AUG. 2 0 0 3 #53 CLIMBERS FOR POLITICAL ACTION EVENT A SUCCESS CASTLE ROCKS, IDAHO OPENS TO CLIMBING Stewardship of Our Climbing Resources Recently, two significant events have EDITORIAL . 2 occurred that directly affect our climb- ing areas and how we care for them: the POLICY UPDATE . 3-5 Climbers for Political Action (CPA) event AREA REPORTS . 6-8 in Washington DC and a bold step taken by Peter Metcalf (Black Diamond CEO ACTIVIST SUMMIT . 9 and long time Access Fund supporter). CPA occured on May 15th. 6 members ADOPT-A-CRAG DAY 2003 10-11 of Congress and the Undersecretary for LETTERS . 12 Agriculture who oversees the Forest Service spoke to the climbing community MEMBER BENEFITS . 13 — an unheard of turnout for a small non- profit such as the Access Fund. CORPORATE PARTNERS . 14 Mr. Metcalf used the economic clout KICKIN ACCESS #3: “THE of the climbing industry to pressure the Governor of Utah to stop making backdoor FRICTION ADDICTION TOUR” . 15 deals which affect numerous climbing The Access Fund is a national, nonprofit areas. organization dedicated to keeping climbing While different in approach, both efforts areas open & conserving the climbing envi- ronment. Since its incorporation in 1990, shared a common ideal to speak our the Access Fund has provided more than minds to elected officials who create our $2 million for climbing conservation and laws and manage our lands. We let them education across the US. We’ve paid for know where climbers stand on issues that land purchases, climbers’ campgrounds, affect our climbing areas. educational brochures, toilets, signs, and scientific research on climbers’ impact on Advocating for climbing access elicits a birds of prey and cliff-dwelling plants. For responsibility to also care for the resource more information, please contact us: and work to provide the same opportuni- www.accessfund.org ties to future generations. phone: 303-545-6772 At the Access Fund, the national voice address: P.O. Box 17010 for climbers, we take our stewardship role Boulder, CO 80308 very seriously. In 2000, we initiated the the Adopt-a-Crag program, which places a Vertical Times is the membership newslet- stewardship responsibility in the hands of ter of the Access Fund published six times a year in February, April, June, August, local climbing communities. This year we October, and December. Authorizing plan to have over 100 events. This is the organization: The Access Fund, 2475 climbing community taking direct action to Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304. partner with land managers and other user This issue date: August 1, 2003. groups to promote a sense of respect Volume #53. Price: $35/year. and responsibility for our climbing areas. Editorial Director: John Heisel Several of our corporate partners support Editors: Kerry Cowan and Steve Matous Adopt-a-Crag financially and with other Cover: Access Fund member Roger resources. See page 10 for more news Pennington on the West Rib of Denali about this special event. at 13,000 feet. The Access Fund recent- ly submitted administrative comments Through our political actions and stew- on the Denali National Park Preserve ardship work, we are making our voices Draft Backcountry Management Plan. In part, we continued to support the heard and backing up our requests with Clean Mountain Can Program to limit actions. This is our goal and all of you are the impacts of human waste on Denali. making it work. THANKS! Photo taken by AF Ambassador, Steve Matous Fabrizio Zangrilli. Executive Director 2 Congress Takes success. Climbers Seriously at The speakers CPA Event expressed their The first ever concerns and sug- Access Fund event gested solutions to in Washington DC came off problems associated in a very positive fashion. AF with the use of pub- The Access Fund Executive Director Steve Matous lic lands. “CPA put recently signed a presided and Keynote speaker the Access Fund on significant agreement with the USFS that Congressman Mark Udall D-CO the map with regards will benefit climbers. (Boulder area mountains west) to Congress and their received the Access Fund Congressional staff, because we Sharp end award for his contributions to demonstrated that we could get Congress keep climbing areas open and conserve to speak on important public lands issues, the climbing environment. Their presence “said Policy Director Jason Keith, “It is was strong with seven speakers from really difficult to get that many members Congress including: Representative Nick of Congress to go to a political event. This Rahall D-WV, (New River Gorge); Mark demonstrates that Congress takes climbing Rey, Undersecretary for Natural Resources seriously and we intend to capitalize on this and the Environment (oversees US for- new awareness of climbing related issues est Service); Representative Jay Inslee and continue to lobby in D.C. on behalf of D-WA (Seattle area); Representative American climbers.” James Gibbons R-NV (Cave Rock); and Representative George Radanovich R-CA The Access Fund and US Forest (Yosemite). Also, the legislative assistant Service Ink Groundbreaking for Senator Larry Craig R-ID (City of Rocks, Agreement: Sawtooth NF) spoke on his behalf. Government-Private Partnership CPA was intended to improve the con- Formalizes Working Relationship to nections between climbers and govern- Promote Responsible Use of Public Lands. ment, and galvanize climber activism in sup- The Access Fund, a climbers advocacy port of legislation and regulatory initiatives organization, and the U.S. Forest Service that benefit climbing in the United States. (USFS) recently announced a ground-break- Also, it gave climbers and environmentalists ing agreement that formalizes a cooperative an opportunity to respond to these initia- effort to work at the national, regional and tives. We believe this event was a great local levels on mutually beneficial programs, projects, training and other recreational activities. The five-year agreement will see the USFS and Access Fund working togeth- er on programs, projects and activities that leverage both of their charters and are in the best interests of the public. “There is a strong need throughout the country to actively promote public and private partnerships that encourage the responsible use of public lands,” said Steve Matous, executive director of the Access Fund. “Today’s agreement solidi- fies what has been an informal working arrangement, and creates a watershed for the use and management of public lands across America.” The heart of this accord is the commit- MARK KROESE ment by the Forest Service to encourage Congressman Mark Udall, D-CO, was the its local officials to utilize the AF and its keynote speaker at the Climbers for Political affiliates’ expertise in developing USFS Action Event in May. •continued on next page programs and management as they relate to climbing. In addition, the AF will provide Access Fund Board technical assistance to land managers President involved in climbing oversight projects, Dave Rosenstein, NJ support educational activities, develop Vice President and maintain a nationwide communication Mark Kroese, WA network, and facilitate communications Secretary between climbers and public agencies. Andy Carson, WY “Both the Forest Service and the Treasurer Access Fund share the common inter- Leslie Brown, WA est of providing information to the public Board of Directors on such subjects as conservation, rec- Lance Brock, TN reation and natural resource activities Mary Cablk, NV as they relate to climbing,” said David Tommy Caldwell, CO Holland, director, Recreation, Heritage Ken Cline, CO and Wilderness Resources for the United Keith Cole, Washington, DC States Forest Service. “We’re looking Malcolm Daly, CO forward to working with the Access Fund Andy Fitz, WA to identify appropriate partnership oppor- Jeff Holt, NJ tunities and to jointly pursue them on a Pat Jodice, SC national basis.” Gene Kistler, WV Sam Lightner, Jr.,WY Castle Rocks Opens to Climbing Marte Lightstone, NM Over Memorial Day weekend, Castle Bob Margulis, WA Rock Ranch opened for public use after Chris McNamara, CA John Myers, NY 5 years of effort. The 400-foot high pin- Dan Nordstrom, WA nacles and monoliths attracted climb- Kurt Smith, TX ers for years but were privately owned Shannon Stuart Smith, KY and off-limits until recently. In 1999, the Jeff Widen, CO Conservation Fund and the AF teamed up to buy the ranch, and subsequently Honorary Board Members the Castle Rock Ranch Acquisition Act of Michael Kennedy, CO 2000 authorized the National Park Service Armando Menocal, WY (NPS) to purchase the 1,240-acre ranch Bill Supple, VT with the understanding that the area would be turned into a state park and Access Fund Staff opened for public recreation, specifically Executive Director climbing. The Idaho Department of Parks Steve Matous . and Recreation (IDPR), the same agency [email protected] that currently manages City of Rocks National Reserve, will manage the state- Development Director owned portion of “Castles” (BLM and Heather Clark. USFS land lies behind the state park). [email protected] After environmental analyses by the NPS, the state of Idaho began planning Access & Acquisitions Director for the opening of the park in late 2002. Shawn Tierney. [email protected] In January, Access Fund Policy Director Jason Keith facilitated a climbing man- Policy Director agement plan workshop at Castles with Jason Keith. [email protected] participants from the American Alpine Publications Director Club, the Boise Climbers’ Alliance and John Heisel. individual climbers from Salt Lake City, [email protected] Pocatello, Ketchum, Boise, and Jackson. Over 50 new routes were established on Membership Director opening day, and a host of happy climb- Kerry Cowan. [email protected] •POLICY UPDATE continued on next page The Castles/City of Rocks Information Guide is an exclusive resource created by the Access Fund to educate climbers about where to camp, climb and how to care for the area.