When people think of outdoor adventure—hiking through forests, summiting mountains or gliding down snowy slopes—they may not immediately think about queer identity or community.
But connecting with nature isn’t simply about getting some fresh air: it’s about safety, belonging and reclaiming space. The hardest part of exploring the outdoors may not be the physical challenge, but the social one: Who will I hike with? Will I feel welcome? LGBTQ2S+ groups eliminate that barrier instantly. On the West Coast, particularly in British Columbia, LGBTQ2S+ outdoor groups have paved the way for queers who want to be out when they’re out and about on an adventure.
Even in 2025, many queer and trans people find themselves wondering whether a ski lodge, a trailhead or a climbing gym will feel comfortable or require self-censoring. LGBTQ2S+ outdoor groups shift the default: belonging is assumed, not earned.
For example, The Venture Out Project operates backpacking, paddling and climbing trips across the U.S. for queer and trans people. Their leaders are trained in trans inclusion as well as for outdoor activities; participants know they can show up fully as themselves. “Our first trip filled up immediately,” founder Perry Cohen said in an interview about the project. “After that first year people started signing up for multiple trips. I asked someone, ‘You could do this on your own, you have all the skills, all the equipment, why do you keep coming back?’ They laughed at me and said, ‘You’re completely missing what you’re doing, Perry. This isn’t a backpacking organization. You’re building community here, and backpacking just happens to be the means by which you’re doing that.”
At a more local level, in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, the climbing group Queer Crushers Kelowna provides the same thing: a judgment-free space where climbers can go at their own pace, freely use their pronouns and know their identity will never be questioned. The sense of community is not locked into a particular activity. The Crushers have an alliance with That Gay Run Club, which hosts weekly runs as well as special events. Queer Shred Revelstoke has a similar mission and vibe in its own valley, about a three-hour drive west of Kamloops. Though a traveller on a short trip may not be able to take advantage of the group activities themselves, their very existence can give them confidence that if they’re out on a run or a climb on their own, that they’re not the only ones; the broader community is used to it.
Outdoor adventure experiences aren’t always easy to access. Gear is expensive, and many activities have steep learning curves. LGBTQ2S+ affinity groups and outreach programs can reduce these barriers through mentorship, classes and gear sharing. Several chapters of the Alpine Club of Canada, an organization that’s promoted climbing, hiking and skiing since 1906, have inclusivity policies, and the Vancouver Island chapter hosts LGBTQ2S+ trips, as well as Wild Women trips that are trans inclusive. The Okanagan-based Rock On Collective is dedicated to making the rock climbing community an inclusive space for everyone, including queer climbers, by providing mentorship, subsidized courses and community events.
Sometimes it’s just knowing what’s happening and where and when. Ski Buddies is based in Seattle, Washington, but the LGBTQ2S+ winter sports club provides listings for outings all over the U.S. northwest and British Columbia. Membership is free and allows access to info about events and which slopes members are headed to and when. Washington State–based Queer Mountaineers, which has chapters in Seattle, Tacoma, Bellingham and Portland, Oregon, provides community and events, and access to skills and gear in order to cultivate a safe space for outdoor enthusiasts of all backgrounds, genders and sexualities. Out Kayaking takes a similar approach to their own sport, leading kayaking expeditions and events in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia.
Queer outdoors groups, both formal and casual, normalize our presence in national and provincial parks, ski resorts and backcountry zones. A lucky traveller might be able to take advantage of the resources, camaraderie and inclusion these groups have created. Even for travellers who can’t make the meetup or attend regularly, they can benefit from the broader cultural shift they’ve been able to achieve in their communities.
