There has been a long battle about a proposed development close to Red Rock Canyon, a stunning climbing and state recreation area not far from Las Vegas. The region is as characteristic of the southwest as a landscape can be and draws rock climbers from around the world to its trad, sport and big wall routes. Read the rest of this entry »

I read this morning on the Access Fun website that they have launched a multi million dollar campaign aimed at providing loans to local climbing organizations as well as assistance negotiating with land managers to help preserve, maintain, and obtain climbing areas. This is a great program and I am proud to be a supporter of the Access Fund. Take time to read about it on their site: Land Conservation Campaign. Read the rest of this entry »

The Carolina Climber’s Coalition was established January 16, 1995 with the purposes of preserving the natural environment, promoting safe climbing practices and preserving climber’s access to climbing areas in North and South Carolina. Ascent Adventure Consultants conducts many events in support of the CCC.

The Access Fund is the national advocacy organization that keeps U.S. climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. Founded in 1990, the Access Fund supports and represents over 1.6 million climbers nationwide in all forms of climbing: rock, ice, mountaineering, and bouldering.

Because the past 8 years has left public land managers and forest managers with meager funds to maintain trail management teams, search and rescue teams, and more, there has been limited access to some of the country’s most beautiful and precious outdoor recreation resources, for activities such as hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing and camping. Understandably so, since without the infrastructure to support this type of land use, the land managers have no choice but to restrict the activities. This is something that the Access Fund specifically targets and works on with these land managers, however the Federal Government has made it extremely difficult because ultimately they are the ones providing the lack of funding.

BUT NOW THE GOOD NEWS….

Barack Obama, along with promoting an excellent energy plan, and making the oil companies use their windfall profits to help consumers, is also planning on increasing appropriations for public land….and therefore will most likely help to give access to many, many areas.

Their administration needs our support to get this done. Please visit Outdoor Alliance and choose to Take Action, and send letters (via the website) to Barack Obama, to help open up access to these public lands.

Along with a better energy management and energy use system, the funds that are going to be provided to these land managers will help conservation of our natural resources, including “roadless areas” that will be protected. This country is taking a turn in the right direction!

Thank you and Happy Climbing

Brandon Hensinger

Ascent Adventure Consultants- Sustainable Rock Climbing in North Carolina

Check this video out. It showcases the phenomenal effort that the Carolina Climbers Coalition, the Southeast Climbers Coalition, and the Access Fund put forth to make climbing accessible to all of us in the Southeast

Heart of Stone – HD on Vimeo on Vimeo

via Heart of Stone – HD on Vimeo.