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Climbing

"Before this weekend, I never thought about participating in outdoor rock climbing. After my injury I always worried about hurting myself worse, so having a team of people who understand that and still accommodated me all the way from start to finish. You allowed me to accomplish something I really didn’t think was possible for myself. "This event got me out of my house and into the world even if only for weekend it meant the world to me and my family. "Thank you for everything this weekend, and thank you for helping instill that confidence I was searching for." -First time participant What an incredible weekend at our annual 9/11 Memorial Climb with veterans with service-related disabilities. Several veterans with service-related disabilities climbed outdoors for the first time, and everyone made it to the top of the wall multiple times! And the connection continued after the climbing ended—with dinner together, conversations around the campfire, and some well-earned time in the cold plunge and hot tub. Thank you to Move United and Muir Valley for their continued support of this event! Huge shout out to @andreawoodphotographer for always capturing such amazing photos!

Registration is open! Join us December 5–6 in Raleigh, NC for the 5th Annual Southeast Paraclimbing Competition & Training Camp. This two-day event is a chance to compete, build your skills, and connect with the adaptive climbing community in a fun, supportive environment. 📍 Raleigh, NC 📅 December 5–6, 2026 Register today at the link in our bio or visit our special events page at CatalystSports.org!

Spots are still available for our annual Veterans 9/11 Memorial Climb! Join us September 11–13 at Red River Gorge, KY for a weekend of outdoor climbing, community, and challenge with fellow veterans with physical disabilities. 🧗 Climbing gear provided 🏡 Accessible lodging included 🍽️ All meals provided 🙌 No prior climbing experience required Come be part of one of the longest-running Catalyst Sports' traditions! 👉 Register today at the link in our bio! Or visit www.CatalystSports.org/special-events #moveunitedwarfighter #adaptivesports

Adaptive youth programs are coming to Atlanta this summer! ☀️ Catalyst Sports is offering two FREE 4-week Saturday programs for youth ages 6–18 with physical disabilities. Participants will have the opportunity to build their cycling and climbing skills with all adaptive equipment provided and trained volunteers supporting them every step of the way. 🧗 Youth Climbing Program August 8, 15, 22, 29 10:00 AM–12:00 PM Central Rock Gym - Atlanta (@crg.atlanta) 🚲 Youth Cycling Program July 11, 18, 25, August 1 10:00 AM–12:00 PM 4342 Floyd Rd, Mableton, GA Find more details and register below: www.catalystsports.org/atlanta Questions? Contact macey@catalystsports.org

Every athlete deserves the freedom to choose their own path. Climbing. Cycling. Hiking. Paddling. Skiing. A recurring monthly gift helps keep adaptive sports opportunities growing across Catalyst Sports chapters. 🔗 Link in bio #CatalystSports #AdaptiveSports #Accessibility #OutdoorAdventure

Every parent deserves the opportunity to see their child reach new heights. These photos were taken at one of our first adaptive climbing clinics in 2013, and they still bring tears to our eyes. The pride on this parent’s face. The confidence on this athlete’s face. The moment they realized what was possible. That’s what Catalyst Sports is all about. Become a Catalyst Champion and help more athletes and families experience moments like these through adaptive sports. Link in bio.

We’re looking for volunteers! Catalyst Sports Atlanta is growing, and we’re looking for volunteers to help keep adaptive adventure accessible across our local programs. We currently need volunteers for: 🚴 Adaptive Cycling 🚵 Adaptive Mountain Biking 🛶 Adaptive Kayaking 🧗 Adaptive Climbing You do not need to be an expert athlete to get involved. We’re looking for people who are dependable, encouraging, and excited to help create inclusive outdoor experiences for people with physical disabilities. Volunteers help with everything from program setup and gear support to athlete assistance, encouragement, and creating a welcoming community at each event. If you love the outdoors, believe adventure should be accessible to everyone, and want to be part of a fun, mission-driven team, we’d love to have you join us. 👉 Interested in volunteering with the Atlanta chapter? Email macey@catalystsports.org or visit catalystsports.org/volunteer! Help us spread the word — tag someone who would make a great Catalyst Sports volunteer!

Rock L8 Outdoor Climb with the Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition 🧗‍♀️ Catalyst Sports (@catalyst_sports_louisville)and the @rrgcc are teaming to bring you a FREE outdoor climbing day at the Red River Gorge designed for adaptive climbers! 🙌 👇 Here's what you need to know: 📅 When: Saturday, June 13th, 10am-4pm. 📍 Where: The beautiful Red River Gorge, Kentucky! 🚐 Transportation from Louisville and Lexington will be provided by the @redrivergorgeshuttle – more details in the signup form! 🔗 Pre-register to participate and volunteer with the link in our bio!

Our Catalyst Sports Climbing Team showed up in a big way at the Paraclimbing World Cup in Salt Lake City this past month. 💥 We’re incredibly proud of how this team represented Catalyst Sports both on and off the wall. Here’s how our athletes finished: 🥈 Brayden Butler — 2nd, Men’s RP2 🥉 Ian Gleason — 3rd, Men’s RP3 • Gina Applebee — T-4th, Women’s B1 • Hannah Zook — 4th, Women’s RP1 • Jackie Stewart — 5th, Women’s RP1 • Natalie Sullivan — 8th, Women’s RP1 • Connor King — 16th, Men’s RP1 Big shoutout to @worldclimbingpara for hosting such an amazing event we can't wait for the next one! Photo Credits: @calebtimmermanphoto

Thanks to Misty Mountain, our Challenge for Access comes with a little extra motivation this year… 👀 Everyone who registers for Challenge for Access Atlanta and DC will be entered into a drawing for a free harness gift certificate from Misty Mountain! Challenge for Access is a one-day climbing and fundraising challenge supporting adaptive sports and outdoor adventure for people with physical disabilities. Form a team or climb solo Choose your goal: 5, 10, 20, or 50 routes in 3 hours Raise support + climb for access 📍 Atlanta – June 6 @ @crg.atlanta 📍 DC – June 28 @sportrock Alexandria Adventure belongs to everyone. Come be part of it! Register at the links in our bio!

What an INCREDIBLE Labor Day weekend! 🚵‍♂️🔥 For the fifth year in a row, Catalyst Sports joined Ride Kanuga’s End of Summer Jam to bring adaptive mountain biking to the weekend. This year’s adaptive race followed an Enduro format, giving our riders experience that helps prepare them to compete in officially sanctioned races. We had a fantastic turnout, more race categories than ever before, and plenty of unforgettable moments. (We’re just going to pretend the heat wasn’t one of them. 😅) One of our adaptive riders, a quadriplegic, had only ever spent about 20 minutes on a bike during a previous demo with us. This weekend, he not only took on the skills clinic and CRUSHED IT—he also rode the race course! That’s what this is all about: creating access so people with physical disabilities can experience the thrill, freedom, and community of adventure. Weekends like this don’t happen without an incredible community behind them. A huge thank you to: - @ride_kanuga - @pisgahareasorba - @grumpysbikeshop - @fox factory - @cognativemtb - @team.mb.adventures We’re also grateful to @amptbiking for making the trip down from Kentucky to support the race. We really are better together. Anyone else already counting down to next year? 🙌

Who else is ready for the 5th annual End of Summer Jam?! Adaptive riders of all experience levels are invited to join Catalyst Sports at Ride Kanuga from September 4–7 for a weekend of skills, trail rides, racing, and community—and volunteers are still needed to help make it all possible. 🎟️ General admission: $40 📆 September 4-7 📍 Ride Kanuga, Hendersonville, NC Come ride, support, and celebrate the adaptive mountain biking community with us! Learn more and register: www.CatalystSports.org/2026-end-of-summer-jam or at the link in our bio! #CatalystSports #EndOfSummerJam #AdaptiveMountainBiking #AdaptiveSports #Volunteer #RideKanuga

What an amazing day of fly fishing in the Smokies! There’s nothing quite like spending time outdoors, learning something new, and building community along the river. We’re so thankful to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and everyone who helped make this adaptive fly fishing program possible this summer. Thank you to all the partners, sponsors, and volunteers who helped make this day possible. Huge thank you to @greatsmokynps, @smokiesfriends, @troutunlimited, and Knox County for supporting adaptive recreation and creating opportunities for athletes of all abilities to get outdoors. We’re also incredibly grateful for the volunteers from @littleriveroutfitters, @troutzoneanglers and the local community who shared their time, equipment, and expertise with participants throughout the day. Your support helped make this experience so special. And this is just the beginning! Adaptive programs in the Park continue through October with opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, camping and more. We’d love to have you join us for an upcoming adventure. 🔗 Check out upcoming events and sign up through the link in bio!

What made The Alabama Potluck so special was the people. Adaptive athletes, volunteers, guides, families, and friends from across the Southeast came together to share time outdoors, build skills, and create real connection. It was a reminder of what is possible when people with physical disabilities are empowered to accomplish what was previously out of reach. "My life would not be the same if I did not have Catalyst". Check out the full video in our Bio! Huge thank you to Climb Beyond the Barrier, all of our sponsors, and especially Hanger Foundation for helping make weekends like this possible. Sponsors : @wheelable_wilderness @hangerfoundation @climbing4change @fiddleheadnc @climbbeyondthebarrier @centralrockgym & Friends of Charles Wilgus! #AdaptiveClimbing #InclusiveOutdoors #CatalystSports #ClimbBeyondTheBarrier #TheAlabamaPotluck #AdaptiveSports #OutdoorCommunity

⛷️ Registration opens THIS Sunday, November 1! Join us January 25–28, 2027, at @beechmtn in North Carolina for the 45th Annual Adaptive Learn to Ski/Snowboard Event! This event welcomes individuals ages 5 to 70+ with a wide range of physical disabilities and diagnoses, including spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, cerebral palsy, limb differences and amputations, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy, visual impairments, and more. Participants will receive instruction tailored to your abilities, goals, and experience level. We also welcome veterans and active-duty military and encourage family participation! 📅 January 25–28, 2027 📍 Beech Mountain Resort, North Carolina 📝 Registration opens November 1 — spots fill quickly! Set a reminder and register at the link in our bio, or head to: www.catalystsports.org/adaptiveskiweek Interested in sponsorship? Reach out to frankie@catalystsports.org!

Anyone else ride a bike from Atlanta to Alabama? Our veterans did! What an incredible VetsCycle Alabama Adventure! Over three days, our veterans and volunteers tackled 148 miles along the Silver Comet and Chief Ladiga Trails—building friendships, encouraging one another, and proving the power of resilience and community with every mile. That's what VetsCycle is all about! This is wThank you to the Marcus Foundation for making this adventure possible! 💙 Ride On! #CatalystSports #VetsCycle #Veterans #AdaptiveSports #RideOn #StrongerTogether #themarcusfoundation

Join Catalyst Sports, @lakeshorefoundation , and @bump_mtb_official for Shred-A-Muk: a weekend of adaptive mountain biking, skill-building, and community at Tannehill in McCalla, AL. 📅 September 26–27 📍 McCalla, Alabama 🚵 Beginner through advanced rides 🙌 Volunteers needed to help make the weekend possible ⛺ Free camping available 💥 Event is free, excluding park entry Whether you’re brand new to adaptive mountain biking, ready to tackle more technical trails, or want to volunteer alongside an incredible community, we’d love to have you join us. Come ready to learn, ride, support, and shred! Learn more and register at the link in our bio!

What a year it has already been in Great Smoky Mountains National Park! 🏔️ So far in 2026, people with disabilities have had the chance to experience the Smokies through adaptive fly fishing at Tremont, a magical night hike on Little River Trail, and an adaptive hike along the Oconaluftee River Trail. Each program has created opportunities for adventure in one of the most beautiful places in the country. A huge thank you to our incredible partners who help make these experiences possible, including @greatsmokynps, @smokiesfriends, Knox County, @troutunlimited, the amazing National Park Service rangers, and every volunteer, participant, and supporter who showed up with joy and encouragement. We are so grateful to continue helping make the outdoors more accessible for people with disabilities. More Smoky Mountain adventures are still to come! To learn more about these programs or register as a participant or volunteer, visit www.catalystsports.org/gsmnp-programs

It started with a climb ⛰️ In 2012, a team of Veterans summited the Grand Teton together and sparked what would become Catalyst Sports. Today, that movement creates adaptive sports experiences rooted in: 🔹Access 🔹Community 🔹Adventure 🔹Inclusion Monthly gifts of $10, $25, or $50 help create opportunities for athletes across our programs. Even small recurring gifts help create lasting impact. 🔗 Link in bio #CatalystSports #AdaptiveSports #Accessibility #OutdoorAdventure #MonthlyGiving

We are still looking for both volunteers and adaptive athletes to join us for our next @greatsmokynps program: adaptive mountain biking on the Deep Creek Trail on Saturday, July 11! Experience a scenic off-road ride along Deep Creek, rolling past waterfalls, crossing bridges, and exploring a winding gravel trail led by a Park Ranger. Along the way, riders will learn about the ecology, history, and beauty of this incredible watershed. This adventure is made possible by volunteers! Learn more and register as an athlete or volunteer: www.catalystsports.org/gsmnp-programs #AdaptiveMountainBiking #AdaptiveSports #CatalystSports #GreatSmokyMountains #GSMNP #DeepCreek #BrysonCityNC #OutdoorAdventure #AccessibleOutdoors #AdaptiveCycling #VolunteerOpportunity #InclusiveRecreation #SmokyMountains #MountainBiking #AdventureForAll

Our Adventure Without Limits Kayaking weekend was one of those moments that reminded us of the impact we can have when organizations and communities with similar missions work together. 🤝🤝 Huge shout out to @alamountainsriversvalleys_rcd, Yellow Hammer, @alstateparks, the crew on safety boats and our amazing volunteers. We mean it when we say this weekend was what it was because of your support. So, what made it so special? From adaptive kayaking and birdwatching to fishing, camping, storytelling, and evenings spent together, our weekend adventure at Lake Guntersville was all about trying new things, enjoying the outdoors and building community! And that's what it's all about—creating opportunities for people of all abilities to experience adventure together.

Here's a little glimpse into our second Overnight Backcountry Camping trip at the @greatsmokynps on September 26-27! It was sunny and warm for our hike into the campsite and cooled down at night - optimal camping weather! We enjoyed a beautiful hike along the creek, learning about the plants, animals, and history of the park from Ranger Katie. Once we got to camp, we enjoyed eating dinner around the campfire, making s'mores, and reading ghost stories. It was wonderful catching up with old friends and making new ones! Huge thanks to our volunteers and partners who made this event possible- @smokiesfriends, Knox County, and @rei.

ENDS TONIGHT - This is your last chance to shop limited edition Catalyst apparel. Once it's over, it's gone! (Like, forever) 40% of every sale goes back to support our mission and the adaptive climbing, biking, and paddling opportunities we get to create. If you’ve been meaning to grab one, now’s the time. Shop the sale: https://illuminecollect.com/collections/catalyst-sports Ends Monday June 8th.

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ENDS TONIGHT - This is your last chance to shop limited edition Catalyst apparel.