What’s the Beta on Queer Beta?



After the rock climbing industry took a hit as the result of the pandemic, with an estimated national decline in revenue by 28 percent in 2020, rock climbing communities around the country have once again gotten ahold of their holds—and invited others to join in too. 

“The majority of climbers are very inclusive in life and try their best to make climbing comfortable for everyone, but I mean, climbing did start as this white-man sport,” says Benji Salinas, co-founder of Queer Beta—an LGBTQ+ climbing group in the Twin Cities. “Things are shifting now. I would say within the last 10 years, there has been a lot of good work to address that.”

It’s nice to have a space where we can just go to, and you don’t even have to say anything, and people already know. 

–Benji Salinas, founder of Queer Beta

Queer Beta, started in 2019 by Salinas and Cristina Montoya, had only just launched group meet-ups when you-know-what closed down all Vertical Endeavors locations. As the pandemic progressed—mask mandates shifted and vaccines became available—Queer Beta tried organizing outdoor meet-ups, but it was tough to keep spirits high. Throw in changing group dynamics—new jobs, new members, big moves—and it was hard to keep the group going at Vertical Endeavors-Twin Cities Bouldering, Vertical Endeavors-Minneapolis, and the Minneapolis Bouldering Project. 

That all changed this past summer, when Queer Beta was determined to start anew. They partnered with the Minneapolis Bouldering Project and the Minnesota Climbing Cooperative to offer more regular meet-ups for queer climbers. And this October, the group launched even more monthly meet ups at Vertical Endeavors-Bloomington. Their goal is to ensure all climbers, no matter their identity, feel accepted and included.

“There’s so many unsaid things that we don’t have to worry about,” says Salinas, who has been climbing for about five years. “Everyone’s going to be good about pronouns. You know, I get misgendered a lot, just going around the gym. And it’s like, it’s all fine. It’s not a problem because I can just be like, ‘Oh, I use they/them pronouns,’ and it’s never a problem. But it’s nice to have a space where we can just go to, and you don’t even have to say anything, and people already know.” 

Climbers of all ages and experience levels are invited to join Queer Beta. “Just naturally we’re all supporting and helping when people want help, and letting people play around and discover,” Salina says. “No matter what you’re climbing or where you’re at—we’ve had people show up and just hang out and not even climb, and it’s still a great time, you know?” 


Check out Queer Beta on Instagram at @queerbeta and on Facebook at facebook.com/queerbeta. For more information about joining Queer Beta, visit verticalendeavors.com/events. 


Looking to join the climbing community with the support of people from underrepresented groups? Check out these local climbing groups: 





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