The Climbing Advocate

Today’s episode is a tribute to one of the most influential characters in the climbing community and the original climbing advocate: Armando Menocal. Armando was a civil rights lawyer turned climber and is known by many as the dedicated founder of Access Fund. He passed away in October 2024 at the age of 83 after a battle with cancer. This episode is a short collection of words from some of his closest friends and colleagues honoring his memory.

Armando’s experience and leadership as a civil rights lawyer representing underserved communities translated well to advocating for climbing access on public lands amid fierce controversy during the rise of sport climbing in the ‘80s and ‘90s. His vision for an inclusive climbing community—embracing all styles, including sport climbing and fixed hardware—helped shape the landscape we enjoy today and contributed to the recent passage of the Protecting America’s Rock Climbing (PARC) Act.

Enjoy this heart-warming episode celebrating Armando’s kindness and his vision for the future of climbing. Thank you to Brady Robinson, Rick Accomazzo, Allen Sanderson, David Rosenstein, Kika Bradford, and Rick Thompson for contributing to this episode.

Brady Robinson- 3:20

Rick Accomazzo- 27:54

David Rosenstein- 31:40

Allen Sanderson- 34:41

Kika Bradford- 38:57

Rick Thompson- 44:43

Today’s episode features multiple guests who all bring a unique perspective and area of expertise to the topic of climbing and climate resiliency. The first half of the episode features Brian Tickle, Access Fund’s National Acquisitions & Texas Regional Director and Joel Houser, Director of Capital Grants with the Open Space Institute. Together, Brian and Joel break down some of the basics of what climate resiliency is and how it influences the climbing landscape and beyond.

In our second conversation, Daniel Dunn, Access Fund’s Eastern Regional Access Director & Policy Analyst and Charlie Mix, GIS Director at the University of Tennessee - Chattanooga, take a deeper dive into how future climbing conservation opportunities are being identified around Tennessee through a lens of climate resiliency. Through comprehensive mapping and analysis looking at a variety of different environmental, social and economic factors, Access Fund has a guide to accelerate climbing access in Tennessee.

4:10- Brian’s intro

5:04- Joel’s intro

5:58- What is the Open Space Institute?

8:57- Defining “climate resiliency”

11:43- Open Space Institute & Access Fund working together

16:10- Joel's experience visiting North Carolina post-hurricanes

21:37- Adaptation vs. Mitigation

23:34- Does climbing matter?

25:22- When Access Fund started looking at climate resiliency

28:56- Acquisitions that rank high in climate resiliency

30:26- Does climbing matter from Brian's perspective

33:15- Why should climbers care about climate resiliency?

38:27- Daniel's intro

39:11- Charlie's intro

42:09- Recap of the Tennessee Accelerator Report

43:54- Charlie's involvement with the Accelerator Report

48:43- Describing The Nature Conservancy's Resilient Landscape Mapping Tool

58:26- Areas that don't score high in climate resiliency

1:00:55- Denny Cove: the poster child for climate resiliency

1:10:25- Results of the analysis: the 3 primary priority areas

1:17:25- Where to find the Tennessee Accelerator Report

Tennessee Accelerator Report: https://www.accessfund.org/tennessee-access-accelerator

Does Climbing Matter?: https://www.accessfund.org/latest-news/does-climbing-matter

GIS Program at UT-Chattanooga: https://www.utc.edu/research/interdisciplinary-geospatial-technology-lab/igtlab-faculty-and-staff

Open Space Institute: https://www.openspaceinstitute.org/

Today’s episode features Access Fund’s new executive director, Heather Thorne. Heather joins Access Fund with nearly 30 years of climbing experience and nearly 15 years after she began climbing, advocacy helped save one of her favorite crags. Coming from a long background working in the tech industry, she aspires to apply a scientific approach and use a high level of creativity for how the organization approaches opportunities and challenges.

Heather hit the ground running in her new role. Whether it’s traveling to meet with other advocates or local organizations in Access Fund’s orbit, or getting up to speed with fixed anchors in Wilderness areas, or other aspects of Access Fund’s core programming, she is applying that scientific method to lead the organization forward.

6:09- Heather’s intro

10:20- Athlete to advocate

14:30- Parallels between the tech industry and outdoor advocacy

19:29- Heather's work travels

25:04- Updates on fixed anchors in Wilderness areas

25:25- Minimum Requirements Analysis (MRA) process

35:14- The Mentorship Campaign

44:31- Climber stewards + general outreach and education

50:55- Reflections on the Outdoor Alliance board retreat

54:34- What's next for Access Fund & Heather's vision

Heather’s intro: https://www.accessfund.org/latest-news/access-fund-announces-heather-thorne-as-new-executive-director

Climber Survey (closes on September 10th, 2024): https://www.accessfund.org/latest-news/take-our-2024-climber-survey

Fixed anchors: https://www.accessfund.org/latest-news/whats-next-for-wilderness-climbing

Mentorship campaign: https://www.accessfund.org/latest-news/join-us-in-mentoring-responsible-climbers

Impact Map: https://www.accessfund.org/impact-map

Outdoor Alliance: https://www.outdooralliance.org/

This month’s episode features Loryn Posladek and Kyle Leihsing who are leading the charge on national stewardship efforts representing Access Fund’s Conservation Team. For the last five years, Loryn and Kyle have traversed the country dedicating themselves to assisting LCOs and other conservation partners on building sustainable trails and other critical infrastructure at our beloved climbing areas.

Loryn and Kyle highlight trends they have noticed over the years regarding stewardship participation, what can be done to continue to improve the experience for the participants, and how to get more climbers engaged in stewardship activities. There appears to be a large gap in the number of recreationists that consistently access public land for recreation purposes but don’t necessarily participate in the activities that are aimed at stewarding these resources.

We round out the conversation getting into the multi-year process they have been a part of creating adaptive access at the Thumb and Needle in Estes Park, Colorado.

6:31 - Loryn and Kyle’s intros

7:58 - Changes in the Conservation Team program

10:48 - What keeps them coming back year after year

14:28 - Current project in Rumney

18:21 - What areas are still left on the list to visit?

21:35 - Going from athlete to advocate

27:59 - onX Backcountry's Breaking Trails Report & the "stewardship gap"

42:58 - "Trail dogs" and the new archetype of climber

45:30 - Bridging the stewardship gap through mentorship

51:11 - Creating adaptive trails in Estes Park, CO

1:02:38 - 2024 plans for the Thumb and Needle

Access Fund’s Conservation Teams: https://www.accessfund.org/latest-news/meet-your-2024-climbing-conservation-teams

onX Backcountry’s Breaking Trails Report: https://www.onxmaps.com/onx-access-initiatives/breaking-trails

Prospect Mountain (Thumb and Needle) on Mountain Project: https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105860404/prospect-mountain

This month’s episode features two rockstars out of the Southeast. Meagan Evans, Executive Director of the Southeast Climbers Coalition (SCC) and Daniel Dunn, Access Fund’s Southeast Regional Manager. Together they have worked to steward and conserve some of the region’s most cherished climbing landscapes. Most recently, the SCC protected a 58-acre boulderfield in northern Alabama known as The Citadel Boulders—an area that the SCC has been working to protect for nearly 20 years. Now the SCC, along with other major partners, are focusing their efforts on how climbing can contribute to broader conservation efforts in the Southeast.

From Tennessee to Georgia and Alabama, the Southeastern U.S. is home to some of the most impressive and expansive climbing resources in the country. Within that area, the SCC sees thousands of annual climber visits resulting in a remarkable economic impact for the region. Climbers bring in millions of dollars in spending, supporting thousands of jobs. We wrap up the episode exploring some of these economic contributions and how climbing will play a big role in future conservation efforts.

4:46- Meg’s intro

9:26- Daniel’s intro

13:18- The Citadel acquisition

20:46- The early days of the Citadel boulders

24:08- Using strategic messaging to communicate about threatened areas

33:13- Citadel size and characteristics

36:36- Stewardship and infrastructure at the Citadel

39:49 Alabama’s Recreational Use Statute

47:16- Categories of land protection

55:15- Climbing economics and the future of conservation in the southeast

1:03:20- Accelerating climbing access in Tennessee

Southeastern Climbers Coalition - https://www.seclimbers.org

SCC’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/seclimbers/

Citadel Secured! - https://www.accessfund.org/latest-news/victory-iconic-southeast-bouldering-area-secured

Citadel Boulders - https://www.seclimbers.org/project/the_citadel_boulders/

Tennessee Economic Impact Study - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RJKqRlzX29oYP1aPusRjP5BGdwcd7MWT/view?usp=sharing

Tennessee Access Accelerator Report - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dfuvshG9GZrVliDEdRNkKUB8Pgd1L6UY/view?usp=sharing

Access Fund's Acquisition History - https://www.accessfund.org/capabilities/acquisition-history

Access Fund's Land Holdings & Conservation Easements - https://www.accessfund.org/capabilities/land-holdings

On today’s episode, we host two conversations to recap Access Fund’s 2023 Annual Climbing Advocacy Conference in Bentonville, Arkansas. First with Dave Thompson, president of the Arkansas Climbers Coalition, and then with Crystal Hudelson and Keith Murakata with Climbers of Color.

Dave shares insight into how the explosion of tourism in Arkansas has garnered support for climbing among land managers at the state and federal level and for future conservation opportunities. Dave says that Arkansas is a great stop along the way while traveling through the southeast, but it may not be long before Arkansas is seen as a major hub for climbing and recreation across the U.S.

Crystal and Keith attended the conference to receive their 2022 Climbing Advocate Award for their exemplary work in lifting up leaders of color in the outdoor industry with Climbers of Color (CoC). The CoC is a Washington-based nonprofit that provides mentorship and technical training in climbing, mountaineering, and backcountry skiing. Additionally, the CoC is deeply invested in conservation and stewardship work at their local climbing areas, working on crag development, rebolting, and trail building.

Tune in to hear more about climbing in Arkansas and how climbers continue to demonstrate leadership in training folks to not only be better climbers, but better people.

Dave Thompson

4:15 - Dave Thompson’s intro

5:43- Dave’s experience at the 2023 Annual Conference

9:09- The Arkansas Climbers Coalition

18:28- Models for conservation

20:27- Explosion of tourism in Arkansas

30:45- Economic impact study

37:27- Future of the ARCC

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Crystal Hudelson and Keith Murakata

41:30- Crystal’s intro

42:51- Keith’s intro

44:59- Experience at the 2023 Annual Conference

50:18- Land acknowledgement vs. land introduction

52:57- Climbers of Color

59:10- Gritscone Crag maintenance

1:08:17- Future Gritscone stewardship opportunities

Arkansas Climber Coalition website: https://www.arkansasclimbers.org/

ARCC’s Instagram: @arkansasclimberscoalition

Become a member of the ARCC: https://www.arkansasclimbers.org/join-now

Climbers of Color website: https://www.climbersofcolor.org/

CoC’s Instagram: @climbersofcolor

Crystal’s Instagram: @aroseontherock

CoC Events: https://www.climbersofcolor.org/events

On today’s episode, Erik Murdock returns to take a deep dive into an issue that Access Fund and the climbing community have worked on for decades: how fixed anchors are managed in Wilderness areas. It’s an issue that requires context, history, and nuance, which is what this episode delivers.

Erik begins with a thorough history of climbing in America’s Wilderness areas, then we get into the finer details of why managing fixed anchors in these places is a big deal right now. As Erik explains, recently released guidance from the National Park Service and US Forest Service will have serious implications if implemented. Join us for a deep dive into this issue, and submit your comment to the NPS and USFS on their management guidance before January 30th here.

5:12- The early conversations around wilderness - are fixed anchors allowable or prohibited?

8:28- Erik's opening on fixed anchors and wilderness

27:04- Why are fixed anchors being managed now?

30:42- Managing fixed anchors outside of wilderness

41:13- Climbers supporting past wilderness designations

51:23- Protect America's Rock Climbing (PARC) Act

59:26- Minimum Requirements Analysis (MRA) in more depth

1:04:35- Will fixed hardware be removed from existing routes?

1:09:27- Where do we go from here?

Wilderness Climbing FAQ: https://www.accessfund.org/latest-news/wilderness-climbing-faq

Bolt Prohibition Action Alert: https://www.accessfund.org/latest-news/action-alert-stop-the-bolt-prohibition

National Park Service Comment Submission Form (due by Jan 30th, 2024): https://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=132387

US Forest Service Comment Submission Form (due by Jan 30th, 2024): https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?project=ORMS-3524

On this month’s episode, we chat with Andrew Staff, president of the Illinois Climbers Association (ICA). Andrew’s experience climbing in southern Illinois spans over two decades, so it’s safe to say that he has intimate knowledge of the local climbing and a strong connection with the local community.

What the ICA has been able to accomplish over the past 20+ years is exemplary. Whether it’s stewarding or purchasing climbing areas or establishing trustworthy relationships with state and federal land managers, we should be proud to have the ICA as a part of our community. Illinois may not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking of climbing in the U.S., but Andrew convinces us otherwise. Tune in to hear more from Andrew and discover a place that still sits under the radar.

6:14- Andrew’s intro

10:26- Andrew’s favorite places to climb

12:42- History of the ICA

28:21- Statewide representation

35:21- Approaching a federal agency vs. a state agency

46:04- “Cooperation” as an organizational value

51:58- The opening of Ferne Clyff

1:03:13- Best ways to support the ICA

1:10:28- Parting words

Illinois Climbers Association website: https://www.ilclimbers.org/

Illinois Climbers Association Instagram: @illinoisclimbersassociation

Support the ICA: https://www.ilclimbers.org/giveback

Today we are joined by zoologist and founder of Climbers for Bat Conservation, Rob Schorr. Rob has a particular passion for bats, which can be somewhat elusive and challenging to study given where they often roost. That’s where climbers come in.

Around 10 years ago, Rob recognized an opportunity to partner with climbers to expand research on bat ecology. Since climbers and bats share the same vertical landscape, climbers are able to provide Rob and other scientists with information that they could not gather from capturing bats on the ground.

Bats are largely misunderstood by the public. Rob’s work demystifies these unique animals while also gaining a better understanding of bat ecology and conservation. Working with climbers has provided Rob with invaluable information, and he is incredibly psyched to continue working with the community as conservation partners.

3:45- Rob’s intro

5:54- Work outside of bats

11:50- Rob’s initial interest in bats

12:53- Misconceptions about bats

19:22- Climbers coming to the picture

23:19- Approaching bat research using climbers

27:50- Trends seen over the last ten years

32:23- Identifying guano

37:09- Primary concerns from human disturbance

44:07- Climbers for Bat Conservation

45:07- CBC projects and public engagements

49:18- Where to submit data and observations

51:01- Will there ever be bat closures?

54:36- Educational resources on bats

Climbers for Bat Conservation’s website: https://climbersforbats.colostate.edu/

Climbers for Bat Conservation’s Instagram: @climbers_for_bat_conservation

Global Climbing Initiative’s Best Practices Chapter on Bat Conservation: https://globalclimbing.org/best-practices/climbers-and-bat-conservation

Bat Conservation International: https://www.batcon.org/

Our guest for this episode is Western Massachusetts Climbers Coalition (WMCC) operating director, Stephanie Giguere. Stephanie recently took on this leadership role after spending multiple years as a volunteer with the organization.

In the past few years, WMCC has worked through a couple of major projects, securing access to important regional crags like Farley Ledges and Hanging Mountain. Stephanie walks us through some of the finer details of these two projects, which required coordination with private landowners, funding sources, and community support to ensure they succeed.

WMCC is a great example of an LCO that’s making an incredible contribution to the larger network of nearly 150 local climbing organizations across the country. The knowledge and expertise of local climbers is imperative to the success of sustaining climbing access for the future.

3:10- Stephanie’s intro and climbing in Massachusetts

7:30- Stephanie's climbing story

9:30- Climbing history in Western Mass

15:57- Stephanie's role with the WMCC

22:23- Funding an executive director-type position

24:52- WMCC's jurisdiction in MA

27:36- Land management and ownership of climbing areas in the East

30:02- The Farley Ledges project

39:44- Lessons from the Farley Ledges project

44:14- The Hanging Mountain Project

48:23- Funding resources for Hanging Mountain

54:26- Final thoughts

WMCC’s Instagram: @wmcc_climb_gneiss

WMCC’s website: https://climbgneiss.org/

Access Color Codes: https://climbgneiss.org/about-color-codes/