What was the Red Rock Rendezvous?
The Red Rock Rendezvous was a legendary climbing gathering held in Red Rock Canyon, Nevada, between 2003 and 2018. The event was primarily sponsored by Mountain Gear, an online retailer, and the American Alpine Institute.
It started as a meetup of climbers, climbing athletes, climbing brands, influencers and guides drawn to Red Rock’s long routes, sport climbing, bouldering, and anything-goes desert vibe. Over time it evolved into a multi-day scene featuring climbing, skills sharing, slide shows, gear demos, bands, dance parties, competitions, and educational seminars. If you were a rock climber, it was the place to be every spring.
In addition to this, the event had a conservational vibe. It raised money for the American Alpine Club, the Access Fund and the local climbing organization, the Southern Nevada Climbers Coalition (then called the Las Vegas Climbers Liaison Council). There were a number of clinics and booths that focused on the mitigation of human waste, bolting, social trails, litter, crowding and other climbing impacts.
The Rendezvous helped put Red Rock on the national climbing map and played a role in shaping the area’s access and community culture. It also embodied a moment in climbing history when events were run by climbers, for climbers—it was a place for the tribe to meet, party, learn and rub elbows with some of the biggest names in climbing culture.
In short, Red Rock Rendezvous was part festival, part town hall, and part dirtbag summit—it was a formative chapter in American climbing culture. And yes, it was exactly as rowdy, fun and educational as you can imagine.
What was Mountain Gear?
Mountain Gear was a privately held outdoor equipment and apparel retailer based in Spokane, Washington. Founded in 1983 by Paul Fish and Karn Nielsen, the company began as a manufacturer of handmade backpacks before shifting its focus to retail. As the business grew, Mountain Gear launched a nationwide mail-order catalog in 1993 and transitioned to online retail in 1995, becoming an early adopter of e-commerce.
What truly set Mountain Gear apart were its beautifully produced catalogs, filled with real photos from the mountains. They never used models—only climbers, skiers, backpackers, and hikers doing the real thing. Each catalog felt like a small work of art, and many of us eagerly awaited the next issue.
Despite these efforts, the economics of independent specialty retail continued to tighten. In 2019, Mountain Gear announced it would close, shutting down its in-person stores after the holiday season and selling remaining inventory online through 2020. Owner Paul Fish noted that while the Spokane store could break even, competing with massive online platforms ultimately proved unsustainable.
Mountain Gear sold equipment and apparel from leading brands including The North Face, Arc’teryx, Mountain Hardwear, Marmot, Black Diamond Equipment, Petzl, and Keen. At its peak, the company was deeply embedded in the U.S. mountaineering community—estimating that in 2012, 82% of Americans who climbed Mount Everest and 90% of Americans who climbed K2 had been customers.
How were Mountain Gear and the Red Rock Rendezvous related?
Paul Fish, the owner and one of the founders of Mountain Gear, knew his audience. He knew that if he built a climbing festival that it would work. He knew that “if you build it, they will come…”
Paul worked with Red Rock Canyon and the Spring Mountain State Park on the periphery of the Conservation Area to have both a festival area and an instructional area. He brought in brands that in turn brought in their professional athletes to staff the event.
The staff at Mountain Gear set up a massive festival ground at the outdoor theatre space in the state park, and opened up the fields adjacent to the Park for camping.
Paul built it, and indeed, they did come. That first year, there were hundreds of participants. And by the time the festival sunset, nearly a thousand people attended each Red Rock Rendezvous.
How did American Alpine Institute get involved?
In the early 2000s, AAI’s current director, Jason Martin, was working as the lead AAI guide in Red Rock Canyon while also freelancing as a writer. Climbing magazine assigned him to cover the Red Rock Rendezvous in its second year. During an interview with Paul Fish, Paul mentioned the need for a professional guide service to help support the growing event.
By 2005, Jason was serving as the technical director of the Red Rock Rendezvous and brought in the American Alpine Institute as the event’s primary guide service. AAI guides taught or co-taught dozens of clinics, alongside many others led by elite athletes such as Conrad Anker, Hans Florine, Beth Rodden, Emily Harrington, Kevin Jorgeson, Cedar Wright, Peter Croft, and Colin Haley.
During the event, AAI also worked closely with Mountain Gear, the Bureau of Land Management and the Southern Nevada Climbers Coalition to complete service projects. Red Rock Rendezvous participants helped clean-up litter, build fences and trails, and fix damaged parking areas. There was a strong Leave No Trace ethic to the whole event and many climbers came away with a better understanding of how to protect and manage their local crags after helping out at the event.
What Happened to the Red Rock Rendezvous?
In short, three factors converged. First, the event was no longer generating enough income to sustain itself. Second, Paul Fish was in the process of shuttering Mountain Gear. And third, AAI was also in a period of transition, with a new owner coming onboard. Unfortunately, that transition coincided with the pandemic and was effectively put on hold until 2023.
Although all the key players wanted to continue the festival in a more sustainable form, the combination of timing and finances simply didn’t allow it.
Since the Red Rock Rendezvous ended in 2018, there have been several conversations between AAI, Mountain Gear’s former event planner, and the American Alpine Club. There are no concrete plans, but from time to time the key players still meet and talk. They brainstorm and try to determine if they could make something happen. They all agree that it was something special, and that’s hard to walk away from.
So, will it ever come back?
Maybe. Time will tell.
