(via Colorado MoJo, Prana)

I’m not sure exactly how recently the Access Fund updated their web site, but they now have an RSS feed for their news. This will hopefully help the spread of news, access issues, and events.

In Gardiner, New York, five pieces of land abutting the Mohonk Preserve are now closed. Accordingly, roughly 1700 feet of the Millbrook Ridge Trail has been rerouted off private land. Also, approximately 900 feet of cliff face in the Bayards and the Near Trapps is closed, including today’s closure of land south of the route Eenie Meenie in the middle of the Near Trapps.

This is a fantastic, must-watch climbing video. I spent a lot of time climbing and bouldering in the Southeast and this film really hits home emphasizing the access issues as well as nature of the climbing there.

From the filmmakers:

It’s no secret that the Southeastern US has some of the best rock climbing in the country. Grassroots organizations like the Southeastern Climbers Coalition and the Carolina Climbers Coalition are gaining and preserving access to this treasure in a unique way – by buying it. the annual Triple Crown Bouldering Competition – the largest outdoor climbing competition in the world – is at the center of this access revolution. This new film celebrates what many are calling a Golden Age of discovery and stewardship in the South. It’s a look at the miraculous mix of activism, generosity and respect for tradition, in the Heart of Stone.

Heart of Stone – HD from Andrew Kornylak on Vimeo.

(via Rock/Creek, Climbing Narc, and VideoClimb)

So here’s my annual reminder to do something important for climbing this holiday season. Give your local crags a gift and join/renew the Access Fund.

Here’s some of where your money goes:

Nearly 85 cents of every membership dollar funds projects and services that conserve climbing access, protect the climbing environment, and minimize impacts and restrictions across the U.S.

Your donations allow the Access Fund to work with legislators, acquire land to open or preserve climbing, assist with formation of Local Climbing Organizations across the country, and more

By joining, you take an active role in protecting and conserving climbing areas for this and future generations.

The Flatirons Climbing Council (FCC) has received a generous matching-funds offer to encourage donations. The donor has agreed to match up to $1,000 in donations received by Dec 31. The FCC uses donations to purchase materials and supplies for various projects in the Flatirons. Coordinated with the City of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks department, projects include trail / access work to the Third Flatiron, Gregory Ampitheatre, Flagstaff bouldering areas, the Mickey Mouse Wall and the wildly popular Flagstaff Trash Bash.

We won’t buy beer with your donation but we will buy landscape timbers and gravel to improve your footing. Your generous contribution will be greatly appreciated by many for years to come.

The FCC is a 501c3 organization. Please send donations to: Flatirons Climbing Council c/o TRM, 937 Sunflower St., Louisville, CO 80027

More info on the Flatirons Climbing Council can be found here.

The rule that specifically bans deep water soloing is “Entering the lake from a height greater than one’s own is always prohibited.”

Here’s the full press release:

Effective immediately, the Huntington District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is banning cliff jumping/diving on all district managed recreational property.

Cliff jumping/diving is a reckless and potentially very dangerous activity that has always been strongly discouraged on USACE recreational projects. Recent water-related accidents and fatalities have prompted Huntington District to take the lead in prohibiting this activity.

Overall, there have been 69 water-related deaths in the Huntington District since 1993; there were seven deaths in 2006.

Warnings will be posted at district projects alerting users of the dangers associated with cliff jumping/diving and advising them of the ban. Warnings will be issued by park rangers explaining the dangers associated with the activity.

Failure to heed warnings may result in citation under Title 36, which may result in a penalty of up to $5,000 or even federal imprisonment.

District lakes where the ban is now in effect include: Alum Creek, Deer Creek, Delaware, Dillon, North Branch of Kokosing and Paint Creek Lakes in Ohio; Beech Fork, Bluestone, Burnsville, East Lynn, R.D. Bailey, Summersville, and Sutton Lakes in West Virginia; Dewey, Fishtrap, Grayson, Paintsville and Yatesville Lakes in Kentucky; and John W. Flannagan in Virginia.

For more information, please contact the Public Affairs office at (304) 399-5353.

UPDATE: Due to the weather, the cleanup event has been canceled.

I really used to love climbing at Nelson when I lived in the DC area as it was a great alternative to the crowds at Seneca and Franklin.

May 25 – Great Falls Fundraiser

Please consider joining us on Thursday, May 25th from
6-8pm for a Happy Hour Fundraiser to help Friends of
Great Falls save climbing at Great Falls. All proceeds
from this event will be used to preserve climbing
access at Great Falls Park. In particular they will
assist with the costs associated with the Freedom of
Information request filed by FOGF some months ago.

We are hoping to raffle a few items as well….

Date: Thursday, May 25, 2006
Time: 6-8pm
Where: Larry’s Lounge
1836 18th St Northwest
Washington DC, 20009

On the corner of 18th and T Street….$5 Bass

Come celebrate 15 years of Access with the Access Fund in Las Vegas, NV. Saturday, April 29th

Climbing at Red Rocks by day and dinner and slideshow with Corey Rich by night.

Event details to follow in February.

The Access Fund reports that Castle Rock, Tennessee is now open for climbing. Located near Chattanooga, Tennessee, Castle Rock has both sport and trad routes. Full info can be found here.

From Brad McLeod of the Southeastern Climbers Coalition,

After a year of negotiations with local landowners, the cliff at Castle Rock (TN) is now open for climbing. Castle Rock is located near Chattanooga, Tennessee, and is approximately 1/2 mile long of 80 to 120 ft. tall bullet sandstone with over 50 sport and traditional routes.

The Southeastern Climbers Coalition began work in the fall of 2004 with SCC reps Kirk Brode and Brad McLeod meeting and negotiating with two private landowners. A deal was eventually worked out with the cliff line and hiking access to be leased for $1500 per year. Final papers were being signed during the last week in December 2005.

Castle Rock is known for its quality 5.11 and 5.12 sport climbs and one of the hardest routes in the state of Tennessee – Apes on Acid (5.13d). Early climbing route developers such as Jeff Gruenburg, Jerry Roberts, Chris Chestnutt, Mark Cole and Ron Davis spent considerable time at this crag as it was one of the first areas in the deep south to embrace sport (and mixed gear) climbing in the late 1980’s. Castle Rock is listed as a 4 star (out of 5) crag in Tim Toula’s Rock and Road guidebook.

The Castle Rock lease adds to a growing list of closed climbing areas that are now re-opened in the deep south. In addition to the lease at Castle Rock and a permit system at Little Rock City, The SCC currently owns and manages three cliff areas (Boat Rock (GA), Kings Bluff (TN), and Jamestown (AL).

The SCC would like to thank the many donors and volunteers that have worked to make this project a reality. In particular, we would like to thank the Access Fund www.accessfund.org and Shawn Tierney for their continued support and logistics to help open this cliff.

More information (directions and updated access info) are found at: Castle Rock Area Report.

The SCC Area Reps and Property Managers for Castle Rock are Steve Deweese prowindow@mindspring.com and Jerry Roberts jerryclimber@hotmail.com. If you have any comments on Castle Rock such as reporting trail day work ideas, anchor repair, fundraiser ideas or anything else, shoot us an email!

The cliff line is open but we ask that climbers be patient and allow the SCC time to continue finish the trail to the crag and repair anchors. There will be several upcoming work/climb days to check out the crag. If you are interested in seeing Castle Rock email Brad McLeod at mbmcleod@mindspring.com. A schedule of work/climb days will be listed on the message board.

The crag is currently open only to SCC members since Castle Rock is located on private land and is not owned by the SCC. The long term goal is to purchase the cliff line at Castle Rock and allow open access. Until that point, we are respectfully asking climbers to renew their memberships to climb (just like a hunting club leases land). If you would like to purchase a car decal to show your support for Castle Rock (($10) you can obtain one from Dave Pollard or Brad McLeod mbmcleod@mindspring.comby email.

The Access Fund recognizes everyone who contributed to the success of the 6th Annual Adopt-a-Crag as climbers across the country gathered at their favorite crags and boulders for trail construction, litter clean-ups, and visual impact mitigation. Adopt-a-Crag 2005 was once again a banner year, we logged over an estimated 20,000 volunteer hours from over 3,800 individuals at 111 scheduled events in 35 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico. For Adopt-a-Crag 2005, the climbing community contributed over $300,000.00* of volunteer time to conserve our valuable climbing areas.

CanadaEast.com reports that climbers are being denied access to the granite cliffs of Cochrane Lane after the Gagetown military base posted no trespassing signs this spring. The Cochrane Lane cliffs located in the valley above the Nerepis River in Welsford has over 300 documented climbing routes.

The spot is a busy playground for thousands of climbers every year and has been featured in national and international magazines and the Canadian Alpine Journal.

For nearly 30 years, members of the University of New Brunswick rock and ice-climbing club have climbed there with the understanding that they had permission.

Cochrane Lane cliffs have been used year round since the first documented ascent in 1976. Routes bear names like Joe’s Garage, Gollum’s Cave and Minkey Wall; during the summer they are the home-away-from-home to many dedicated climbers. They cling to the cliffs, their hands wedged into small cracks; their colourful ropes dangle behind them as their partners yell out encouragement and helpful tips. During the winter ice-climbers chip away at frozen waterfalls that cascade down the walls.

The Access Fund will appeal the ruling made by a federal judge upholding a decision by the US Forest Service (USFS) to ban climbing at Cave Rock. Cave Rock is a multi-use rec­reational area in Nevada on the shores of Lake Tahoe, and the Access Fund believes the climbing ban violates both the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitutional and the Administrative Procedure Act.

On December 15, 2003, the Access Fund filed suit in Nevada Federal District Court requesting the court overturn a USFS decision to ban climbing at Cave Rock. On January 28, 2005 a federal judge in Reno, Nevada ruled against the Access Fund’s lawsuit. The Access Fund Board of Directors responded on March 15, 2005 by voting to appeal the district court’s ruling to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. On February 16, 2005 Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Forest Supervisor Maribeth Gustafson signed an order to begin implementation of the climbing ban with the posting of signs to inform visi­tors of the prohibition. The USFS also announced its intent to remove the safety protection bolts found at Cave Rock even if the Access Fund appealed the federal judge’s ruling. On March 28, 2005 the Access Fund filed its appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on the USFS ban.

According to the forest supervisor’s decision, climbing is the only activity to be prohibited while other “compatible” recreational activities such as hiking, fishing, and picnicking will be allowed to continue because these other activities do not conflict with the “feeling and association” of Cave Rock. US Hwy 50, which runs through Cave Rock via a dynamited tunnel, lies just a few feet away from the climbing area. The Access Fund seeks a more balanced decision from the Ninth Circuit Appeals Court that would allow limited climbing at Cave Rock to continue in a way that does not negatively impact traditional Washoe religious practices.

The area is located about three miles up Icicle Valley from Leavenworth on the east slope of the Cascades.

The land then will be turned over to the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust to be protected from development and kept open to climbers.

The rocky site with at least a dozen named crags will be the third climbing area in the Icicle Valley to be purchased by the national land trust in the last year.

“We’re making a fairly significant statement that not every piece of flat land in the Icicle is destined to have a house on it,” said Freeman Keller, a longtime Wenatchee climber who lobbied the national trust to buy the land.

Click Here
The trust agreed to buy the undeveloped Sam Hill land from Dr. Roger Volkmann of Wenatchee for $226,000 after the entire purchase amount was donated by Leavenworth environmentalist Harriet Bullitt’s Icicle Fund.

“The owner was considering selling on the market and it could have been developed into home sites,” said Kristin Newman, the Bend, Ore.,-based project manager for the Trust for Public Land. “There was concern whether public access would still be allowed at this heavily used recreation area.”

The Access Fund awarded $45,480 in its first round of grant funding for 2005. Awarded three times annually, Climbing Preservation Grants provide financial assistance for local climber activism and protection of the climbing environment. The grants will be distributed for trail improvements, land acquisition, education and assistance for a newly formed local climber organization.

“The Access Fund is committed to preserving the climbing experience for present and future generations,” said Shawn Tierney, Access and Acquisitions Director. “We’re proud to fund these important initiatives on behalf of our members and the entire climbing community.”

The Access Fund awarded the following grants:

Jamestown, Alabama

The Southeastern Climbers Coalition received a grant to help pay for the purchase of the Jamestown climbing area. The crag, which was on land privately owned, has been closed since the early 1990s. Many of the best climbing areas in Alabama are closed due to private landowner issues.

Sam’s Throne, Arkansas

The Forest Service received a grant to purchase an installation of a CXT vault toilet at Sam’s Throne. The Forest Service is in the process of upgrading the area to include a primitive campground and additional day use parking area with informational kiosk.

French’s Dome, Oregon

The Forest Service received a grant to help pay for a slope stabilization and belay platform construction project at a popular climbing destination near Mt. Hood. Heavy use at this site has resulted in erosion and vegetation loss at the base of the rock and outlying areas. The project will involve the construction of rock retaining walls, a trail on the northeast side of the formation that will direct use, and revegetation in areas that are no longer in the travel zone.

Friends of East Mountain, Massachusetts

The Friends of East Mountain received a grant for a trail kiosk and site map for climbing areas and trails at Great Barrington.

Rocky Mountain Field Institute, Colorado

The Rocky Mountain Field Institute received a grant for the Crestone Needle Restoration Project. The goal of the project is to preserve Crestone Needle (14,197′) by constructing a sustainable summit route, and restoring badly damaged and heavily eroded areas along the route’s perimeter.

Rodeo Wall, Wyoming

The Forest Service received a grant for trail maintenance and base area improvements at this popular climbing area in the Snake River Canyon south of Jackson. The improvements will mitigate erosion problems and unintentional expansion of the trail.

Las Vegas Climbers Liaison Council, Nevada

The Las Vegas Climbers Liaison Council. LVCLC received a start-up and organizational grant is dedicated to ensuring climbing access, encouraging stewardship of the environment, and cultivating a sense of community in a world-class climbing destination. Red Rock Canyon faces ever more threatening issues from encroaching development, increased land use, and access challenges as a result of issues imposed by the federal government.

Blackline Buttress, Montana

The Forest Service for the Blackline Buttress received a grant for trail rehabilitation and a construction project. The targeted trail is 1.5-2 miles long, with roughly 800 feet of elevation gain. The trail needs drainage work, downhill retaining walls, and retreading. The grant will be used for materials, an informational bulletin board, and trail marker signs.

Blackleaf Canyon, Montana

The Teton River Watershed Group received a grant for educational outreach for the Blackleaf Canyon climbing area. Working with the Forest Service, the climbing community is interested in proactively addressing emerging issues at this increasingly popular area. Parking, human waste, grizzly bear food order regulations, and access trails have been identified as key areas of concern.

Dome and Elephant Buttress, Colorado

The Silver Lake Ditch Company received a grant for restoration work at the Dome and Elephant Buttresses. Work will focus on ditch restoration and mitigating erosion caused by foot traffic at this heavily used site near Boulder.

Madrone Wall, Oregon

The Madrone Wall Preservation Committee received a grant for ongoing public outreach work in the effort to protect Madrone Wall. The group is working to reopen the site to public access and lobbying to get the site permanently protected as a park or open space property. Madrone Wall has been closed since 1997.

Proposed on land that at one time was part of Joshua Tree National Monument, the project would be surrounded on three sides by the national park’s designated wilderness. The landfill would receive 20,000 tons of garbage a day, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for 117 years. Garbage would be hauled to this desert site daily by seven mile-long double-decker trains and 200 trash trucks. The project would include landfill gas flaring equipment, rock crushing and screening equipment, separate rail and truck yards and fueling areas, storage sites for hazardous waste, and settling basins. Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts has agreed to purchase the landfill from Kaiser, once all legal challenges to it are resolved, to dispose of garbage from several southern California counties.

Please visit the site, and if possible, take action to save this valuable climbing resource.