There's something beautifully poetic about climbing mountains when you're already used to climbing other kinds of barriers. The gay mountaineering and climbing community has been reaching new heights, literally and figuratively, for decades, creating spaces where LGBTQ+ adventurers can be fully themselves while conquering peaks, scaling rock faces, and finding chosen family along the way.
And honestly? The parallels to our favorite MM adventure romance books are uncanny. The trust, the vulnerability, the life-or-death reliance on your climbing partner, it's basically forced proximity with harnesses and carabiners.
A History Written in Altitude
Let's start with some climbing history that doesn't get taught in mountaineering 101. The Gay Outdoor Club (GOC), founded in 1974 in the United Kingdom, is the oldest and largest outdoors club in the UK for the LGBTQI+ community. Picture this: founder Reg Connolly advertising through the Campaign for Homosexual Equality (because how else do you find queer climbers in 1974?) and organizing about eight brave souls for a weekend in Snowdonia on July 12-14, 1974.
That small group of eight has grown exponentially. By 1984, the GOC boasted approximately 450 members with around 20 regional groups scattered across England, Scotland, and Wales, plus dedicated activity groups for swimming, cycling, and waterways. Today, it continues to thrive as a testament to what happens when queer people carve out space in traditionally straight-dominated outdoor pursuits.
Even further back, notable LGBTQ+ figures shaped mountaineering culture in ways we're only now beginning to acknowledge. Geoffrey Winthrop Young, born in 1876, was a bisexual mountaineer who founded the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) and served as president of the Alpine Club. Of course, during his lifetime, being openly bi wasn't exactly an option, but his legacy stands tall in the climbing world regardless.
Why LGBTQ+ Climbing Communities Matter
You might wonder: why do we need specifically queer climbing groups? Can't we all just… climb together?
Well, sure. But here's the thing: there's a unique magic that happens when you don't have to edit yourself. When you can talk about your partner without switching pronouns. When you can be unabashedly yourself while belaying someone on a cliff face. When you know that the person holding your rope isn't going to make things weird when they find out you're gay.
Professional climber Thomas Bukowski spent a decade climbing in Yosemite Valley: one of the world's most iconic climbing destinations: without meeting another gay climber. A whole decade. Eventually, he sought out queer meetups in climbing gyms and later helped establish dedicated queer climbing courses. His story isn't unique; it's unfortunately common.
The Devon LGBTQ & friends CC emerged from exactly this kind of grassroots need. When someone created a Facebook group for queer climbers in Devon, over 30 people expressed interest within a week. Many participants reported that these LGBTQ+ climbing environments made the sport accessible in ways it hadn't been before: some saying they wouldn't have attempted climbing at all without such inclusive spaces.
This is about more than just feeling comfortable. It's about mentorship, representation, and building community at the same level of passion for the sport. It's about creating the conditions where queer climbers can thrive, not just survive.
Modern Peaks and New Horizons
Today's gay climbing community is more visible and vibrant than ever. Organizations like "Out in the Wild," a queer climbing community and guiding service in Bend, Oregon, provide both social connection and professional mentorship. Climber Jordan Cannon found guidance and community through this organization, illustrating how these groups serve as both social networks and skill-building platforms.
The BMC now has an Equity LGBTQ subgroup specifically working to encourage greater participation of LGBTQ+ people in the outdoors. What started with eight people in Snowdonia has blossomed into a movement with institutional support and recognition.
Social media has amplified these communities exponentially. Queer climbers are connecting across continents, sharing beta (climbing route information), organizing meetups, and creating visibility that would have been impossible even a decade ago. Instagram is full of rainbow chalk bags and pride flags planted on summits. TikTok features queer climbing couples documenting their adventures. The community is thriving in digital and physical spaces alike.
The Adventure Romance Connection
If you're a fan of MM adventure romance: and let's be real, if you're reading this on Read with Pride, you probably are: the climbing community offers endless inspiration for your next favorite read.
Think about it: two men roped together, literally trusting each other with their lives. The isolation of being miles from civilization. The adrenaline, the danger, the moments of quiet beauty at sunrise on a mountain ledge. The forced vulnerability when you're exhausted, scared, and utterly dependent on your climbing partner. That's romance gold.
Adventure MM romance captures this intensity beautifully: the slow burn of trust building between characters as they navigate treacherous terrain together, the enemies-to-lovers arc between rival climbers competing for the same summit, the found family dynamics of a climbing crew. These stories resonate because they're grounded in real emotions and experiences that actual queer climbers live every day.
The best MM romance books understand that adventure isn't just a backdrop: it's a catalyst for character development and relationship growth. When your protagonists are scaling a cliff face or trekking through a mountain range, every interaction matters. Every moment of connection is earned. Every touch has weight.
Finding Your Tribe (On and Off the Mountain)
Whether you're an experienced climber looking for queer community or someone who's never touched a rope but loves reading about adventure, there's space for you in this world.
For actual climbers, seek out local LGBTQ+ climbing groups or check if your nearest gym hosts queer climbing nights. The community is welcoming, supportive, and always looking for new members. You don't need to be an expert: just willing to try.
For those of us who prefer our adventures between the pages of a book (no judgment here: I get altitude sickness just thinking about Everest), the gay romance and MM adventure fiction genres offer endless mountains to climb from the comfort of your couch. Stories featuring climbers, mountaineers, wilderness guides, and outdoor adventurers capture that same spirit of courage, trust, and chosen family.
Reaching New Heights Together
The gay mountaineering community teaches us something essential: we're stronger together, especially when the climb gets steep. Whether that's a literal mountain or the metaphorical peaks we all face in life, having a community that sees you, supports you, and celebrates your achievements makes all the difference.
From those first eight climbers in Snowdonia to the thousands of LGBTQ+ adventurers now scaling peaks worldwide, this community has built something remarkable. They've created spaces where being gay and loving the outdoors aren't separate parts of identity: they're beautifully integrated aspects of who we are.
And for those of us who live these adventures vicariously through fiction? We get to experience that same sense of triumph, connection, and possibility through the MM romance books and gay fiction that celebrate queer adventurers in all their glory.
So whether you're planning your next climb or your next read, remember: the view is always better when you reach it authentically, surrounded by people who get it.
Find your next adventure in MM romance at ReadwithPride.com where stories of courage, love, and adventure await.
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