Inclusion & Belonging

Making the Outdoors Accessible To All: The CMC’S Commitment To an Inclusive Outdoors

Over a hundred years ago, the Colorado Mountain Club was created with its mission to protect and “render readily accessible” our state’s beautiful wild mountain areas. For the CMC, making our mountains “accessible” to others has never been just about organizing trips and maintaining trails: it’s also been about providing outdoor education to all, and encouraging people who might otherwise not experience the outdoors to join us in our love for the Colorado mountains.

Since its founding the CMC has had women members who have been world-class mountaineers. However, for much of the 1900s the CMC, like the rest of American society, did not always provide equitable access to people of color and other diverse groups. We in the CMC are committed to welcoming and uplifting people of all backgrounds – including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and ability – to share love of the mountains. We recognize that a truly inclusive outdoor community must reflect the diversity of the people who seek adventure, connection, and belonging in nature.

To show the CMC’s full and lasting commitment to this effort, we have created a permanent state-level committee devoted to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging within the CMC and in Colorado’s outdoors.

To foster a more inclusive community, we are actively removing barriers to participation, expanding outreach, and ensuring that our programs, leadership, and educational resources reflect and support people from all walks of life. Through these efforts, we aim to create a culture where everyone feels seen, valued, and empowered to explore the outdoors.

This page contains important resources for everyone – members, people interested in the CMC, our leaders, instructors and employees – as we work together to “render readily accessible” our magnificent mountains to all.