Originally from Washington state, Ambassador Carlie Graham is now in Southern California where she lives and attends college. When COVID hit, Carlie jumped into backpacking, climbing and mountaineering and hasn’t looked back since. Currently, she runs the climbing team at UC Irvine and is always looking for more ways to get involved in climate advocacy and increasing accessibility to outdoor recreation. Carlie will be the first female to attempt the Infinity Loop on Pico de Orizaba.
Connect with Carlie on instagram at @_carlie_g
Donate to her campaign here: Carlie’s fundraiser
Quick Stats – Infinity Loop on Pico de Orizaba
Total Mileage: 39
Trail Shape: infinity loop (two loops intersecting at the summit)
Trip Length: 9 days
Trailhead: Piedra Grande Hut
Closest town to trailhead: Tlachichuca
Ending point: Piedra Grande Hut
Closest town to trailend: Tlachichuca
Permit Required: No
What I Attempted and What Ended up Happening
In the 2023–24 winter season, I took on a dual challenge as a Trailblazer for The Cairn Project: to raise $3,000 and to be part of the first all-women’s team to attempt the Pico de Orizaba Infinity Loop in Orizaba, Mexico. While I ultimately raised $1,852 and completed only half of the loop, I successfully summited Pico de Orizaba. Along the way, I found something even more meaningful—unexpected community and momentum sparked by the fundraising process itself.
I found meaning in building something beyond just a donation ask. Early on, I knew I didn’t want to rely solely on friends and family for contributions. With encouragement from fellow ambassadors and friends, I began crafting community-based events focused on gender advocacy in the outdoors. That vision came to life in March 2024 through two collaborations with local climbing gyms: one, a speaker panel in celebration of International Women’s Day, and the other, a film screening and conversation with pro climber Anna Hazlett about the barriers women face in climbing spaces.
What I Would Have Done Differently
There are so many things I would advise 2023 me to do differently, but I want to emphasize that most suggestions I could now only make in hindsight and the fear of mistakes should not stop anyone from starting. I made myself vulnerable attempting to put on these events despite a real fear of failure — and in the end, that leap of initiative is what made things happen. But, with this context in mind, here are the three biggest things I would have done differently:
- I would have approached opportunities with less fear
I started exploring the idea of collaborating with local climbing gyms in January of 2024; the eagerness of the event’s coordinators to make something happen caught me off guard. I immediately questioned whether I was qualified to lead fundraisers for The Cairn Project. Spoiler alert: we all are.
The first step to becoming a catalyst is to gather enough courage to start. Particularly as a Trailblazer, we have a lot of support within The Cairn Project and the community. Start floating ideas and see what sticks – say yes to the opportunities that emerge from you taking that first step.
- I Would Treat My Event Partners With Respect – But Without Idolization
These events led me to work with climbing gym directors, big name brands, pro climbers and incredible women overall. I was intimidated and felt like all of these partners operated on a completely different level. So, I put them on a pedestal; The nerves I felt when talking with them made it harder to build real connections and only added to my event-planning anxiety.
At the time, I didn’t recognize that they were working with me because they deeply respected the mission of The Cairn Project and, ultimately, me.
When I inevitably meet, and hopefully work with, incredible individuals in the future, I will embrace them with the same kindness and excitement that I did for my adventure project. But, I’ll also prioritize building human connections rooted in a shared love for community initiatives—instead of getting caught up in perception or semantics.
- I would have marketed the events to a larger audience and have spent more time doing so
Two marketing tactics I would focus on next time: social media and public outreach
Social media is a tough one, it can be intimidating and less effective than in person communication. Throughout my project, I discovered the value in interactive content and would absolutely recommend incorporating it into your social media strategy. This could look like little challenges you set for yourself if certain fundraising goals are met. I’ve also enjoyed using stories or posts to bring awareness to certain topics that I know people are interested in (outdoor gear, statistics on gender inequality, tiny history lessons). By offering something of value that engages your viewers, you’re prompting them to reciprocate your effort either by learning more about your cause or contributing to it.
In person interactions truly bring your work to life. At one point, I made a poster board about The Cairn Project and my project and hung around my climbing gym talking with people – this was so successful. I couldn’t believe I didn’t do this earlier. A poster board took a little time to make but was reusable. For my next fundraiser, I plan on hanging around the climbing gym a few more times, maybe I’ll even stand outside of my school or a popular trailhead. Wherever your community is, put yourself in places where natural conversation can happen – it was surprisingly fun!
5 Things I Learned From This Adventure
- Shoot your shot
As simple as it is, I learned how powerful it is to dream big and try. “The worst they could say is no” may sound overused, but it’s overused for a reason. I was surprised at how many people rallied around me and supported my ideas. The whole process was a reminder that when your dreams are centered around a cause dedicated to uplifting those around you, you don’t hear many ‘no’s’.
- Make time management your priority – don’t procrastinate
From hosting a public event, to emailing my friends and family, to posting about my adventure, any and all of this felt overwhelming at times. Next time, I would be more intentional about creating a timeline for myself and setting deadlines to avoid letting the anxiety of doing this work get in my way of its execution.
- Learn how to describe your mission and passion in 30 seconds
There were hundreds of times where I was pitching the Cairn Project’s cause to loved ones, potential collaborators and even strangers. Now, I’ve worked to dig deep and figure out how to communicate the fundraising mission and adventure concisely. I believe the key is to make it something repeatable and to do it with confidence.
- Use this opportunity to deepen your roots within your community
The friendships and connections that I made throughout this whole process were joyfully welcomed but unexpected. I opened my ears to the experiences of others and learned so much more from them than I ever would have had if I didn’t take the leap to host these fundraisers. I am grateful that my personal community has grown larger because of it.
- Be Vocal!!!!!
I only learned to feel comfortable being vulnerable and explicit about my adventure fundraiser in the aftermath. If you can build a message and purpose that is true to yourself, it’s much easier to be excited and confident about sharing it. I have come to embrace that I can add value to the conversation of gender inequality in outdoor spaces and am so excited to empower others to share their stories and uplift their communities – it is, and always will be, a community effort.
Final Thoughts
Being a Trailblazer opened the door to a new version of myself—one that builds community, asks big questions, and tries anyway. I’m excited for whatever comes next, whether it’s another fundraiser, a climb, a conversation, or a story I haven’t told yet. This experience taught me that showing up is enough to get started. So why not give whatever is calling your name a shot?
Carlie Graham
Originally from Washington state, Carlie is pursuing a career in finance while staying deeply connected to the outdoors. She got into backpacking, climbing, and mountaineering during the early days of COVID and hasn’t looked back since. Carlie previously led the climbing team at UCI and remains passionate about making outdoor recreation more financially and socially accessible through community-based groups.