the newest techniques.
Rappelling is one of the most dangerous parts of climbing. Join this 2 hour clinic to learn how to extend and back up your rappel, as well as best practices for single and double rope rappels. The clinic is free for Sportrock and AAC members, or $30 (including a Day Pass to stay and climb after the clinic). AAC members who wish to stay and climb after the event may purchase a day pass for half-price.
Up ENDing Parkinson's
Rock climbing is an amazing activity for those living with Parkinson’s Disease. While there is no sure way to cure this neurodegenerative disease, exercise unquestionably helps slow the process. Not only does climbing inherently force you to work at a high level, but it also challenges participants greatly with varied movements and repetitive movements, balance and stability, big dynamic movements and small controlled movements as well as flexibility. Perhaps most importantly though, are the cognitive skills acquired through climbing and neuroplasticity changes that can occur. Would you like to get your aerobic, strength, balance, agility and stretching exercises accomplished in one activity? Then join us for one or more of our free climbing hours at Sportrock. Please contact Molly for additional information as well as information about doing private instruction.
Sterling Location: Tuesdays at 10am
Alexandria Location: Wednesdays at 7:30am and Thursdays at 9am/11am(alternating weeks)
Contact: molly@sportrock.com
Girl Beta
Every month the Sportrock hosts Girl Beta, a 90-minute event just for women, to connect and climb together!
Girl Beta is free for Sportrock members and only $10 for non-members.
Come meet other female identifying climbers, talk beta, crush routes, or just hang out at Sportrock’s Girl Beta clinic! Make sure to also join the Girl Beta Facebook group for photos and more details about the monthly event.
Sign-up is recommended, but not required. Find more info here.
Catalyst Sports
Sportrock is proud to partner with Catalyst Sports to teach an adaptive rock climbing clinic for people of any age living with a physical disability. Please note, this is not a program for people with intellectual, sensory, and/or behavioral challenges. They would be better suited for our Sensory Climbing event.
If you have any additional questions or are interested in becoming a volunteer please contact Andrew Hogan at greaterdc@teamcatalyst.org
New Member Clinic
We want to give a warm welcome to our new members, whether it’s their first time climbing or picking it back up again. It’s important that every member feels they have a place in the community regardless of skill level.
We invite new members to join a fun night of climbing, getting to know the ins and outs of Sportrock, all while connecting with fellow climbers and instructors.
New Member Clinics are free to attend and are held monthly. Go to our booking page here to sign up for our next clinic.