The Climbing Advocate

Our guest for today’s episode is Briana Mazzolini-Blanchard. Briana sits on the board of the Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition (RRGCC) and is very active in the world of social advocacy. Beyond her role and responsibilities as a board member, she has contributed tremendously to the RRGCC’s social efforts by coordinating L8 events, which aim to provide barrier-free entry to climbing for folks in marginalized communities or who are new to climbing.

When it comes to social advocacy, Briana has become a household name. As a dedicated rock climber, advocate, mom, and wife, she sets high, aspirational goals for herself in all these areas and provides the inspiration in a genuine and honest way for others to follow. Listen in as we discuss her role with the RRGCC, the state of social advocacy in the climbing community, and some of her personal climbing stories.

1:46- Briana’s intro

4:23- Briana’s climbing history

7:35- Lessons learned from the RRGCC

11:45- Briana’s other favorite crag

13:44- The road out west

16:45- Briana’s role with the RRGCC

21:41- L8 and other events

30:41- Responding to negativity

37:18- Briana’s advocacy journey

51:25- What’s the most pressing issue in climbing?

58:36- Briana’s personal dedication to climbing

1:10:21- Briana’s definition of advocacy

Briana’s Instagram: @dirtbagmomma

RRGCC outreach and education: https://rrgcc.org/outreach-and-education/

A Face in the Crowd: https://www.mountainproject.com/route/106643409/out-of-africa-aka-a-face-in-the-crowd

Our guest for today’s episode is the president of the Bay Area Climbers Coalition (BACC), Peter Monks. Peter recently took over as president in January of this year and he shared an impressive amount of information and stories about the organization. Holding the responsibility over the land of “micro crags”, the BACC has done a remarkable job building a rapport with the local community and with an array of different land managers.

The BACC has made it a point to be community-facing. Through their educational programming and community events, they highly value bringing people together. We discussed their gym-to-crag events at length, how they structure them, what attendees can expect to get out of them, and how other LCOs can bolster their educational programming. Peter’s humble approach to leadership and long history with the BACC will undoubtedly put him on a successful path as president.

3:19- Peter’s intro & climbing history

11:17- Today’s overcrowding issues

15:02- Peter’s role as president

19:26- BACC’s team & organizational structure

24:52- The Bay Area: the land of “micro crags”

31:20- Working with a variety of land managers

34:14- Is climbing a priority with these land managers?

37:57- BACC’s community engagement efforts

42:15- Engaging with diverse populations

49:27- Gym to Crag educational programming

59:48- Establishing relationships with indoor facilities

1:05:41- Gym to “Crag” vs. Gym to “Boulder”

1:11:45- Recommendations for educational programming

1:15:29- Peter’s definition of advocacy

Bay Area Climbers Coalition: https://bayareaclimberscoalition.org/

BACC’s Instagram: @bayareaclimberscoalition

Access Fund’s Conference Presentation Application: https://bit.ly/3vBpFTv

The guest for this month’s episode is Access Fund’s Policy Analyst, Curt Shannon. Access Fund and other allies have been working on protecting Oak Flat, an incredible area outside of Phoenix, Arizona, for over 15 years, and Shannon has been focused on protecting this world-class climbing area for almost a decade. Oak Flat is under threat of mining, which would forever decimate not just the area’s climbing resources but also significant Indigenous resources.

In March of 2021, climbers and members of Indigenous tribes caught a break in protecting Oak Flat. We aren’t across the finish line quite yet, but in this podcast, Curt expresses his optimism on where we stand right now and what the future holds for Oak Flat. Follow along as Curt recaps several significant events that have influenced the fate of what would be the largest loss of climbing resources on America’s public lands.

5:30- Curt’s Intro

11:45- Intro to Oak Flat

17:24- Issues surrounding Oak Flat

20:24- Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act

26:41- Curt’s involvement and role in Oak Flat

31:32- One climbing area for another?

35:52- Curt’s position as Access Fund’s Policy Analyst

38:52- The 2020 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

42:09- Oak Flat’s historical designation

45:24- The Save Oak Flat Act

50:15- Current happenings and Oak Flat’s future

56:24- Resources and how to learn more

59:02- Curt’s definition of advocacy

Oak Flat Saved (For Now): https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/breaking-oak-flat-saved-for-now

Save Oak Flat Act: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/new-bill-seeks-to-save-oak-flat

Oak Flat’s Beginnings: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/new-land-exchange-proposal-introduced-into-congress-for-oak-flat-az

The EIS: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/in-final-days-trump-initiates-transfer-of-oak-flat-access-fund-sues

H.R. 1884: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1884?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22hr+1884%22%5D%7D&s=3&r=1

S. 915: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/915?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22s+915%22%5D%7D&s=2&r=1

Inter Tribal Council of Arizona: https://itcaonline.com/

Arizona Mining Reform Coalition: https://azminingreform.org/

Center for Biological Diversity: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/

Earthworks: https://www.earthworks.org/

Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club: https://www.sierraclub.org/arizona

The guests for today’s episode are Audrey and Curtis Gale-Dyer. This power couple serves as the land management team for the Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition (RRGCC) in Kentucky. As land managers, they are responsible for planning and implementing large- and small-scale stewardship projects all around the Red River Gorge. It’s no secret that the “Red” holds miles and miles of cliff line that attract thousands of visitors each year from around the world. As you can imagine, stewarding a destination area of this size is no small task, but Audrey and Curtis approach their responsibility with confidence and passion.

Audrey and Curtis have been a part of the RRGCC for many years now, and their experience in planning and executing stewardship projects is exemplary. In this podcast, they walk us through what it takes to successfully plan and execute large-scale stewardship projects, including recruiting, making sure you have the proper tools and resources, and more. They also talk about the aftermath of the flooding events that the Red and surrounding areas saw in early March. In conclusion, Audrey and Curtis share some of the most common issues they often face and talk about a couple of their personal favorite stewardship projects. If you’re interested in the stewardship side of advocacy, this episode is for you.

Enjoy!

5:43 - Curtis’ & Audrey’s intros

10:12 - Recent flooding in Kentucky

14:21 - The flooding’s impact on the Red

18:30 - Working as land managers for the RRGCC

26:13 - General stewardship planning

37:15 - Planning: assessment

42:17 - Planning: recruiting

46:00 - Planning: tools & resources

48:56 - Most common projects

50:01 - Reasons why they use certain infrastructure

52:21 - Audrey & Curtis’ favorite projects

59:01 - Don’t forget the fine details!

1:03:53 - Community involvement

1:06:38 - Curtis’ takeaways

1:07:27 - Curtis’ definition of advocacy

1:08:33 - Audrey’s definition of advocacy

Red River Gorge Climber’s Coalition: http://rrgcc.org/

Red River Gorge Climber’s Coalition Instagram: @rrgcc

Red River Gorge Climber’s Coalition Facebook: @rrgcc

Red River Gorge GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-red-river-gorge-2021-flood-disaster

Access Fund’s Top 10 Threatened Climbing Areas: https://www.accessfund.org/open-gate-blog/10-climbing-areas-in-crisis

The guest for this month’s episode is Sarah Garlick. Based in North Conway, New Hampshire, Sarah serves as the board president of Friends of the Ledges, an advocacy group that covers the White Mountains of New Hampshire and Maine. Perhaps the most well-known climbing area in the region is Cathedral Ledge, home to some of the most classic and iconic routes in the Northeast. Friends of the Ledges is a fairly new climbing advocacy group, but it has had an incredible impact during its short tenure. It has seen multiple conservation wins in recent years and has replaced a significant amount of hardware through a rebolting initiative.

Friends of the Ledges is in a unique position, tasked with managing year-round climbing opportunities at places like Cathedral Ledge. Cathedral offers it all: rock, ice, mixed, and drytooling. During the winter months, winter routes often overlap with summer rock routes. This has led to permanent damage to the rock from crampons and ice tools. Defining ethics on how to tread lightly when it comes to climbing summer routes in the winter is something that Sarah and the rest of the board are working hard on. Follow along as Sarah passionately talks about how Friends of the Ledges is managing this issue and about other important work the organization is doing to steward and preserve climbing in the White Mountains.

Enjoy!

5:07- Sarah’s Intro

10:13- Sarah as a “science communicator”

14:30- Friends of the Ledges

19:56- Friend’s management area

21:47- A “friends group” vs. an LCO

23:44- Managing winter climbing

26:35- Winter climbing ethics

32:31- Cryokenesis

35:48- Land management and access

36:47- Cathedral and Whitehorse Ledges conservation wins

42:14- Band M Ledge conservation win

46:11- Bolt replacement

50:36- Sarah’s definition of advocacy

Friends of the Ledges website: https://www.nhledges.org/

Sarah’s Instagram: @sarahgarlick

Rock & Ice article, “Style Matters”:

https://rockandice.com/opinion/style-matters-cryokinesis-and-the-new-ethics-in-new-hampshire-winter-climbing/?fbclid=IwAR0oFaF4Y-TNHw0GqaL6_0_NcvL6zP5G5QT-N7XV4R1EEuI4AInHQlGEUew

Mount Washington Conservation Win: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/a-win-in-the-mount-washington-valley

Band M Ledge Conservation Win: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/climbing-access-restored-at-new-hampshires-band-m-ledge

The guest for today’s episode is Ben Scott. Ben is perhaps best known for his role as president of the Northern Colorado Climbers Coalition (NCCC), a position he has held for more than a decade. But Ben’s creative nature has taken him well beyond his experience as NCCC president. Ben has etched his name in the history books by establishing many first ascents around the greater Fort Collins area, using his skills as a graphic designer to publish several guidebooks for the region, and creating several dozen short films documenting northern Colorado climbing. His passion for the region is unmatched.

The NCCC was born out of the need to solidify legitimacy around an outdoor climbing competition at Horsetooth Reservoir, located immediately west of Fort Collins. Once he took over as president, Ben quickly saw the need for the organization to focus on the greater Fort Collins area, rather than just one area and one event all year long. Since then, the group has helped replace hundreds of bolts and anchors, build sustainable trails, and maintain strong community engagement. After 2020 put a lot of NCCC’s work on hold, the organization now has some great projects lined up for this year, particularly in the aftermath of the Cameron Peak fire. Cheers to Ben for leading the NCCC into another year of climbing advocacy.

Enjoy!

0:00- Ben’s Intro

9:49- Origins of NCCC

13:49- Ben’s vision for the NCCC

16:17- Reflecting on the past 10 years with NCCC

19:06- Working with land managers

30:40- Cameron Peak Fire

39:51- NCCC’s educational efforts

42:41- Fixed anchor replacement

46:16- Lowering vs. rappelling

49:41- Success of events and volunteer recruitment

53:37- Guidebooking

1:00:46- Ben’s short climbing videos

1:04:26- Ben’s definition of advocacy

Northern Colorado Climbers Coalition: https://nococlimbing.org/

NCCC’s Instagram: @nococlimber

Ben’s Instagram: @poudre_guide

Lory State Park: https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/Lory

Cameron Peak Fire information: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6964/

Ben’s short climbing videos: https://vimeo.com/user3347032

Poudre Canyon Guidebook, 3rd edition: https://www.fixedpin.com/collections/climbing/products/poudre-canyon-rock-climbing-guide-3rd-edition

The guest for today’s episode is Access Fund’s fearless leader, executive director Chris Winter. As executive director, Chris leads the charge on organizational development and holds a pulse on all operations of the organization. The unprecedented events of 2020 forced Chris and his team to think on their feet and quickly react to keep their strong work going. We spent our time together recapping the major events of 2020 and their impact on the climbing community. From the pandemic pushing more people outside to the climbing community looking inward following the racial injustices of 2020, it all forced us to take a deeper look at what can impact our community.

Clichés about 2020 aside, Access Fund stayed resilient and curated an impressive list of accomplishments throughout the year. They did what they do best by spending hours stewarding climbing areas, conserving climbing areas, and advocating for climbers on Capitol Hill. The climbing community and our resources would look a lot different without this organization and the incredible work of local climbing organizations around the country. Climbers know how to stay resilient, and it’s clearly reflected in the work that happens day in and day out.

Enjoy!

4:50 - Chris’ Intro

9:57 - Experience as an Environmental Lawyer

12:45 - Private Land Conservation

15:31 - Access Fund’s Impact

16:30 - Agenda for 2020

18:51 - Prioritizing Projects

22:51 - Valuing Outdoor Spaces

24:01 - Working w/Land Managers & Congressional Staffers

29:19 - Weather 2020, Climber Style

35:22 - To Our Community

37:46 - Turning Values into Action

41:24 - Top 12 Climbing Victories of 2020

49:22 - The Future for Access Fund & Climbing

Gnarly Nutrition: https://gognarly.com/

Top 12 Climbing Victories of 2020: https://www.accessfund.org/open-gate-blog/top-10-climbing-advocacy-victories-of-2020

Weathering 2020, Climbing Style: https://www.accessfund.org/open-gate-blog/the-power-of-the-climbing-mentality

To Our Community: https://www.accessfund.org/open-gate-blog/to-our-community

COVID-19 Crushing Climbing Areas: https://www.accessfund.org/open-gate-blog/how-covid-19-is-crushing-our-climbing-areas

Great American Outdoors Act: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/victory-climbers-help-pass-great-american-outdoors-act

Moab Oil & Gas Leases: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/breaking-blm-cancels-plans-to-auction-85-000-acres-around-moab-amid-pressure-from-climbers

John D. Dingell Jr., Conservation, Recreation and Management Act: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/president-signs-public-lands-bill-wilderness-climbing-protections-written-into-law

This month’s guests are Veronica Baker and Dani Dobrot. Veronica and Dani are, respectively, the executive director and director of community engagement of The Climbing Initiative. Both Veronica and Dani are passionate climbers who have traveled to the far reaches of the globe in pursuit of climbing. It was through their world travels that they both noticed an opportunity to engage with the global climbing community to create a more sustainable and equitable world through rock climbing.

The Climbing Initiative is on a mission to support climbing communities worldwide by conducting research, engaging with local communities, and fostering partnerships. What they have found is that climbing is a powerful tool to drive positive change and a force for good, whether that is economically, environmentally, or socially. As the culture around the sport is ever changing and becoming more popular, The Climbing Initiative is filling a very important role in climbing advocacy, using global perspectives to create best practices for local solutions. As the organization continues to grow, be on the lookout for ways to get involved and learn more about their work.

Enjoy!

7:39- Veronica’s intro

8:38- Dani’s intro

15:37-TCI’s mission: Research

20:56- Future case studies

22:21- TCI’s mission: Community engagement

25:08- Ability to advocate

29:57- TCI’s mission: Partnerships

32:23- Partnership: Escalando Fronteras

37:31- Turning research into action

43:28- 2020 Climbing Advocacy Conference

47:29- Climbing as an economic force

50:42- Maintaining culture qualitatively

56:39- Favorite workshops from the conference

1:00:48- The big 3 takeaways

1:10:15- What’s next for TCI?

The Climbing Initiative: https://climbinginitiative.org/

The Climbing Initiative’s Instagram: @theclimbinginitiative

Sign up & view the 2020 Climbing Advocacy Conference Workshops: https://accessfund-workshops.secure-platform.com/a/organizations/main/home

“An FA for Access Fund” - Rock & Ice: https://rockandice.com/climbing-news/an-fa-for-access-fund-the-first-ever-international-climbing-advocacy-conference/

Climbing Advocacy Conference Recap - Rock & Ice article: https://rockandice.com/climbing-news/climbing-advocacy-conference-a-global-perspective-on-local-solutions-recap/

Acceso PanAm: http://accesopanam.org/

Escalando Fronteras: https://escalandofronteras.org/en/

Fundacion Acceso Andino: http://fondoaccesoandino.org/

This month’s guest is Graham Zimmerman. Graham is a professional alpinist, filmmaker, and staunch climate advocate. Through the past couple decades of traveling around the world, prioritizing climbing over everything else, the red flags and telltale signs of a changing environment shifted to the forefront of Graham’s mind. He decided to ramp up his commitment to climbing—and the environment.

Graham’s approach to advocacy is rooted in the notion of being an “imperfect advocate.” He acknowledges that he, along with everyone else, is imperfect. But that doesn’t stop him from doing whatever is in his power to raise awareness about our most pressing environmental issues. Graham has used his platforms strategically this year to educate, inform, and ultimately get people out there to vote in the election. Graham shares his experiences and knowledge to give us that gentle nudge to get engaged, imperfections and all.

Enjoy!

8:52- Intro & reflection on 2020

11:01- Being awarded a Piolet d’or

20:18- Path to advocacy

29:34- Responsibilities with Protect our Winters

31:07- Experience with Climb the Hill

34:51- Power of storytelling

38:09- Climb the Hill 2020

42:26- Public lands victories

45:53- Public lands policy vs. climate policy

48:13- Evolution of climbing advocacy

49:39- The Outdoor State

54:18- Social media & voting

58:10- Imperfect Advocacy

1:03:55- “My vote doesn’t matter”

1:06:28- Graham’s podcast, “Wildfire”

1:09:43- Books and other resources

1:14:20- Final remarks

Graham’s Instagram page: @grahamzimmerman

Protect Our Winters: https://protectourwinters.org/

Protect Our Winters Instagram page: @protectourwinters

The Outdoor State: https://protectourwinters.org/the-outdoor-state/

An Imperfect Advocate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYiC5XB2Vyg

Bedrock Film Works: https://www.bedrockfilmworks.com/home

Gnarly Nutrition: https://gognarly.com/

2020 Climbing Advocacy Conference: https://www.accessfund.org/pages/climbing-advocacy-conference

The Climbing Initiative: https://climbinginitiative.org/

Great American Outdoors Act: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/victory-climbers-help-pass-great-american-outdoors-act

Moab Oil & Gas Leases: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/breaking-blm-cancels-plans-to-auction-85-000-acres-around-moab-amid-pressure-from-climbers

John D. Dingell, Jr., Conservation, Recreation, and Management Act: https://www.accessfund.org/news-and-events/news/president-signs-public-lands-bill-wilderness-climbing-protections-written-into-law

Graham’s & REI’s Podcast Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_0KnWaRZPI&feature=emb_title

Harvest the Vote book: https://www.harvestthevotebook.com/

Dune novels: https://www.amazon.com/Dune-Frank-Herbert/dp/0441172717

This month’s episode features multiple guests who share their insights and experiences in the space of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. The guests include Access Fund staff member Taimur Ahmad, founder of Brown Girls Climb and Access Fund board member Bethany Lebewitz, and Access Fund board member Kenji Haroutunian. In light of recent events concerning social justice, both nationally and within the climbing community, our guests give us some powerful insights on the importance of social justice and why climbers should care about these matters.

We all come from different backgrounds and experiences, so understanding this topic can be challenging and uncomfortable for some. This opens up opportunities for learning, as these guests share their experiences in climbing over the years, their thoughts on route naming, and what they are optimistic about for the future of climbing. Taimur, Bethany, and Kenji leave us with a lot to reflect on and suggestions about how to move forward in our respective climbing careers with these important ideas in mind.

Enjoy!

3:55- Episode welcome and Taimur’s intro

5:48- Bethany’s intro

6:46- Kenji’s intro

9:16- Progression of DEI over the last 30 years

13:07- Impacts on Bethany’s climbing experience

17:25- Founding Brown Girls Climb

19:25- Defining leadership

22:45- Impacts of Kenji’s climbing experience

28:20- Impacts of Taimur’s climbing experience

32:09- Social justice & climbing

40:52- Re-naming routes

59:08- Coming from different background & relationship building

1:02:50- Being action-oriented- What can climbers do?

1:21:38- Optimism for the future of climbing

Why Route Names Matter: https://www.accessfund.org/open-gate-blog/why-route-names-matter

Four Ways LCOs Can Make the Climbing Community More Inclusive: https://www.accessfund.org/open-gate-blog/4-ways-lcos-can-make-the-climbing-community-more-inclusive

Renaming Routes at Ten Sleep: https://www.climbing.com/news/ten-sleep-route-names-changed-to-honor-racial-justice-movement/

Power Company Climbing: https://www.powercompanyclimbing.com/uprising-resources

Brown Girls Climb: IG and Facebook:

@browngirlsclimb

https://www.browngirlsclimb.com/

https://www.colorthecrag.com/