To meet the needs of a growing community of climbers, in around 2018 a group of Helena area climbers got together and formed the Helena Climbers Coalition. Since then we have sought to bringing people together to support our local crags and community. We do this by maintaining trails and climbing infrastructure, hosting social events, facilitating hardware maintenance, promoting ethics and education, and ultimately encouraging both new and weathered climbers to invest in our local community. Mostly, we think we live in a pretty rad area for climbing and we want folks to enjoy it and take care of it.
If you are new to town and looking for partners – let us know! We’ll hook you up. If you are traveling through and want some beta – we like beer. If you are new to climbing, climbing-curious, or want to try something outside of the gym but don’t know where to start – help out at one of our events or come to a meeting and meet like minded folks. Or if you just think this whole thing is pretty sweet – donations are always welcome.
We hope you find what you need from this site and then get off the internet and into your harness. It’s sending temps somewhere.
Climbing is inherently dangerous. The information on this site is not meant to provide technical skills or formal training. Be aware of your own limitations, your surroundings, your partner, and the function and condition of your equipment.
Since 2019 the HCC has been an affiliate of the Access Fund, a national climbing advocacy organization dedicated to promoting access and conserving our climbing resources.
Meet the Board
Haven Hoffman (Chair)
Born and raised in Indiana, Haven said “sayonara” to the Midwest when he and his wife Kelsey moved to Billings in 2015. Their travels and adventures throughout Montana landed them in Helena in 2021 with their toddler Finn and two rambunctious dogs, Jäger and Sadie. Haven is stoked to be part of the HCC and to help grow and maintain the local climbing community in a meaningful way. When not climbing, Haven enjoys skiing with Finn and Kelsey, trail running with the dogs, dabbling in bad science fiction writing, and trying to bike down things he probably shouldn’t.
Katherine Feehan (Vice-chair)
Born and raised on the East Coast, Katherine moved to Helena in 2020. She loves the laid-back energy and welcoming community that Helena has. Katherine started climbing in Helena and enjoys the silly shenanigans that can be had whilst outside. Her favorite style of climbing is single pitch sport, loving nothing better than sharp limestone and routes full of chert. When she’s not climbing, Katherine can be found cross country skiing at Mac Pass and finding ways to be wrong at Pub Trivia. As the vice-chair Katherine is excited to help the climbing community thrive and find new ways to grow.
Dan Bachen (Treasurer)
Originally from Alaska, I began to climbing in the Bitterroot Mountains soon after moving to Missoula in the early 2000s. Since then I’ve spent time in Bozeman and moved to Helena in 2016. Along the way I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to explore many of Montana’s crags, boulders, and mountains and unfortunately developed an affinity for some good choss. As a board member, I look forward to helping promote climbing in the Helena, and ensure the sustainability and accessibility of our sport.
Amy Balmain (Secretary)
Amy grew up in Northern California and has always felt most at home in the mountains. She discovered climbing in 2017 after a trekking trip in India and has kept it a central part of her life ever since. After relocating to Montana from the East Coast in 2021, she found a meaningful sense of community through the Helena Climbers Coalition. Volunteering at a Hellgate workday early on—where she connected with HCC and Access Fund members—was a warm and memorable welcome to Helena’s climbing scene.
Amy enjoys both rope climbing and bouldering and is especially passionate about building community through events, stewardship, and shared time on rock. She helps coordinate HCC’s annual Reel Rock event and is committed to growing its reach and impact, while continuing to support workdays, social climbs, and outdoor advocacy efforts throughout the region.
Sarah Maddock
I was born and raised in Helena, MT, and have been exploring the mountains around Helena and Western Montana since before I can remember. When I’m not working as a Nurse in the ER, my husband, Brad and I spend most of our free time climbing, mountain biking, skiing, and floating rivers. I enjoy all types of climbing but multi-pitch climbs and getting on top of spires and mountains top the list! My favorite place to climb is in the North Cascades of Washington. Climbing for me is all about community, getting outside, and drinking cold beverages afterwards. I love being a mountain mama and adventuring with our son, Will and showing him all the amazing things the outdoors has to offer. I am excited to work with HCC and support the climbing community in Helena!
Shane Forsythe
Born in Bozeman, Shane has been enjoying the outdoors offerings of Montana since a young age. He began climbing during his time in college, also in Bozeman. Through his time climbing he has traveled around the intermountain west sampling many different rocks and styles from desert trad to clipping bolts on steep limestone. His favorites are limestone sport climbing followed by tall multi-pitch routes. Last on the list are off-width climbs that require an hour of effort to move 20 feet!
Shane moved to Helena in 2021 because of the access to so many fun climbing areas and other outdoor activities. He is almost always open to an adventure (or suffer fest depending who you ask), as long as there is promise of good snacks along the way!
Kelsey Newburn
I am originally from SW Washington and had the pleasure of learning to climb at Smith Rock and in the Columbia River Gorge. I moved to Helena at the end of 2021 and have loved becoming a part of this close knit climbing community!
I work at Stonetree climbing center as the youth programs coordinator and I am thrilled to be coaching up the youngsters of Helena and surrounding communities. I love climbing and as a new board member I am looking forward to the opportuning to grow and maintain a welcoming, accessible climbing space for our community.
Mitch Buthod
Growing up outside Chicago, Mitch fell in love with the outdoors at an early age through weekend camping and hiking adventures around the Midwest, including some formative rock climbing experiences at Devil’s Lake and the Mississippi Palisades. He quickly solidified a lifelong climbing obsession during years living in Boulder, CO and Bend, OR becoming a certifiable pebble wrestler in the process. Living in Helena since 2020, Mitch quickly found the climbing community to be both welcoming and relaxed, and is now excited to give back as part of the HCC. You can find Mitch most weekends either out exploring the boulder batholith for new problems, searching for the white room on the slopes, or throwing flies into the wild blue yonder with his wife Erica and dog Wrigley (go Cubs!).
Tim Schmidt
I grew up climbing outside in the Black Hills of South Dakota and have been hooked since middle school. Over the years, climbing has taken me across the country — from the (surprisingly) strong Midwest climbing community in Iowa to the unique crags in Pennsylvania (gritstone boulders, anyone?). I moved to Helena in 2022 and immediately felt welcomed into the climbing community here.
Sport climbing has always been my main passion, though I maintain a love-hate relationship with bouldering. Climbing has taught me about patience, community, self-discovery, and adventure, and I want to help foster those same experiences for others. Through the Helena Climbers Coalition, I hope to help protect access, grow the community, and encourage more people to get outside and connect through climbing
Helena Climber's Coalition 