Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Get Involved - A Directory of “Local” Climbing Organizations That You Should Join


By Aubrey Wingo

As Florida climbers, or as some call us, “flatlanders”, it is difficult for us to stay involved with current events in climbing, like clean up days and charitable venues, or even unable to physically help due to our location. However, there are other ways that you can help out the climbing world, and its preservation that you might not know about. Below is a list of organizations and websites in the climbing community and beyond that you can be involved and show you all the ways that you can help.

Be Proactive and Protect Your Crags!

Access Fund - (www.accessfund.org)
The Access Fund is the national advocacy organization that keeps U.S. climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. Founded in 1991, the Access Fund supports and represents over 2.3 million climbers nationwide in all forms of climbing: rock, ice, mountaineering, and bouldering. Five core programs support the mission on national and local levels: Climbing management policy, Local support & mobilization, Stewardship & conservation, Land acquisition & protection, and education Their Action Center is a great place to see what crags and climbing areas need immediate action and support. Click here to take action!

The Southeastern Climbing Coalition - (www.seclimbers.org)
The Southeastern Climbers Coalition is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to preserving climbing access in the Southeast. SCC volunteers are climbers from Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina and the Ozarks who have joined forces to resolve local climbing access issues. The Southeastern Climbers Coalition aims to provide an ongoing means for climbers throughout the area to come together and respond effectively to access threats to crags, as well as the impacts of increasing use. The SCC organizes several trail days per year with the purpose of conducting erosion control, trail maintenance and trash clean-up. If you want to get further involved, you can help the SCC write updates on access issues, become an area representative raising awareness to climbing access issues.

Outdoor Alliance - (www.outdooralliance.net)
Outdoor Alliance’s mission statement is to ensure the conservation and stewardship of our nation’s land and waters through the promotion of sustainable, human-powered recreation. Outdoor Alliance Works to protect and restore public lands and waters for people to enjoy, provide stewardship of places where Americans hike, paddle, ski, mountain bike and climb, guarantee responsible access to public land and water, maintain and enhance America’s trails, trailheads and other recreation infrastructure, encourage science and research to help make better management decisions, promote the many health benefits of fun, vigorous outdoor exercise, help America’s youth enjoy healthy, traditional outdoor activities, and guarantee the public’s voice is heard on decisions impacting our land, water and outdoor opportunities.

Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition - (www.rrgcc.org)
A group of dedicated volunteers trying our best to make sure the nation’s best climbing destination, the Red River Gorge, will always have open access to climbing. It’s a hard battle, at time trying, but one we all care passionately about. We believe that, through coordination among climbers and local landowners, we can find ways to make climbing in Eastern Kentucky sustainable and beneficial for all. We hope you do to and that you want to help us realize those goals.

Carolina Climbers Coalition - (www.carolinaclimbers.org)
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. Since 1995, the Carolina Climbers Coalition has grown and expanded. Today the CCC is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation. We still hold onto the motto, preserving protecting and expanding your climbing opportunities, but that has taken new meaning. In 2005 Sean Cobourn, then president, and Jon Myers got wind of the opportunity to purchase one of the largest cliffs in the Southeast, Laurel Knob. With overwhelming community and industry support, the CCC made an offer to purchase the cliff.

Friends of Muir Valley - (www.friendsofmuirvalley.org)
Friends of Muir Valley is a volunteer-based organization firmly rooted and strengthened by a deep desire to give back to the community. We are a dedicated group of eager individuals who pledge to contribute to the continued development and preservation of Muir Valley. We strive to be an effective organization by sharing our time, talent, and resources in an effort to promote sustainable stewardship of our natural and material resources

New River Alliance of Climbers - (www.newriverclimbing.net)
The New River Alliance of Climbers (NRAC) is a local climbing organization working to protect climbing resources in the New River Gorge and surrounding areas. The mission statement of the New River Alliance of Climbers (NRAC) is to preserve and promote climber access, and to conserve the climbing resources in the New River Gorge and surrounding areas.
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