2026 Summer Season Update

What a summer! From the high mountains of the Pamirs to the climbing crags of Arco, from the Stubai Alps to the mountains around Bishkek, we spent the past months exploring, climbing, hiking and meeting queer outdoor folkss from all over Europe and beyond.

There were big plans, some unexpected turns, new friendships and plenty of memorable moments. We didn’t reach every summit we had hoped for, but we certainly made some new ones together. And perhaps that’s what a Pink Summits summer is really about: sharing adventures, stepping outside our comfort zones and finding our people along the way.

Here’s a look back at our 2026 summer season!

In May, Pink Summits joined ClimbOut, the UK’s queer outdoor climbing festival, held at Thornbridge Outdoors in Derbyshire.

Dastan was invited to give a talk about queer visibility in outdoor sports, drawing on his experiences as a mountaineer and LGBTIQ+ activist from Kyrgyzstan. He spoke about what it means to be visible in places where being queer is not always easy, and how mountains can help people find freedom, confidence and a sense of belonging.

It was great to meet so many people who share the same passion for climbing and outdoor adventures. Festivals like ClimbOut remind us that there is a growing queer climbing community, and that we are not alone in trying to make the outdoors a more welcoming place.

Our annual Pride Hike & Climb took us to the Stubai Alps in Austria from June 19–21. This year, 25 people from all over Europe joined us for a weekend at Neue Regensburger Hütte.

As always, everyone could find their own adventure. We organised two hikes, tackled a short but challenging via ferrata and went rock climbing. Some people came for the mountains, for the climbing, and for the chance to meet new people. In the evenings, we all came together at the hut where we had dinners together and played games.

We also had some interesting stories to share. Our evening presentations took us from our expedition to the indigenous Korowai communities in West Papua to paragliding adventures along the Pyrenees. We also talked about queer activism and mountaineering and the role that outdoor sports can play in building stronger communities.

The weekend was a good reminder of why we started these gatherings in the first place. You don’t need to explain yourself or fit into a particular box. You can simply enjoy the mountains, try something new and spend time with people who understand you.

The big adventure of the summer was our expedition to Central Asia. From July 14 to August 16, we travelled through Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, combining a journey along the legendary Pamir Highway and through the Wakhan Corridor with an attempt to climb Pik Lenin (7,134 m).

We started in Dushanbe and slowly made our way through some of the most spectacular landscapes in Central Asia. The journey took us along remote mountain roads, past traditional villages and high-altitude lakes, including the beautiful Lake Karakul. We also explored the area around Peak Karl Marx before continuing towards the Alay Valley and Pik Lenin Base Camp.

After acclimatising and preparing at base camp, it was time for the summit attempt. Two of us, Dastan and Josh, set off towards the top. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. During the ascent, the altitude began to affect Dastan’s vision. At some point, he could see only a few metres ahead. There was no question of continuing under these conditions, so we had to turn around.

It was disappointing not to reach the summit, especially after all the preparation and the long journey to get there. But that’s mountaineering. Sometimes the mountain doesn’t let you through, and you have to know when it’s time to go back.

The weather got worse after our first summit attempt, and another window for climbing didn’t look likely. Instead of spending the remaining days waiting at base camp, the whole team decided to change plans. We packed up and went on a road trip through Kyrgyzstan before meeting up with the local community for our Pride Climb & Hike.

In the end, the expedition became about much more than climbing a 7,000-metre peak. We experienced the incredible landscapes of the Pamirs, shared some difficult moments, explored new places and got to know people along the way. Pik Lenin is still waiting for us!

On August 15, around 60 people joined us in Chunkurchak Gorge, just outside Bishkek. Chunkurchak is a beautiful mountain area known for its dramatic rock formations, green alpine meadows and the impressive Golubinyi (Pigeon) Waterfall. It’s also a popular spot for rock climbing and hiking, making it a great location for a day outdoors.

We wanted to create a programme where everyone could join, regardless of their previous experience. We organised a beginner-friendly rock-climbing workshop, went hiking to the waterfall, played games and shared a picnic in the mountains.

For some participants, it was their first time trying rock climbing. Others simply came to enjoy the scenery and spend time with the community.

Seeing 60 people come together for a queer outdoor event in Kyrgyzstan was a particularly special moment for us. There was a lot of energy, laughter and curiosity. People met, exchanged stories and discovered new activities together.

It was exactly the kind of event we want to see more often in Central Asia: open, welcoming and, above all, fun.

In September, we continued our international adventures in Romania, where we organised Pride Hike Romania together with Asociatia TransCore, an organisation supporting trans* people in the Brașov region.

Twelve people joined us for a weekend of hiking and climbing in the beautiful mountains around Brașov.

We spent time exploring one of the surrounding mountain ranges and organised a beginner-friendly rock-climbing workshop at Solomon’s Rocks (Pietrele lui Solomon), a well-known climbing area just outside the city.

It was a good combination of outdoor activities and getting to know each other. Some participants were trying rock climbing for the first time, while others were happy to get out into the mountains and enjoy the weekend together.

We are particularly glad to have connected with TransCore. Working with local organisations is important to us because they know their communities best. We hope this first event will be the beginning of more adventures together in Romania.

Fourteen participants joined us for a week from September 27 to October 4 in Arco, one of the most famous climbing destinations in Europe. And with so many climbing areas around Arco, there was certainly no shortage of options.

We tried a bit of everything: multi-pitch routes, alpine climbing, two via ferratas and plenty of sport climbing in the local climbing gardens. Rather than following a fixed programme, we discussed the plans every evening and formed smaller groups depending on what people wanted to do and what they felt comfortable with.

This meant that everyone could find something suitable, whether they wanted to challenge themselves on a longer route or spend a relaxed day climbing easier pitches.

A special highlight was our visit to Rock Master, which celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. From October 2–4, Arco once again became a meeting point for the international climbing community. We watched the spectacular Lead Duel and enjoyed the atmosphere around the event.

After a week of climbing, good food and plenty of shared experiences, it was a fitting end to our summer season.

This year, Dastan continued to be a guide at Akademie Waldschlösschen and organised two Gay Hiking Weekends in the heart of Germany. The first took place from April 29 to May 3, and the second from October 15–18. The spring edition was even extended by an extra day following requests from previous participants.

The Waldschlösschen is surrounded by a beautiful landscape of forests, hills and rock formations, just outside Göttingen. It’s a great place to spend a few days outdoors, meet new people and discover a region with a fascinating history, once divided by the inner-German border. Our programme included half-day hikes as well as longer full-day adventures of up to 25 km.

Together with Rainer Marbach from the Akademie, Dastan led the weekends, bringing together gay men with different hiking backgrounds. Beyond the kilometres covered, these gatherings are about enjoying time outdoors, sharing stories along the trail and getting to know people in a relaxed atmosphere. We’re happy to continue this cooperation and provide a regular opportunity for gay men to connect through hiking!

Pink Summits also joined activities organised by other mountaineering communities this summer. From June 3–8, some of our team members participated in the DAV GOC Bergsporttage in Arco, Italy. The gathering brought together mountain enthusiasts interested in everything from hiking and mountaineering to gravel biking, mountain biking and climbing. With a shared campsite as a base, participants organised their own tours during the day and spent the evenings together exchanging stories and planning the next adventures. It was a great opportunity to connect with the wider queer Alpine community and meet people who share our passion for the mountains.

On May 31, Dastan also joined the DAV Berlin Summer Festival, where he gave a presentation about the previous expedition to Denali. He shared impressions and experiences from the journey, offering a glimpse into what it takes to organise and undertake an expedition to North America’s highest mountain.

Dastan is also continuing his development as a mountaineer and tour leader through the Trainer C Bergsteigen training programme with DAV Berlin. The qualification is an important step towards gaining more experience in leading mountain tours and supporting others in developing their mountaineering skills.

Not every adventure needs a big expedition or a carefully planned community event. Throughout the summer, individual Pink Summits team members also made the most of opportunities to get out into the mountains.

One of the destinations was the area around Passauer Hütte in the Leoganger Steinberge in Austria. Right above the hut, two impressive via ferratas offer very different challenges: the Leoganger Nord, graded B/C, and the more demanding Leoganger Süd, graded C/D. Both lead towards the Fahnenköpfl, surrounded by the dramatic limestone landscape of the Steinberge. With steep rock faces, exposed passages and spectacular views, they make for a memorable day in the mountains.

Another highlight was climbing Strahlhorn (4,190 m) in the Swiss Valais Alps. Reaching this glaciated summit is a proper high-altitude undertaking, with a route through the impressive glacier landscape and across the Adlerpass before the final ridge to the top.

These smaller trips are an important part of what Pink Summits is about. Beyond our scheduled events and expeditions, our team members continue to explore, learn new skills and take on personal challenges throughout the season. Every mountain has its own story, and not all of them need a big event behind them.

Looking back, 2026 was a summer full of contrasts. We travelled through some of the most remote mountains in Central Asia, climbed in the Alps, visited international climbing festivals and met queer outdoor enthusiasts in places where opportunities to connect are still limited.

Not everything went according to plan. We didn’t reach the summit of Pik Lenin, the weather had other ideas, and some adventures turned out differently than expected. But we also saw something really encouraging: more people getting involved, new connections being made and local communities organising their own outdoor activities.

Now it’s time to turn our attention to winter. We’re already working on new adventures, from ski touring and ski mountaineering to ice climbing and other winter activities. Through our Pink Summits x Osprey Scholarship, we also hope to support more queer people in discovering winter mountain sports.

Thank you to everyone who joined us, helped organise events, shared their stories and made this summer possible. And a special thank-you to Osprey Europe and all our partners for supporting our work.

We hope to see many of you again in the mountains soon!

Unstraight to the summits!