It’s a gathering that’s been happening for more than 30 years in the Dragoon Mountains. It’s a messy tradition, but it’s all in the spirit of climbing in the Southwest.

The bi-annual Beanfest, happened on Nov. 7 and has been gathering thrill-seeking outdoor adventurists since the 1980s. The event is one of the ways rock climbers in Southern Arizona meet up for one weekend in the fall and one weekend in the spring for outdoor adventure, climbing, food and games.

The Beanfest climbers camp in the Cochise Stronghold off Middlemarch Road, a few miles North of Tombstone. The dirt road goes east off Highway 80 for 10 miles until Forest Service signs mark the popular climbing destination known as Sweet Rock.

Every Beanfest has a Beanmaster, or the head organizer, who is chosen based on their attendance to the previous Beanfest. The new Beanmaster is chosen each time by the incumbent Beanmaster. This ensures the next event will happen, said Steven Johnson, the Beanmaster for the fall of 2009.

“The role of the Beanmaster is to make sure it happens.” Johnson said. “To become a Beanmaster you’re asked based on your interest in the (climbing) community.”

After folks get done climbing for the day they make it into camp where there is a big dinner for all the attendees. The menu includes burritos, refried beans and other dishes people bring, Johnson said.

“The beaning is done after the meal is finished and the Beanmaster puts a dab of beans on the foreheads of all the people and they take a swig of tequila.” Johnson said. “For those who try to hide, that’s where it gets messy.”

The tradition started 30 years ago back on Mt. Lemmon in Tucson when there were some leftover refried beans at one of the overnight climbs. Apparently there was some tequila drinking involved and the leftover refried beans ended up getting smeared on everyone. Thus the Beanfest was created.

The event ended up drawing large numbers of climbers and Mt. Lemmon got too crowded to handle all the campers. Some people believe that only the new attendees should get beaned, Johnson said.

“Each Beanmaster has their own way, this is my version where everyone gets beaned.” Johnson said.

The participants are not supposed to wipe off the beans after the beaning, rather they must wear the beans all night in the spirit of the festival. If somebody wipes them off they become known as a “wiper” which makes you eligible to be re-beaned and it usually is much worse, said Johnson.

“Who knows how it actually got started.” Johnson said. “People in it (Beanfest) for 30 years couldn’t concretely tell me how it started out.”

Obviously there’s some alcohol consumption involved during the evening times at camp. The Beanmaster is responsible for many of the games that are played after dinner and the usual drinking games occur but special ones are made for the spirit of climbing, Johnson said.

“The climbing gym (Rocks & Ropes of Tucson) and Summit Hut (in Tucson) donated prizes for the fest,” Johnson said.

The carabiner hang is where participants hang by a few fingers from a carabiner attached to a tree to see who can last the longest. A carabiner is a metal loop with a spring gate that is used to quickly connect climbing components with the use of a single hand, said Johnson.

“I introduced carabiner horseshoes this year where I took the gate off of some old carabiners I had, stuck some rebar in the ground and played like a traditional game of horseshoes.” Johnson said. “There was a lot of interest and the high score was four.”

Johnson, 51, said he has been climbing for 16 years and enjoys both types of rock climbing.Sport climbing involves using routes that have been drilled and bolted to the rock. The other type of climbing is traditional — or “trad climbing” — that involves using devices called “cams” that the climber jams into cracks in the rock.

“I like the mind, physical aspect to it; trying to get from A to B.” Johnson said. “One thing about climbing, you really need to climb to get better. Running and hiking is not climbing.”

People of all ages and talents come to the semi-yearly event. Many have been in the rock climbing community for decades, while others are brand new to the sport. Many are from the University of Arizona, some are doctors, lawyers, social workers, engineers, graduate students and the list goes on.

Brigette Beasley, 35, is a Tucson climber who has been to the Beanfest two times and is fairly new to climbing with more than a year’s worth of experience. She brought her daughter and two dogs this year.

“Beanfest was really helpful. I met so many people, it made climbing a lot less intimidating.” Beasley said. “Everyone’s friendly and polite, a good community building event.”

She said Arizona is known for long and “nasty” approaches which make the climbs really hard to reach. Approaches are the areas below the cliff where climbers will start to set up gear and ropes. Some spots take hours to hike to before a climber can even start climbing while others like Sweet Rock can easily be reached by car, Beasley said.

“At the Spring Beanfest I was out on a climb in Sheepshead and when I got back my tire was flat on my truck and there was a note on my window that a group from New Mexico left me,” Beasley said. “They saw my flat and left me an air pump so I wouldn’t get stranded, people I’ve never even met before.”

Beasley enjoys the Beanfest in part because some of the more experienced climbers who participate are well known in the community for being featured in climbing magazines and guidebooks. Many are responsible for the climbing routes installed in Cochise Stronghold, Beasley said.

“The old guys who are locally famous are right there with you,” Beasley said, “teaching you and making friends.”