CFC’s Annual Gathering is coming to Estes Park, CO on July 30-August 2 and we can’t wait to see you there.
We plan these Annual Gatherings to unite climbers in their faith, encourage each other as followers of Christ, and grow in our ability as ambassadors for Jesus as we build new relationships that last long beyond the weekend.
We are so excited to host this year’s conference at the stunning YMCA of the Rockies! With prime access to climbing and on-site lodging options, you won’t want to miss this year’s gathering.
Cost:
Early Bird (until May 22) –
$150 Per Person
Regular Registration (after May 22) –
$175 Per Person
Includes:
- Lodging in dorm-style accomodations for evenings of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Breakfast Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Dinner Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- All events throughout the weekend!
Register here:
Agenda:
Thursday, July 30
- Arrive at YMCA of the Rockies Camp
- Group Dinner
- Fireside Session 1
Friday, July 31
- Group Breakfast
- Morning Devotional
- Climb!
Meet at the firepit if you’re looking for climbing partners. - Group Dinner
- Fireside Session 2
Saturday, August 1
- Group Breakfast
- Morning Devotional
- Climb!
Gals meet at firepit to group up for a Ladies of CFC climb. - Group Dinner
- Fireside Session 3
Sunday, August 2
- Group Breakfast
- Climbers Church with CFC Chaplains
- Pack up and head out
Lodging:
Lodging is included in the event ticket. After you purchase your ticket, our team will reach out to coordinate where you’ll be staying at the YMCA of the Rockies Camp.
Rooms have 4 twin beds (2 bunkbeds), 1 queen, and a bathroom. We plan to split lodging by gender to make sure we can use as many spots as possible per room.
For families with kids, we’ll work on the best set up for you to stay together.
Please note: No pets allowed for this event.
Travel Beta:
- Airport: Denver International Airport – about 1.5 hour drive to our venue.
- Shuttles: Plans for airport group shuttles are in the works for Thursday and Sunday.
- Venue Location: YMCA of the Rockies, 2515 Tunnel Road Estes Park, CO 80511
Scholarships:
Thanks to the success of the staff and board Climb-a-Thon in Mexico in February (and bigger thanks to all who supported our climbing team!), there are scholarships available to help with registration costs. Contact info@climbersforchrist.org.
Brett Davis
Founder
Christian Surfers
Brett pioneered the Christian Surfers movement in Australia as their first National Director in 1983, then pioneered the international movement since 1999. As an unchurched surfer he was reached by a fellow surfer and wants other surfers to have the same opportunity. He brings a lifetime of experience and contacts and is forever networking with CS and other agencies worldwide. He is still surfing, diving and adventuring, and has a secret outlet in wood-turning and gardening. He believes his far greater achievement is his wife Gillian persisting with him for over 35 years. He has three children – Jackson, Taylor and India – and a few grandchildren keeping him busy. He continues to mentor and empower leaders in the global action sports community so that they can lead ministries that foster opportunities for people to know and follow Jesus.
Eli Conlee
Executive Director
Climbers for Christ
Eli Conlee began “real” rock climbing in 2012 and joined Climbers for Christ in 2020, celebrating the milestone with his *proud* send of “Imposter Complex” 5.10b at Smith Rock shortly after stepping into the Executive Director role. This was proof, he likes to say, that you don’t need to be a total crusher to serve well in climbing ministry. With a background in outdoor retail, recreation, Biblical Studies, and Outdoor & Environmental Education, he moved into climber-focused ministry with the same “OK, Lord, here we go…” spirit that has carried his family throughout the Pacific Northwest. Eli values community far more than hard grades, considers any day outside a good one, and hopes someday to break into 5.12 (especially the pseudo‑CFC classic route Crossfire at Smith Rock, inspired by Calvin Landrus’s Gospel‑sharing ascent). Until then, he’s happy climbing moderate routes with good people, riding bikes or backpacking with his family, and figuring out how we can most effectively live out and share the Way of Jesus with friends and communities in the modern era.
Wilson McKay
Outreach & Mentorship Coordinator Climbers for Christ
Wilson attended Colorado Christian University, where he discovered his love for climbers, earned degrees in Business Administration and Outdoor Leadership, and was first introduced to Climbers for Christ, a connection that would later guide his life and ministry. After graduating, he spent nearly three years living as a dirtbag climber, serving the traveling climbing community while volunteering with Climbers for Christ and working for the Colorado Mountain Bike Association and a local guide service. Though the sandstone splitters of Indian Creek feel most like home, he also loves the steep caves of the Ozarks in his home state of Arkansas. Now living in Colorado Springs and joining the Climbers for Christ staff in fall 2024, Wilson enjoys developing new routes and exploring untouched cliffs, but is most energized by helping others see climbing as a way to live out their faith. He has a particular heart for the dirtbag climbing community, where meaningful friendships and honest conversations about life and faith often grow through shared adventures and time on the road.