Advocacy in Action

Guided climbing experiences and instruction, like this at the International Climbers Gathering in Yosemite National Park, could become much more accessible with the passage of the SOAR Act. Lands of the Central Sierra Miwok peoples. AAC member Andrew Burr

5 minute read

Ask Your Lawmakers to Prioritize Equitable Access

Amelia Howe, AAC Advocacy Manager

For the past six months, the news cycle and many of your favorite advocacy organizations have been focused on the Infrastructure package and the Build Back Better Act. While those major packages have been taking up a lot of air time and advocacy efforts, other legislation has taken a backseat. With the Infrastructure bill officially signed into law, and the Build Back Better act awaiting a vote in the Senate, it is important to point our advocacy efforts to other priorities that directly impact the climbing community.

Kathy Karlo throwing a mega heel hook while climbing in the Gunks. Land of the Lenape peoples. AAC member Chris Vultaggio

The Biden-Harris administration, alongside agency leaders like Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, have made it clear that they are prioritizing increased access to public lands for all people in the United States. With data affirming that a diversity gap exists on public land , many agencies are reckoning with the role they play in explicitly or implicitly excluding groups from participating in outdoor activities. This fall, the Department of Interior (DOI) solicited feedback from the public and outdoor recreation organizations to uncover how to better facilitate access to recreation on public lands.

The DOI placed additional emphasis on creating new and streamlined opportunities for underserved communities to recreate on public lands. One contributing problem is that our existing permitting system of red-tape and bureaucracy is negatively impacting people’s ability to get outdoors. Our community can participate in advocating on this priority by activating around the SOAR Act.

SOAR Act

The Simplifying Outdoor Access to Recreation, or the SOAR Act, is having another moment on the Hill. You may remember hearing about this bill over the past several years, as the AAC along with our partners at the Outdoor Alliance and the Coalition for Outdoor Access have been advocating for the passage of the SOAR act for the past six years. At this point in the process, it is critical that your Senators hear from you! Let them know that this bill is a priority for climbers, and they need to get the bill across the finish line once and for all.

There are a lot of ways the SOAR act positively impacts the climbing community and will make it easier for more individuals to access recreation. Many people first become introduced to the outdoors through a facilitated experience. Whether that experience is through an outfitter or guide service, an outdoor education organization, a volunteer-based club or an affinity group, each of these organizations are required to have a permit to take groups of people out onto public lands. There is potential for a system that allocates permits in a timely and efficient manner, but the current system is time-intensive, outdated, and overly complex. Due to the complexity of the permitting process, groups who have a robust understanding of the system or who have held past permits are able to retain their access.

Meanwhile, the complexity of the permitting process has been known to discourage smaller volunteer-led organizations that are creating opportunities to connect members of underserved communities to public lands. The impact of this dated process is significant, and it means that fewer people are able to access outdoor spaces, experience climbing for the first time, or gain the mental and physical health benefits that these places offer. In order to ensure truly equitable opportunities for folks to experience public lands, it is critical that we remove barriers to entry created by bureaucracy and administrative requirements. It is past time for this change, and agency leaders are pushing for it. Now we need to motivate Congress to pass this bill.

SOAR Act will:

• Increase recreation access by improving the process of issuing permits to guides and outfitters

• Make more recreation opportunities available by extending the term of temporary permits and creating a program for sharing unused guide days between permit holders

• Reduce barriers to accessing public lands for school districts, city recreation departments, and university groups

• Increase permit system transparency by directing the land management agencies to notify the public when new recreation permits are available and ensuring that agencies respond to permit requests in a timely manner

• Reduce permit fees and costs for small businesses and organizations

• Help control liability insurance costs for permit holders by allowing them to use liability release forms with clients

• And more!

Act This bipartisan bill would be a major win for climbers and recreationists. Write your Senators today asking them to co-sponsor this legislation, and to encourage them to bring this bill to the floor for a vote!

Updates from your Policy Team

Boulderers weaving their way through the Buttermilks. Land of the Northern Paiute, Eastern Mono/Monache, Newe peoples. AAC member Dawn Kish

5 minute read

What Went Down This Fall?

Amelia Howe, AAC Advocacy Manager

As we pack up our sport climbing gear and enter into the winter season, it is hard to believe that we are already one year into a new administration. It feels like just yesterday we were activating our community to vote, and outlining our vision for the newly elected Biden-Harris administration. Now, new priorities have been outlined by the White House, and steps have been taken to act on these priorities. All of these factors impact how we strategize our advocacy efforts, and how you and your fellow climbers can assist us in our work.

Rachel Goldman climbing the steep featured roofs of Hueco
Tanks. Lands of the Tampachoa (Mansos), Ndé Kónitsąąíí Gokíyaa (Lipan Apache), & Mescalero Apache peoples. AAC member Dawn Kish

The American Alpine Club’s (AAC) vision for the current administration was outlined in the last Summit Register. It covered everything from creating a nationwide 30x30 implementation plan, restoring the National Environmental Policy Act, and utilizing public lands management and protections as a tool for fighting the climate crisis and prioritizing equitable access to landscapes and greenspaces. While there is endless work to be done, and much to hold the administration accountable to, there are things worth celebrating as we hit the one-year mark.

Infrastructure

A monumental milestone worth celebrating is the successful passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law on November 15th. While this bill may not sound like anything relevant to climbers, it contains strong legislative support for fighting the climate crisis and supporting public lands.

The public lands system is full of aging infrastructure that has long been neglected. In order to ensure an increase in equitable access to these resources for generations to come, our lawmakers need to prioritize funding for the necessary stewardship and maintenance work. From parking lots to restrooms to individual trails, these critical resources deserve continued attention and support, and luckily, the Infrastructure package works to directly address that need.

The Impact of Infrastructure on Recreation, Climate Action, and Public Lands

While this bill touches on everything from job creation, traditional infrastructure priorities such as bridge and roadway repair, and social infrastructure needs like nationwide broadband access, it also included priorities specifically related to what we advocate for in the recreation space. What exactly did the passage of this bill get us from a recreation, public lands, and climate perspective?

This is what we’re most excited about.

• $100 million for Restoring, Preparing, or Adapting Recreation Sites on Federal Lands

• Investments in Natural Infrastructure

• $250 million to fund the Forest Service’s Legacy Road and Trail Program

• $47 billion in climate resilience measures

• $65 billion in clean energy and power grid-related investments

• $21 billion to clean up decommissioned, or orphaned, oil and gas wells on public and Tribal lands

• $50 million for endangered-species recovery and conservation programs

• $500 million to address forest fire planning, defense, and response

A Note on the Build Back Better Act

The Budget Reconciliation package, or the Build Back Better Act (BBB), was a crucial element to the current presidential administration’s efforts to fight climate change and build national climate resilience. However, negotiating this bill and our national spending priorities have been the major political crux of the year. While the BBB passed in the House on November 19th, recent developments in the Senate indicate that the BBB as it stands faces a significant roadblock, and will have to be reconsidered and renegotiated as a new bill. While this is discouraging for those who were excited to see climate and public lands priorities within the bill, this setback won’t stop us. There is still great reason to get involved, and advocate for the policies that matter most to climbers. One thing is clear, the fight for public lands and climate action is not over.

Though the BBB will no longer exist by the same name moving forward, we need to fight to continue to have our priorities heard as these topics are renegotiated. Here is what we find most imperative and hope resurfaces in a future package:

Key Elements of the BBB for Climbers That We Should Carry Forward

Sara Roudebush and Michelle “Meesh” Van Riper get ready to start the day with a comically appropriate amount of pads for a day of climbing
at the Buttermilks. Lands of the Northern Paiute, Eastern Mono/Monache, Newe peoples. AAC member Dawn Kish

• Funding for the creation and implementation of the Civilian Climate Corps

• Investments in the effectiveness of the National Environmental Policy Act

• Protections for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

• Investment in public land agency climate resiliency

• Mineral leasing act reform

• Bonding reform and decommissioned, or orphaned, wells clean up

While it often feels like decisions made in D.C. are out of our hands, it is critical that we remember we elect these individuals to represent us. We have the power to call or write to them regarding how a decision they made makes us feel. We have the power to re-elect them or to vote them out of office. We have the power to hold them accountable to the needs of our communities. And so many of you already have. You have sent thousands of emails in support of the critical amendments that will ensure public lands remain protected, resilient to climate impacts, and accessible to all. Thank you for supporting these initiatives. We must keep pushing. Keep on the lookout for new ways to advocate for our priorities in the New Year, and ensure your voice is heard.

Myths of the Alpine: An Interview with Author Katie Ives

Katie Ives, Editor in Chief at Alpinist, just published her first book, Imaginary Peaks: The Riesenstein Hoax and Other Mountain Dreams. The AAC sat down with Katie Ives to explore her journey as a writer, her connection to climbing, and the inspiration for her book.

Explore the exhibit below that includes highlights from our interview and assets from the AAC Library that supplement Ives’ book.

*This story is best told with the help of vibrant and dynamic photography. Dive into this Spark Exhibit to see these photos come alive alongside this story.

Imaginary Peaks: A Virtual Book Talk with Katie Ives

About the Book

In 1962 Summit magazine readers were astonished to see a photo of an allegedly unknown range: the “Riesenstein” peaks of British Columbia. The main summit, the mysterious author claimed, remained tantalizingly unclimbed. The editors printed the article, as if missing the clues that its creators had planted to hint that the story was a hoax. During this virtual talk, based on the new book Imaginary Peaks: The Riesenstein Hoax and Other Mountain Dreams, author Katie Ives will be exploring some of the richly varied tales behind the Riesenstein, from the long history of climbers’ obsessions with supposed blanks on maps to the complex motivations of the pranksters who plotted the hoax—and the collective fascination with wild places and mythic mountains that the Riesenstein reveals.

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To get a taste of this upcoming book, the AAC sat down with Ives to learn a little more about her and her writing process. Alongside our interview, we have included holdings from the AAC Library, which are referenced in Ives' book.

The Prescription - December 2021

The north face of Pioneer Peak, showing the route attempted in the incident below. X marks approximate site of the anchor where the climbers were impacted by avalanches. Photo by Cecil Sanders

The Prescription - December 2021

Alaska, Chugach Mountains, Pioneer Peak

Two Avalanches – Rope Cut, Anchor Unclipped

We know that many people don’t read every single report in Accidents—particularly ones that are far from home and more than three pages long. But we want to call your attention to the story highlighted here, both for the lessons it imparts and for the drama of the events—fortunately they ended without a fatality or very serious injuries. A condensed outline follows. We highly recommend reading the full report, starting on page 20 of this year’s book or at this page on our publications website.

On April 15, Fallon Connolly, 26, and Simon Frez-Albrecht, age 28 (both experienced climbers), started up the nearly 6,000-foot north face of Pioneer Peak, northeast of Anchorage, at 5:45 a.m. It had been 37°F at the car. Near the second ice band on the long snow and ice route, about 4,000 feet above the start, Fallon observed signs of what appeared to be fairly recent avalanches on the gully walls. Simon was about 50 feet ahead of Fallon and had nearly reached a position to anchor for the next pitch when he noticed a very small wet loose avalanche come tumbling over the ice above. He yelled down to warn Fallon. Simon was standing to one side of the gully, and it didn’t hit him, but it all washed directly over Fallon; she planted both tools firmly and put her head down to let the snow pass. They estimated the flow lasted 60 seconds.

After the flow stopped, Fallon continued up to where Simon was waiting and they moved together perhaps 50 feet up and to the opposite side of the gully, where there were some obvious cracks in the rock. Here they built an anchor and, given what they had observed, prepared to descend from this point. Simon bounce-tested their bail anchor and then set up their brand-new 7.8mm ropes (pink and green) and threaded them through his device for a rappel. Fallon also pre-rigged her device on the rappel ropes. A number 2 Camalot they had placed temporarily was clipped to the ropes as backup, with a non-locker on a 60cm sling. Fallon remained clipped to the cord masterpoint in the anchor with a locking carabiner as Simon began to rappel. When Simon was about halfway down, Fallon yelled to warn him about another avalanche coming over the ice pitch above.

What followed was an extraordinary “series of unfortunate events”:

Brand-new rope cut during this incident.

• Fallon was knocked off her feet by the slide and left hanging from her tether clipped to the anchor. Her gloves and glasses disappeared.

• Their pink rappel rope broke (likely cut against a sharp edge of rock), but the knot joining the ropes jammed in Fallon’s pre-rigged rappel device, keeping the other rope attached to her and thus to the anchor.

• Simon was pummeled by avalanche debris for one to three minutes. Only a tangle in the green rope kept him from being pulled to the end of the rope by the debris.

• As the slide ended, Fallon stood up at the anchor. Before she could reinforce her tether or anchor the green rope, a second avalanche rumbled over the ice above. This time, Fallon was pulled from the anchor and tumbled down the slope.

Damage to Fallon’s harness when she was hit by avalanches at the rappel stance on Pioneer Peak. The harness likely would have sustained many kilonewtons of force to be damaged this way, yet both it and the anchor held.

• Simon heard and saw the second slide coming and was able to shelter behind a rock outcrop, yet the debris plucked him from this stance and he fell another 100 feet down the snow gully. Fallon slid and tumbled a total of 300 to 400 feet.

Very fortunately, neither climber was buried, swept all the way down the mountain, or seriously injured, and they were able to self-rescue to the road.

In his analysis of the incident, Simon outlined numerous important but subtle clues they missed when they decided to climb this route on a relatively warm day. “We felt we had pieced together enough information to make an informed decision,” he wrote. “I suspected the shed cycle had already happened in the previous warm, sunny days, so there wouldn’t be a significant amount of loose/available snow left on the mountain to slide onto us. I didn’t consider that the freezing at night had been enough to keep the snow locked in place, poised above us.

“Probably the single most obvious clue we missed,” he continued, “was that it had stayed cloudy the night before our climb, preventing the radiant cooling that had dropped night time temps in the previous days. This kept the snowpack wet and near the tipping point when the weak sun struck the face for a couple of hours through the clouds.”

Ten days after the accident, in colder conditions, Simon climbed back to their anchor to try to determine what had happened. He found a sharp edge where the pink rope, oscillating under load during the slide, likely had cut. However, most of the anchor was intact. Fallon’s tether and locking carabiner, which had fallen with her during the second avalanche, also were undamaged. “Why had she come unclipped from the anchor?” Simon wondered. “The only conclusion we can draw is that the screw-gate locker with which Fallon clipped her tether to the master point must have jiggled to the unlocked position during the first avalanche. Then, when she unweighted the tether, the locker must have shifted into a position where it could unclip itself when the second avalanche pushed her back onto her tether.”

A mock setup of pre-rigged rappel devices, where two climbers have set up both of their rappel devices before the first starts down. (Anchor tethers and backups are omitted for clarity.) Click the photo to find a good article exploring the pros and cons of pre-rigging rappels. Photo courtesy of AlpineSavvy.com

Simon might have slid all the way down the mountain during the first avalanche, when the pink rope broke, except for one extra step the two took while preparing to rappel. “Over the last year or two, I have been making a conscious effort to increase my safety margin while climbing,” Simon wrote. “This includes tying knots in the ends of ropes during rappels, using a rappel backup, and using autolocking carabiners and assisted braking belay devices more often. I had recently been toying with pre-rigging rappel devices as well, but was not doing this consistently. For whatever reason, this was one of those times we pre-rigged Fallon’s belay device on the rope, and by snagging the knot joining the ropes after our pink rope cut, it happened to keep me alive.”

Again, we encourage you to read the full report in ANAC 2021 or find it here. We’re grateful to climbers like Simon and Fallon who choose to share such stories, which can be painful or even embarrassing to recount. They teach us that the little things sometimes can make all the difference.

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VIA FERRATA LANYARDS RECALLED

In mid-November, Petzl announced a recall of Scorpio Eashook via ferrata lanyards, sold either individually or as part of a via ferrata kit (lanyard, harness, helmet), because of possible malfunctions in the lanyard’s carabiners. The recall affects lanyards with certain serial numbers and manufactured since January 1, 2021; customers who purchased these lanyards are urged to stop using them immediately. See Petzl’s website for details and compensation information.

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ROCKFALL AND RESCUE IN ZION NATIONAL PARK

Aaron, 42, and Ian, 16 are a father-son team of adventurous climbers from Tucson, Arizona. In June 2021, with lots of exploratory climbing experience under their belts, they headed to Zion National Park to attempt a relatively obscure route on a cliff informally known as Mt. Greer. On the 12th pitch, gunning for the top of the formation, Aaron was leading a gully and chimney system when the rock under his feet crumbled, sending sandstone blocks tumbling down the gully toward his son. Listen to the new Sharp End podcast to hear all about how they got into this predicament—and how they got out.

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The monthly Prescription newsletter is supported by adidas Outdoor and the members of the American Alpine Club. Questions? Suggestions? Write to us at [email protected].

Colorado Policy Update: Protecting the Thompson Divide

Climbers stand up for the CORE Act, protecting the state’s outdoor heritage

by Lea Linse

*this article originally appeared in the AAC Summit Register, Issue 001

Tucked between the Rocky Mountains to the East and red deserts to the West lie 200,000 acres of quiet land known as the Thompson Divide. With its rolling hills, scrub forests, picturesque cattle pastures, and dusty sagebrush, the Divide lacks the grandeur and snow capped summits that you find in the nearby Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. It also lacks the throngs of summer hikers and incessant busy roads, instead offering meandering trails, trickling streams, and only a few quiet roads. Though it sits within an hour drive of the internationally renowned sport climbing mecca Rifle Mountain Park as well as the granite paradise of Independence Pass, I see why the Thompson Divide isn’t on climbers’ radar. It hosts only one small sport crag (a local favorite however), and the quality boulders, sport crags, and ice climbs around the tiny town of Redstone are just beyond the border of the Divide. While rock climbing isn’t going to put the Thompson Divide on the map, the Thompson Divide remains relevant to all of us.

In the last decade, the Thompson Divide gained notoriety as the centerpiece of a fierce grassroots campaign showcasing the importance of public land resources, and the value of citizen engagement in public land management.

The threat to development on the Thompson Divide has been long contested by Western Slope locals. Land of the Ute peoples. EcoFlight

The vast majority of the Thompson Divide is public land, managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the US Forest Service (USFS) for “multiple uses.” This land supports a wealth of agriculture, tourism, and recreational opportunities like hiking, climbing, biking, and hunting. The Thompson Divide has been at the heart of the Roaring Fork Valley ranching community for more than a century, supporting 30+ successful farms and cattle ranches that graze animals on this rich land.

As a kid growing up in Carbondale, I understood early on that my quality of life was greatly improved by the access we had to the outdoors. This meant building forts, going sledding (the Thompson Divide had the best sledding hill around), and eating cheeseburgers from grass-fed beef raised fifteen minutes up the road in the Thompson Divide. In high school, at a time when I was itching for more independence and an escape from teenage drama, the safe and accessible public lands on the Divide allowed me to satisfy those needs through outdoor recreation. There, I learned to backcountry ski, went on my first no-adults backpacking trip with friends, and led my first sport climb.

In the late 2000s, rumors surfaced that a Houston-based company wanted to drill for natural gas in the Thompson Divide. The company owned several natural gas leases there, but had yet to develop them. When leases are developed the impact is noticeable. Development includes the building of new roads, frequent use of heavy machinery and subsequent truck traffic, and multiple wells with automated pumps. The expansive spider web of infrastructure required to service these leases is evident in nearby towns along the I-70 corridor, where, if driving from the Front Range of Colorado to Utah, you could see numerous natural gas wells and related facilities. This sprawling network is even more visible from the air. This development falls mostly within Garfield County, home to Rifle Mountain Park. This county produced more natural gas than any other county in Colorado—sometimes more than twice as much as other leading counties—from 2007-2014.

Natural gas development in the Divide quickly became the talk of the town in Carbondale. There were new articles in the paper almost daily about the topic, which my mom would clip and save for me to read. I remember reading about the newly formed Thompson Divide Coalition (TDC) in 2007, a group that would become the soul of the grassroots effort to conserve the Divide. TDC is governed by a diverse volunteer board of local stakeholders like ranchers, small business owners, and community leaders who all agree on one thing—the Thompson Divide is a place too special to drill for natural gas. They made clear from the start that they weren’t against natural gas development on the whole, and many of them even cringed at being called “environmentalists.” Rather, they simply wanted what was best for their community.

Around the time that the TDC was formed, natural gas development in Garfield County was exploding as a result of technological advances and federal policies that encouraged rapid development. As natural gas wells became more numerous in rural communities such as Parachute, Silt, and Rifle, public health concerns associated with natural gas development were frequently reported by residents.

For example, in 2010, Garfield County released a Health Impact Assessment specific to a drilling plan in the nearby community of Battlement Mesa finding that, “[this] development plan is likely to change air quality and produce undesirable health impacts in residents living in close proximity throughout the community...”. Additionally, in 2011, the nonprofit Global Community Monitor found elevated levels of “22 toxic chemicals,” including hydrogen sulfide in the air near natural gas drilling sites (and rural homes) in Silt. And in 2013, there was a notable benzene leak confirmed in Parachute Creek, near several residential water wells.

Thompson Divide Coalition members speak with a Forest Service representative to encourage the preservation of the Divide. Land of the Ute peoples.

With this backdrop of contamination reports and health complaints, residents near the Thompson Divide were extremely concerned about the impacts of drilling near their homes. Still, research on the topic remained scarce and sometimes conflicting, such as in a 2017 study conducted by the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment that claimed “the risk of harmful health effects (was) low for residents living near oil and gas operations” but called for further research on exposure risks. We know now, however, following the updated report in 2019 by ICF, that emissions near drilling and hydraulic fracturing sites can cause serious negative health impacts.

In addition to health and pollution concerns, one of the strongest arguments for protecting the divide were the economic benefits. Benefits the community argued, relied on the land remaining undeveloped.

An economic impact analysis completed in 2013 found that recreation, agriculture, and tourism—activities that locals argued would be most negatively impacted by natural gas development—collectively contribute nearly 300 jobs and $30 million to the local economy each year. In a town of only 6,500 people in 2013—those numbers make a big difference. These uses of the Divide are also sustainable. They’ve provided for the community for generations and would continue to, so long as the Divide was left free of development. This was an argument that helped to rally a broad base of supporters, well beyond those whose health or property might be affected.

There are many other benefits to not allowing oil and gas in the Divide. Extracting carbon rich fuels and leaching methane into the air is counterproductive to combating climate change. Leaving fossil fuels in the ground is truly a form of climate action. In addition, several of the areas up for lease at the time were federally designated roadless areas. By cutting roads into these pristine areas, natural gas development would disrupt wildlife like deer and elk, pushing them out of critical winter ranges and disrupting their migration and calving grounds.

Five years after the Thompson Divide Coalition formed, the area was as threatened as ever. I knew I had to add my voice to the fight so I started a student led initiative aimed at engaging young people in this local issue. I spoke at a town hall meeting in front of nearly 300 people and later helped organize a student delegation to deliver 1,152 letters from concerned citizens to the BLM headquarters in Silt, CO, asking them to let the leases expire.

These experiences opened my eyes to the challenges of grassroots activism, and the importance of local land managers and government officials. In the case of mineral leasing, almost all of the key decisions that we were concerned about were being made right down the road, in local BLM offices, at county commission meetings, and in town halls by people who lived in our communities, not politicians in far away places. Because of the proximity of decision makers, and our efforts to engage them, I feel we made a significant difference, not only in our community, but in the trajectory of the Thompson Divide debate.

What would be a key decider for the fate of several leases on the Thompson Divide would be the environmental impact analysis the BLM was forced to conduct in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. As it turned out, the BLM’s first analysis was improperly conducted resulting in their issuing of the leases illegally.

When the BLM released the updated draft EIS in November 2015, they received over 50,000 comments—most in support of protecting the Divide and doing away with the illegal leases. For reference, the population of Carbondale and Glenwood Springs combined amounted to less than 20,000 people in 2016, demonstrating the widespread nature of support from all surrounding communities and businesses. On top of that, the BLM hosted 3 public meetings for citizens to raise concerns. One meeting in Carbondale turned out a whopping 240 people on a Wednesday night!

With the consistent outcry from the public, and the updated environmental analysis, the BLM decided to cancel 25 undeveloped leases in the heart of the Thompson Divide—a reality that would not have emerged without the NEPA process.

Though several of the leases in the Thompson Divide have been cancelled, the area has yet to be removed from future leasing. The hope of permanent protection was introduced in a bill sponsored by Senator Bennett in 2017 called the Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Act, which has since been lumped into a larger package called the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Economy (CORE) Act.

The CORE Act could have economic and ecological benefits for regions in CO beyond the Thompson Divide.

The CORE Act, recognizes the economic and ecological benefits provided by public lands like the Thompson Divide, and would permanently withdraw the Divide from new leasing. The Act also introduces protections for recreational opportunities in other locations across Colorado—designating wilderness in the San Juans, protecting climbing areas in the 10 Mile Range and preserving climbing history by establishing a first-of-its-kind National Historic Landscape to honor Colorado’s military legacy at Camp Hale.

The CORE Act, however, has met significant political resistance from certain actors. Representative Tipton, for instance, introduced a similar bill of his own, the REC Act, which is nearly identical to the CORE Act except that it doesn’t include protection for the Thompson Divide. Reportedly, this omission was due to concerns from some of Tipton’s constituents, mainly the Garfield County Commissioners, who have consistently opposed protections for the Divide and sided with oil and gas companies. The Thompson Divide Coalition has implored residents of Garfield County to write to their commissioners and tell them to support protections for the Divide, but with seemingly little result.

It is frustrating to see this resistance continue to perpetuate from Garfield County to higher levels of the government. For example, citing Tipton’s concerns (which drew on Garfield County’s concerns), Senator Cory Gardner is now mounting resistance to the CORE Act in the Senate.

I believe the outpouring of community support, and especially its sincerity, is what distinguishes the Thompson Divide and earns it a place in federal legislation. Not only did residents take every opportunity to provide comments, attend community meetings, speak to their local government face-to-face, and write letters of support; they did so with a unique non-partisan sincerity that is difficult to ignore.

Supporting the protection of the Divide didn’t mean you were against oil and gas development in other areas where the impacts to the community and the local environment were less demonstrable. Nor did it mean you were an “environmentalist.” Supporting the Divide meant you cared deeply about the land, the wildlife, and the well-being of a healthy ecosystem, and that even development of essential mineral resources had to be sensitive to local and environmental needs. As one rancher famously quipped in an interview, “I ain’t no granola-crunching hippy,” but he shared the community belief that the Thompson Divide was too special of a place to drill.

While the Thompson Divide may not be home to one of our nations’ classic climbing areas, the protections afforded by the CORE Act preserve world class recreation all across Colorado. It preserves our climate by keeping carbon in the ground, safeguards public health and protects critical wildlife habitat by maintaining unfragmented forests. Land management challenges like that of the Thompson Divide are not unique, although the landscape is. Agency officials all over the country are making decisions about the future of our public lands and the energy development that occurs on them. Without the continued support of citizens like you, and the leadership of elected officials who share our concern for these places, they won’t receive the protections they rightfully deserve. There’s no time to be a silent bystander, we need to use our voice, go vote and spark the change we want to see.

Veterans Day 2021: The Power of the Outdoors

You may remember AAC Volunteer Lieutenant Colonel Byron Harvison, who was a part of the first AAC Hill to Crag in 2018, bringing veterans into conversations with policy makers to advocate for public lands and conservation. This Veteran’s Day, we checked in with Lieutenant Colonel Harvison, and found that he’s thriving. Alongside his friends, fellow veterans and outdoor enthusiasts, Josh Jespersen, Dustin Kinsling, and Benjamin Davis, Byron has been using the connections he made during the 2018 Hill to Crag to create even more opportunity for veterans to utilize the outdoors as a resource for healing, focus, and new purpose. Jespersen, Kinsling, and Davis founded Veterans Outdoor Advocacy Group (VOAG) in 2019, and they are already making change happen, with even more exciting new initiatives coming down the line. 

Byron Harvison is still on active duty, assigned to State Judge Advocate for the Utah National Guard. He is a lifetime climber, skier, and biker, as well as a dad. He has been deployed multiple times in Afghanistan and Kuwait and has been a long time AAC volunteer, including holding the position of Chair for the AAC Salt Lake Chapter. 

Josh Jespersen grew up in PA as a total ski bum, but at 18 joined the military and served 6 years as a Navy SEAL in Iraq and Afghanistan. On returning home, he moved to CO and threw himself into backcountry skiing and splitboarding. He began to explore the mountains in a way he never had before. Josh started working for nonprofits that were getting veterans outside, and along the way realized that the veterans around him needed to see other veterans carving out new pathways for themselves. Josh felt called to prove that you can go out and do amazing things with your life post-service, that military service doesn’t have to be the last chapter—there are new chapters to write. He decided to push the envelope and set out to ski all of Colorado's 14ers as fast as he could, and Josh ended up setting a record, beating the old record of 361 days, by doing it in 138 days. Besides skiing all of CO 14ers in a single ski season, Josh is currently a mountain guide and avalanche educator. 

As outdoor lovers and athletes, both Byron and Josh, alongside Dustin Kingsling and Benjamin Davis, realized the importance of creating space and opportunity for veterans to utilize outdoor therapy as a resource. Veterans Outdoor Advocacy Group (VOAG) began as a lobbying organization to make that opportunity possible. In 2019, the Accelerated Recovery Veterans Outdoors Act caught Josh’s eye, and he began tracking it, but noticed that it wasn’t gaining any momentum. The bill basically mandated that the Veterans Administration (VA) study the efficacy of adjunct outdoor therapy. In effect, the outcome of this bill would mean that veterans down the line could be prescribed time outside instead of overwhelmingly relying on prescription medication to treat PTSD, drug addiction, or other challenges that many veterans face. For Josh and the others, they couldn’t be happy with looking back in 10 years and not being able to say they had done everything in their power to get this bill passed, because they each personally knew the impact and importance of the outdoors for their own wellbeing. This was a weak point in the VA that this bill could remedy. VOAG was created; and with laser focus, the team lobbied and wrote emails to representatives relentlessly, until the bill was ultimately passed in 2020.  

In 2020, VOAG also created an initiative to train veterans as hunting and fishing guides. Josh and Byron note that outdoor guiding can be a huge source of employment—beyond the value of therapy that VOAG already advocates—for vets as they transition from the military. Moving forward, VOAG is excited to advocate for greater access to AMGA training for veterans, alongside many other initiatives and issues.

This Veterans Day, VOAG is also launching a new program called “31 FOR 31.” 

The 31 FOR 31 project is meant to remember the men who died aboard a CH-47 helicopter on August 6, 2011, call sign “Extortion 17.” Thirty-one Americans and 7 Afghan Nationals were killed when the vessel was shot down in Maidan Wardak Province of Afghanistan. The tragedy resulted in the greatest individual loss of life for the US Forces during the war in Afghanistan. Over the course of 31 weeks, between 1 January, 2022 and August 6, 2022, VOAG and its coalition partners, will take 31 Veterans into the outdoors in various capacities from climbing, hiking, skiing, mountain biking, hunting, and fishing. All of these trips will focus on remembering one of the 31 Americans along with the 7 Afghans who were killed more than 10 years ago in the Hindu Kush Mountains.

For Byron, not only should the outdoors and outdoor therapy be a ready resource for veterans, but veterans are an untapped resource as stewards of the land. As someone who has always felt a calling to serve, Byron has manifested that in his military service, but also in his commitment to the outdoors and his responsibility to the places he plays in. The AAC is so grateful to have volunteers like him who are taking their commitment to climbing and its community-building potential into other spaces, widening the power and accessibility of climbing. And in the spirit of VOAG’s mission, the AAC offers a special discounted military membership for active duty, reserves, and veterans. Learn more here!

If you’d like to learn more about VOAG, check out their website here. Learn more about their new initiative “31 FOR 31” here. And check out this film, featuring Josh Jespersen, to dive deeper into what the outdoors can do for veterans.

The Prescription - November 2021

The Prescription - November 2021

PETE TAKEDA TO EDIT ACCIDENTS BOOK

The American Alpine Club (AAC) is excited to announce Pete Takeda as the new editor of Accidents in North American Climbing. Pete is a longtime climber and expert in all forms of the sport, from single-pitch routes to big walls to mountain climbs around the world. Based in Colorado, Pete has worked as a writer and filmmaker (with a focus on climbing) for much of his life. He also has been a volunteer and Board Director for the AAC, the American Mountain Guides Association, and other organizations. After seven years at the helm of Accidents, AAC executive editor Dougald MacDonald is stepping aside to put more time into the American Alpine Journal and the AAC’s publications website.

Pete already has begun the transition into his role, starting work on the 2022 edition of Accidents. We asked him to share a few thoughts about the publication and his new job.

Q. When did you first start reading Accidents in North American Climbing?

Pete: I started reading Accidents in the mid-1980s. I had just started with serious climbing and found the accident accounts cautionary, insightful, and morbidly fascinating.

Q. What attracted you to the possibility of editing the publication? 

Pete: In 2019, I interviewed Jed Williamson as part of a video project for the AAC. Jed was editor of Accidents in North American Mountaineering (changed in 2016 to its current and more accurate title) for 40 years. He spoke about the publication’s history and provided insights into how accidents have followed trends within our sport. He also had a fascinating analysis of the commonalities of most climbing accidents.    

When the job posting came up, I got excited. Not only was it a chance to become more connected with the AAC, but also it dovetailed with my current book project, and the Accidents editor position is essentially a part-time job, one that gives me time to write—and climb.

Q. One of the things that came across in your interviews—and in your writing—is that you seem like an eager student of climbing, even after so many years in the sport. Do you still feel like you have a lot to learn? 

Pete: I love climbing. I’ve given my life to it. Its disciplines are myriad, and one can never master them all. Each style informs the other. To thrive—and in some cases merely survive—one needs to continually learn. While climbing is unified by an elemental struggle against gravity, each game within climbing has its own physical and mental demands, and a distinct set of rewards. In an age of specialization, climbing offers the practitioner many chances to be a beginner again. When one takes on a different game within the sport, one is reminded of why they fell in love with it in the first place. To me, being a student of climbing for almost 40 years is the greatest gift I can imagine.

Q. We searched the archives, and you haven’t ever appeared in Accidents. But have you ever had a climbing accident yourself—or witnessed one—and how do you think this experience might affect your work as editor?

Pete: I’ve had my share of hospital visits, participated in rescues, self-rescued, and witnessed a dozen serious accidents—some with tragic results. I myself have almost been killed a half dozen times—avalanche, rockfall, exposure, and a few really bad falls. I’ve broken bones, lost teeth, starved, been parched, had AMS, gone snow blind, cut finger tendons, suffered superficial frostbite, and have had three major surgeries. Through all this, I’ve managed to self-rescue, or at least drive myself to the hospital.  

“Big Wall Pete” on the cover of a 1993 issue of Climbing.

I’ve also trained as an EMT, so I have a basic understanding of first-line medicine. My body has fortunately survived my youthful (and middle aged) ego. I’ve gained a healthy respect for climbing hazards, and I do not hesitate to ask partners and professionals for advice and training on best practices. My experiences will hopefully provide a sound understanding of accident mechanisms across all the disciplines of climbing. Having suffered loss and injury, those same experiences should also provide a sense of compassion. 

Q. As a longtime reader, you’ve seen some changes in the book. Do you have thoughts on how it might continue to evolve under your leadership?  

Pete: I have a few ideas, but I’ll need to get up to speed and learn the job. One thing to note is that Accidents in North American Climbing represents more than 60 years of accident data and anecdotal descriptions. These are invaluable and should be put to more use. I feel that trends within climbing can be tracked and analyses made. Perhaps stronger partnerships with educational and commercial entities can create and inform existing curricula. We’re reaching the point where, with the explosion of popularity in climbing, organizations could really begin to use this information.  

Q. People start climbing in such different ways than they did when you started a few decades ago. How can Accidents reach more modern climbers and help to educate them?

Pete: More than any other development, the indoor gym has revolutionized climbing. Most climbers today start climbing in gyms. Some can climb incredibly hard yet lack the very basics we once took as a given. Before 1995 or so, most climbers cut their teeth outside. We learned to use hardware and how to stay safe—or suffered the consequences. My hope is that Accidents might emphasize not only the bad things that happen, but also provide ongoing analyses, inform curricula, and work in partnership with groups like the American Mountain Guides Association, the Climbing Wall Association, outdoor companies, and so on to help educate new climbers.

Pete can be reached at [email protected].

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SHARP END PODCAST: HAZARDS OF INFORMAL INSTRUCTION

Nick Tollison had been climbing for about three years before he headed to Clark Canyon, outside of Mammoth, California, with a friend and a more experienced acquaintance who had offered to mentor them in multi-pitch climbing. After warming up on some single-pitch climbs, the trio decided to break a long 5.8 pitch into two leads, with a midway hanging belay. During the descent, confusion at the midway anchor led to a potentially fatal fall. Learn more about this accident and the aftermath in Episode 70 of the Sharp End podcast.

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ROCKY TALKIE SEARCH & RESCUE AWARD

REMINDER: Applications are being taken for the Rocky Talkie Search & Rescue Award, which will distribute a total of $25,000 to four nonprofit teams from the U.S. or Canada that were involved in a 2021 incident demonstrating their skill, passion, and dedication. Finalists will be chosen by a committee of Rocky Talkie, AAC, and SAR professionals, and the climbing community will vote on the ranking of the final stories. If you’re involved with a deserving Search and Rescue team—or if you were rescued in 2021—please consider sharing your story. Learn more and apply for the Rocky Talkie Search & Rescue Award here!

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The monthly Prescription newsletter is supported by adidas Outdoor and the members of the American Alpine Club. Questions? Suggestions? Write to us at [email protected].

2021 Cornerstone Conservation Grant Recipients

As we look ahead to the future of climbing and the availability of outdoor recreation opportunities for all, the American Alpine Club’s (AAC) Cornerstone Conservation Grant represents our commitment to supporting local climbing communities in their conservation and restoration initiatives.

More individuals, families, and groups are spending time in climbing areas and landscapes, causing added environmental stress and degradations to these places. We look to local climbing communities to identify areas in need of conservation, restoration, and educational resources for visitors.

The AAC Cornerstone Conservation Grant, powered by REI, formally launched in 2011 with the goal of funding projects to improve, conserve, and protect local climbing resources across the country. Since that first year, we have awarded over $250,000 to local climbing organizations (LCOs), land managers and agencies, nonprofits, and individuals for projects as varied as building or improving trail networks to climbing areas; establishing new toilet facilities and signage at trailheads; and deploying a variety of community groups for clean-up and graffiti removal at local crags.

2021 Winners:

Salt Lake Climbers Alliance - Jacobs Ladder Reroute to Lone Peak Cirque

$2,000

The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance, with support from the Salt Lake and Pleasant Grove Ranger Districts, are proposing a reroute on a steep section of unsustainable trail to Lone Peak Cirque known as Jacob’s Ladder. This multi-use trail is perhaps the worst in the Wasatch with erosion up to six feet deep!

Boulder Climbing Community - Avalon Climbing Area Access Trail Project Phase II

$5,000

BCC will reroute the main approach trail accessed by crossing Boulder Creek. The current approach trail quickly leads up a dirt slope that is continually eroding due to user traffic and environmental impact such as water runoff. BCC will realign this approach trail, building a sustainable and durable path within the talus field, ensuring that continued user traffic no longer erodes the vegetated hillside.

Mohonk Preserve, Inc. - Promoting Low Impact Climbing

$3,000

Mohonk Preserve’s increase in climbing activity in recent years have necessitated extra steps for the preservation of climbing areas to avoid environmental damage and climbing accidents. This grant will fund an educational information campaign based on Low-Impact Climbing and Leave No Trace principles to ensure that climbers have the skills to engage with the environment mindfully. 

Carolina Climbers Coalition - Bald Mountain Creek Preserve Bouldering

$3,000

In 2020, the Carolina Climbers Coalition began working with Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land (STPAL) to develop a strategy for publicly permissible bouldering access on their 750 acre preserve called the Bald Mountain Creek Preserve. Located near Burnsville, NC, the Preserve contains 45+ boulders with approximately 250 problems. The Preserve has three boulder fields; McKinney Gap, Weaver Knob, and Buckhouse. With funds from this grant, we hope to build a parking lot that will open the Weaver Knob and the Buckhouse Boulders, and we hope to aid our C4 Trail Team with funding. Currently, Weaver Knob and Buckhouse Boulders do not have any parking and can not be opened to climbing without parking and trail infrastructure.  

Durango Climbers Coalition - Animas City Mountain restoration initiative

$5,000

The funds requested will be used to help La Plata County install two trailhead signs, and three wayfinding signs as well as match a potential grant request from the Access Fund for the development of a tool cache which will allow the DCC to complete necessary trail improvements at X-Rock and other climbing areas near Durango.

Southeastern Climbers Coalition - Education Signage Updates at SCC-owned Properties

$2,000

SCC owns and manages 8 climbing areas across Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. The climbing community continues to grow and more climbers are visiting our properties for the first time, therefore the need for clear signage and accurate property maps is vital to the long-term sustainability of our climbing resources. Using the results from our 2020 resource inventory project, we have identified the need for boundary and trail markers, access road signage and kiosk updates relative to each location. We are partnering with University of Tennessee's IGT lab to create new property maps at several of our climbing areas. SCC is seeking funding to hire a graphic designer to help with design updates as well as to cover the cost of sign printing and installation.

CRAG-VT (Climbing Resource Access Group - Vermont) - CRAG-VT Stewardship Cache Project

$2,500

CRAG-VT is seeking funding to support the procurement of stewardship supplies to match our greatly increased level of volunteer activity. Grant money will be used for purchase of tools, a shed, and stewardship day event materials.

Washington Climbers Coalition - Washington Climbers Conservation Initiative

$2,500

A beginner crag close to a major metro area has seen heavy impacted over the last 4 years. This multi-year project plans to address this by performing trail reroutes, closing none sustainable trails, and installing steps upper steeper portions of the area.

Together We Expand: A Story from the McNeill-Nott Grant

Jewell Lund and Chantel Astorga are known for their impressive ascent of the Denali Diamond (7,800’, WI5+ 5.9 A3 or M6 A1/ M7) on the southwest face of Denali in 2015. According to the AAJ, this was the seventh reported ascent of the route and the first time it had been climbed by an all-female team.

A look into the vault of AAC-grant-funded trip reports reveals that Jewell and Chantel’s partnership was truly cemented in 2014, a year prior to the Denali Diamond, thanks to the AAC’s McNeill-Nott Award and their ascent of Polarchrome (5.7 A1) on Mt. Huntington in the Alaska Range.

This is the story of their Polarchrome adventure.

*This story is best told with the help of vibrant and dynamic photography. Dive into this Spark Exhibit to see these photos come alive alongside this story.

Reflections on the Bears Ears Restoration

A week ago today, the Biden-Harris Administration made the profoundly important decision to honor the voices of Indigenous communities, climbers, and conservationists by restoring protections to three national monuments including Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monuments. The American Alpine Club is thrilled about this action and grateful to our partners who led the charge to protect these important landscapes. We are particularly proud of our friends at the Access Fund, who on behalf of climbers, joined a lawsuit protesting the illegal reduction of Bears Ears and have feverishly lobbied Congress to restore protections to this important landscape. We are also grateful to the Bears-Ears Intertribal Coalition, who have invested innumerable hours of effort defending traditional values, ensuring that Indigenous knowledge is incorporated into future management decisions and ultimately protecting a sacred site significant to many Tribes such as the Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Hopi Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni, and Ute Tribe.

We join our partners today to celebrate their hard work and commend the administration’s commitment to conserving this unique ecological and cultural heritage.

As the first national monument designated at the request of the Tribes, this action is truly about honoring First Nations who have called this landscape home for time immemorial. “This monument designation, under the first Indigenous Secretary of Interior, signals the role that Tribes will play in the future management of federal public lands,” said AAC Board member and founder of Natives Outdoors Len Necefer. “It’s imperative that the climbing community take steps to build a productive relationship with Tribes to ensure that the collaboration between these communities that occurred on Bears Ears becomes the norm.”

PC: Taylor Luneau

Reflecting on his experience witnessing President Biden sign the Presidential Proclamation, Chris Winters, Executive Director of the Access Fund said, “We are absolutely elated that President Biden stood up to protect Bears Ears National Monument and conserve this national treasure. This is a huge win for Indigenous people in the greater fight for America’s public lands. This proclamation not only protects climbing and the vast cultural and scientific resources at Bears Ears, but it also helps to uphold the integrity of the Antiquities Act and protects all national monuments around the country. It also recognizes the importance of outdoor recreation in these places.”

Like so many of you, the staff here at the AAC share a deep connection to Indian Creek and the desert landscape of Southeastern Utah. Previously, our current Policy Manager - then graduate student - penned an article highlighting the illegal use of presidential authority to rescind protections for 85% of the original monument designation at Bears Ears. “It is truly a historic achievement for Tribes and climbers alike” said AAC Policy Manager, Taylor Luneau, in light of the restoration. “Not only are the vast climbing resources of Bears Ears once again protected, but the action contributes to broader conservation goals laid out in the America the Beautiful plan, which strives to conserve 30 percent of our land and water by 2030—an effort that is crucial to combatting the climate crisis and ensuring close to home nature for all Americans.” 

Much like completing a new route, a milestone of this nature is never reached alone. “This success points to the importance of civic engagement, partnerships, and the value of advocating for our shared landscapes,”  emphasized AAC CEO Mitsu Iwasaki. “Thousands of people activated to write letters and call their elected officials, to attend protests and rallies, and to document and share their unique experiences in places like Indian Creek. Now we see the true impact our collective actions can have.” 

PC: Taylor Luneau

“The Biden administration’s recently restored protections for one of America’s most iconic, wild, adventurous, antiquities rich, awe inspiring, and home to Indian Creek, ecosystems - Bears Ears, should be a day of celebration, relief, joy and vigilance,” said AAC Board member Peter Metcalf. “With time, Bears Ears will become as famous and cherished as Yellowstone or Bryce Canyon National parks. We at the AAC should be both most appreciative and proud. Though we have substantial reasons to be appreciative of the administration's brave restoration and proud of our work, we must all now be aware that without committed, focused vigilance, it could be lost again to the banal financial benefit of a few.” 

The AAC remains committed to advocating for the protection and stewardship of Bears Ears and all of our public lands. As a community of climbers, we must continue to steward this important landscape, educate ourselves on low impact recreation and maintain our vigilance during future management decisions for the world class rock climbing of Indian Creek and beyond. Importantly, we must continue to support Tribal leaders and center the voices of Indigenous communities who call this place home.

All the Sweeter: A Story from the Jones Backcountry Adventure Grant

A misty morning bike ride to camp. The remains of an earlier avalanche to keep you on your toes. The whisper of a rogue bear roaming the Park...

Backcountry snowboarding in Glacier National Park never felt so good.

In 2018, amateur splitboarders Jaimie Vincent and team members Kaitlyn, Bryant, and Amanda were able to tour Glacier National Park (GNP) via bike and splitboard, thanks to the Jones Live Like Liz Award. Explore epic images and a thoughtful retelling of their adventure below.

*This story is best told with the help of vibrant and dynamic photography. Dive into this Spark Exhibit to see these photos come alive alongside this story.

Whiskey-Fueled Hopes: A Story from the TINCUP Partner in Adventure Grant

Our adventure partners are our life-savers, our hype-men, our drinking partners, our mentors and educators. We share rain-soaked tents with them, laugh with them, and trade epic stories with them. Our partners in adventure make it all happen.

Thanks to the Partner in Adventure Grant, sponsored by TINCUP Mountain Whiskey, Jamie and Sam made the adventure happen. The two joined forces to take a ski mountaineering course on Mt. Baker, and though there was plenty of learning happening, shenanigans also ensued.

Explore the exhibit below to experience the shenanigans for yourself!

*This story is best told with the help of vibrant and dynamic photography. Dive into this Spark Exhibit to see these photos come alive alongside this story.

The First Ascent of Link Sar: A Story from the Cutting Edge Grant

Photo by AAC Board Member Graham Zimmerman

Link Sar is a 7,041-meter peak in the Kondus Valley of the Pakistan Karakoram, rising above the Kaberi Glacier. By the time Steve Swenson's team arrived in June 2019, at least eight previous expeditions had failed in attempts to make the first ascent of this peak. Finally, in 2019, the dream team of Steve Swenson, Mark Richey, Chris Wright, and Graham Zimmerman made the first ascent of Link Sar, partially funded by the Cutting Edge Grant.

Explore the exhibit below for a first-hand account and breathtaking pictures of the ascent.

*This story is best told with the help of vibrant and dynamic photography. Dive into this Spark Exhibit to see these photos come alive alongside this story.

Hill to (the Original!) Crag: Advocacy at Smith Rock

On Saturday October 2, an array of land managers, local and state politicians, and Oregon business leaders joined climbing advocates for a day of recreation at Smith Rock State Park. The focus of the event was centered around the future of climbing in the Park, and how climbing positively impacts the economy and vitality of Central Oregon’s surrounding communities. This installment of the American Alpine Club’s Hill to Crag Initiative, presented in collaboration with Edelrid North America, has once again used the comradery and intimacy of a day at the crag to forage connections and honest communication with local and state politicians and land managers.  

The AAC’s policy team is committed to illuminating how federal legislation impacts climbers, and our most recent edition of the Summit Register Policy Zine dives deep into initiatives like 30x30 and Protecting America’s Wilderness + Act (PAW+), outlining how these policies can support climate action and conservation efforts that climbers care about across the United States. But the AAC is also well aware of the power of local communities, and how partnerships between climbers and local leaders can pave the way for lasting change. 

At this Hill to Crag event, Matt Davey, the Superintendent of Smith Rock State Park, spent the day alongside Oregon decision makers and climbing advocates, speaking about the challenges the Park currently faces and how we can all come together to work towards a sustainable future for Smith Rock. Due to the robust history of climbing at the Park, climbers had a large impact on the modern day stewardship of this landscape. He informed the group that many of the original trails in the Park were built and maintained by climbers. To this day, that has not changed, as organizations like the Smith Rock Group and High Desert Climbers Alliance take the lead on grassroots efforts to maintain and steward the Park. When asked what climbers can do to positively impact Smith Rock State Park, Davey noted that “the best thing climbers can do is get involved with one of the nonprofits like Smith Rock Group, or their local climbing organization the High Desert Climbers Alliance. Then together as a team they can come together and make the biggest impact.” 

After learning about the history of the Park and the challenges that exist with its maintenance, local leaders and decision makers were invited to try climbing. It was a very special experience to have professional climber and Edelrid Athlete Tommy Caldwell on belay as Bend County Commissioner Phil Chang and CEO of Economic Development of Central Oregon Roger Lee made their way up routes at the Monument Crag. 

Deschutes County Commissioner, Phil Chang

PC: @ofallnationsmedia

Deschutes County Commissioner, Phil Chang

PC: @ofallnationsmedia

Bend resident, renowned alpinist, and AAC board member Graham Zimmerman summed it up best as he witnessed one of his own County Commissioners climbing: “When I see the crew of folks we are hanging out with today I see progress taking place.” Zimmerman has made almost as many trips to DC to lobby in support of climate action and public lands protections as he has into the Karakoram over the years. 

“We’ve talked a lot about common ground and that’s pretty hard to do over a mahogany desk in D.C. whereas here, we are on the common ground. We are here enjoying this space together making experiences and memories. These are the foundations we can create policy change on and talk about initiatives we’re interested in, and create that diverse and equitable world we all want to live in,” Zimmerman said.

Roger Lee, CEO of Central Oregon Economic Development

@ofallnationsmedia

Roger Lee, CEO of Central Oregon Economic Development

PC: @ofallnationsmedia

The day wrapped up at a climber owned and operated restaurant in Terrebonne called The Depot. Jamie and Evan, the owners of The Depot, moved to Central Oregon from the east coast after falling in love with the outdoor access provided by the region, specifically, the access to Smith Rock. According to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, climbing contributed $5.8 million in gross output in 2019, contributing to the outdoor recreation economy’s total value of  2.1 percent ($459.8 billion) of current-dollar gross domestic product (GDP) for the nation in 2019. Showcasing local businesses that exist due to the access to climbing at Smith Rock felt like a special way to demonstrate the impact that climbers have on local economies too.

Due to the new connections and excitement of the day outside at Smith Rock, it was hard to corral the participants to their seats for the final presentations capping off the day. However, once seated, folks were captivated. Alan Watts, a local climbing legend and original developer of Smith Rock State Park shared the riveting history of how climbing in the region has changed over the years. Roger Lee dove into the economic impacts that outdoor recreation has on Central Oregon, and the exciting new businesses that have moved to the region based purely on the access to the outdoors that this corner of Oregon offers its residents. 

Smith Rock Superintendent Matt Davey gives a presentation as Tommy Caldwell listens

PC: @ofallnationsmedia

Tommy Caldwell on Belay

PC: Sam Masters

Tommy Caldwell gives beta toRoger Lee, CEO of Central Oregon Economic Development

PC: Sam Masters

Lizzy Van Patten shared an inspiring presentation about the importance of shifting the narrative of “who climbers are” through increasing accessibility and inclusivity of the sport. Sharing her own story and that of her guiding business She Moves Mountains, based in Central Oregon, she concluded her presentation with a direct ask of our federal legislators: Help make permitting more accessible (and ultimately more inclusive) through the passage of bills like the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act and the Recreation Not Red Tape (RNR) Act.  

“I think that ‘safe’ is not only something that means not hitting the deck. It also means creating safe spaces in which a diverse group of people can participate in our sport. Our systems are dialed for climbing. We know how to belay, how to place good gear, and how to bolt safely. So what we’re working on now is creating that safe space for a broad diverse community.” -Graham Zimmerman 

Thanks to the collaboration of these climbing advocates and local leaders, this Hill to Crag event highlighted that climbers are stewards of Smith Rock and many other climbing destinations; that the growing climbing and outdoor industry is an economic driver for many communities; and due to these factors and more, funding for public lands should be prioritized on the local, state, and federal level. After all, nearly 60% of climbing areas are located on public lands (AF Vertical Times).

““AAC’s Hill to Crag was a great community event on a perfect fall day in Smith Rock State Park. I appreciated getting to connect with local business leaders and climbing legends, and through conversation it was clear just how passionate folks are not only about their sport but also the power of outdoor recreation as a positive force for conservation and the local economy.””

— Cailin O’Brian Feeney, the Director of the Oregon Office of Outdoor Recreation

““As an elected official it was great to join the American Alpine Club and their network for this event to discuss outdoor recreation in my community – the fun and spiritual renewal it brings to us, the contribution it makes to the local economy, and the ways that local governments can support it. Many actionable ideas to steward the environment, enhance recreational amenities, and support my constituents came out of the day and I look forward to diving into that work.””

— Deschutes County Commissioner, Phil Chang

If you are interested in learning more about federal legislation that directly impacts our climbing community, check out the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR Act), Recreation Not Red Tape (RNR), and Environmental Justice in Recreational Permitting Act.

Big thank you to Edelrid North America and the Oregon leaders and changemakers who came out to spend the day with us:

• Cailin O’Brien Feeney, Director of the Oregon Office of Outdoor Recreation

• Matt Davey, Superintendent of Smith Rock State Park

• Phil Chang, Deschutes County Commission

• Roger Lee, CEO of Central Oregon Economic Development

• George Endicott, Redmond Mayor

• Krisanna Endicott-Clark, Redmond City Councilor

• Priscilla Macy, Executive Director of Oregon Outfitters and Guides 

• Adam Baylor, Public Information Officer for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 

• Graham Zimmerman, Bend based climber, alpinist, and AAC Board Member

• Lizzy Van Patten, Founder of She Moves Mountains

• Alan Watts, Smith Rock Climbing Developer and Historian

• Alan Collins, Smith Rock Climbing Developer

• Rachel Greenwald-Rhoads and Maitreya Sriram of the High Desert Climbers Alliance 

• Climbers’ Advocacy Network Volunteers: Alma Baste, Sam Masters, Greg Parker and Daniel Kroth

The Fine Line of Insanity: Stories from the Mountaineering Fellowship Fund Grant

Mountaineering, like most disciplines of climbing, turns out to be a lot more about failing than success. The Mountaineering Fellowship Fund Grant offers opportunities for young mountaineers to cut their teeth on the extraordinary and bold limits of alpinism. But before the cutting edge can be tested, mountaineers have to come to terms with the immense amount of respect, strategy, grit, suffering, and failure that is central to this discipline. In 2013, Mountaineering Fellowship Fund Grant (MFFG) winners Zach Clanton, adventuring in the Alaska Range, and Amy Ness and Myles Moser, adventuring in Patagonia, each respectively took a long look at the “fine line of insanity” that is the flip side of the coin of adventure alpinism. On one side of the coin is the glory of exquisite rock, ice, and a clear summit. The other side is mortal danger. The cutting edge requires riding this fine line of insanity, and doing so with eyes wide open.

Explore the exhibit below to experience the fine line alongside Zach, Amy, and Myles.

*This story is best told with the help of vibrant and dynamic photography. Dive into this Spark Exhibit to see these photos come alive alongside this story.

Ripple Effects: A Story from the TINCUP Partner in Adventure Grant

Thanks to the TINCUP Partner in Adventure Grant, leadership at Chicago Adventure Therapy are making waves to increase equitable access to outdoor climbing. By putting safe rock climbing knowledge in the hands of an organization that is already getting Chicago youth outside, a simple anchor building class can have huge ripple effects that shape the future of our climbing community.

Explore this exhibit to see how the magic happened.

*This story is best told with the help of vibrant and dynamic photography. Dive into this Spark Exhibit to see these photos come alive alongside this story.

The Prescription - October 2021

Cleaning The Fury, the route highlighted in this incident. In order to prevent her swing from pulling the belayer of her feet, this climber has clipped in direct to her lowest draw and then unclipped the belayer’s side of the rope. Once the belayer takes up slack, the climber can clean the draw without causing the belayer to swing. Photo by Johnny Nowell

The Prescription - October 2021

Kentucky, Red River Gorge

Cleaning Error – Belayer Dragged By Climber

My partner (49) and I (33) are very experienced climbers. I had climbed at the Red River Gorge several times, and though it was my partner’s first time here, he has climbed and belayed plenty of steep routes. My background is multi-pitch trad, and his is all sport. We are about the same weight.

On September 8, my partner led The Fury (5.11c sport) at Bibliothek in the Muir Valley. I was tired and didn’t feel like climbing the route, so we decided he would clean it while lowering off. He was clipped into the belayer’s side of the rope with a quickdraw (a.k.a. tramming), as is standard practice when cleaning overhanging routes. At the last quickdraw he said, “You’re going to swing,” so I weighted the rope as much as I could before he cleaned the lowest draw.

I was prepared to swing a few feet, but when he removed the last draw from the route, he was still clipped into my side of the rope. This caused both of us to swing about 20 feet backward. I slammed into a small boulder lying on the ground and then hit a tree. I made contact with one leg just above the ankle, and I think I hit my foot, too. It all hurt right away. I was able to stand and walk slowly, so we hiked out.

I could barely walk for two weeks, and it took months before I was back to climbing. It was not fractured, but likely a severe bone bruise and tendonitis. (Source: Amanda Friedman.)

ANALYSIS

Cleaning the last draw while lowering from an overhanging route is always potentially hazardous, as the climber generally will swing out from the wall. To avoid pulling the belayer into a swing as well, the cleaning climber should completely disconnect from the belayer’s side of the rope before letting go from the wall. The belayer can then brace for the swing before the climber unclips the lowest bolt.

Another option is to leave the first draw on the route while cleaning and then remove it from the ground with a stick clip. (There are video tutorials online for how to do this with most types of stick clips. Here’s a demonstration of quickdraw removal with the popular Betastick Evo.) Muir Valley even has a few stick clips available for climbers to borrow, located underneath the awning by the parking lot. (Source: The Editors.)

This report appears in the 2021 edition of ANAC, where you’ll also find a Know the Ropes feature article describing the ins and outs of cleaning steep routes. ANAC 2019 described a similar cleaning incident in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah. Read it here.

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THE ROCKY TALKIE SEARCH AND RESCUE AWARD

Photo of YOSAR in action by Drew Smith

The AAC has partnered with Rocky Talkie, makers of climber-friendly two-way radios, to highlight search and rescue teams engaged in outstanding missions during 2021. The Rocky Talkie Search and Rescue Award will distribute a total of $25,000 to four nonprofit teams from the U.S. or Canada whose stories from 2021 demonstrate their skill, passion, and dedication. Either SAR teams or rescued individuals can apply; applications are due by January 31, 2022.

The four finalists will be chosen by a committee of Rocky Talkie, AAC, and SAR professionals, and the climbing community will then vote on the ranking of the final stories. The top vote-getting team will earn $10,000 to support their operations! The finalist’s rescue stories will be described in the 2022 edition of Accidents in North American Climbing.

Nonprofit search and rescue organizations perform many of the rescues covered each year in ANAC, and we are happy to help highlight their stories and raise some money to support their vital missions.

Learn more and apply for the Rocky Talkie Search and Rescue Award here!

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BACKCOUNTRY SKI REPAIR: A QUICK REVIEW

Ski touring and winter mountaineering season is right around the corner, so now is a good time to review your repair kit for extended backcountry outings. The sub-three-minute video shown here, featuring IFMGA guide Joey Thompson, offers a quick review of the repair gear he carries and some basic ways to use it. For a deeper dive into the topic, check out this online video and article from ski guide and avalanche forecaster Matt Schonwald. Matt wrote the featured Know the Ropes article about spring and summer avalanches in ANAC 2020. If you missed it, you can read it here.

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TWO ROPES CUT YET THE LEADER SURVIVES

The brand-new Sharp End podcast features a terrifying fall on a long route in El Potrero Chico, Mexico. Rockfall on the ninth pitch of a 5.11 bolted route cut both of the leader’s ropes, leading to a very long fall that fortunately ended on a ledge. The climber, Foster Denney, wrote about this incident in ANAC 2019, and now he has spoken about the fall and his rescue with Sharp End hostess Ashley Saupe.

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The monthly Prescription newsletter is supported by adidas Outdoor and the members of the American Alpine Club. Questions? Suggestions? Write to us at [email protected].

A Big Opportunity to Invest in Climate Action + Public Lands!

AAC is Excited about the Reconciliation+Infrastructure Package: Here is Why

Over the past several months, Congress has been making big moves in order to address the climate crisis through both the infrastructure package and the budget reconciliation process. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our Representatives to allocate serious funding to address the climate crisis and protect public lands. 

There is room within these processes to invest in public lands, take bold action on climate, reform outdated oil and gas leasing processes, and create new pathways for Americans to be employed on public lands. In order to ensure we hold our Lawmakers accountable, we must demand that our elected officials go big on climate. 

Why must we use the budget reconciliation process to go big on climate?

The Senate can pass reconciliation bills with a simple majority vote rather than a filibuster-proof vote. This means that the bill could pass on the grounds of a one-vote majority rather than needing a 3/5ths majority vote which equates to a 60 vote minimum. Given the current 50-50 Democrat-Republican split in the Senate, the budget reconciliation process could allow for an easier path to a whole-of-government approach to taking bold action on climate.

Where are we in the process?

Legislative priorities of the committees who are engaged in the reconciliation process were due to the Senate on September 15. Once all of the individual pieces of legislation are consolidated, the Senate will then vote on the entire package, as will the House. If at that point the House and Senate adopt different reconciliation bills, they must then come together in a conference committee (a committee composed of select senators and house members) to work out the differences between the two. 

Once the budget reconciliation bill is passed by both chambers, the House will then need to vote on the infrastructure package. If the House decides to make changes to the bill, which is likely to happen, the two chambers will once again need to reconcile the differences in committee. Due to these factors, it is hard to predict when the process will reach completion. This is why it is more important than ever to share your thoughts on this process with your Lawmakers.

Amendments AAC is Advocating For:

There are many different things that you as a constituent can advocate to your Representatives for in this process. We have outlined several of the amendments we are most excited about below. At the end of this blog, there is an action alert you can utilize to write your Lawmakers. While sending an email to encourage bold action on climate is great, it is even more powerful to include the things you care about most in the text. Please copy + paste various bullet points that stand out to you as important in the points below. 

1. Support the Civilian Climate Corps (CCC): 

   1. The CCC would be an investment in both people and public lands and is a critical piece of the climate change mitigation puzzle. We must prioritize climate action on public lands as we rebuild our economy. Congress should use budget reconciliation to fund the CCC to work to restore critical ecosystems, address deferred maintenance needs, and advance energy retrofitting on public lands. The CCC has the opportunity to support rural and frontline communities through improving public lands access, mitigating climate risks, and creating new jobs. 

   2. In order for the CCC to reach its full potential, there must be a federal public lands funding component. Congress needs to provide funding to the land management agencies that are explicitly dedicated to the implementation of the CCC projects. If there is no dedicated funding for individual projects, there may not be the budget required to see public lands projects to fruition. We are urging Congress and the House Natural Resources Committee to add a specific budgetary line item to fund these projects in order for the CCC to have its biggest impact. 

   3. Lastly, Congress must ensure that the budget for the CCC accounts for a living wage for Corps members. 

2. Protections for Critical and Sacred Landscapes: Oak Flat + Arctic National Wildlife Refuge!

   1. Please support the investment in shielding Oak Flat, a sacred site of the Apache people in Arizona from the Resolution Copper mine. 

   2. Please support the repeal of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil and gas program as well as the cancellation of all leases that were sold as a result of the previous administration’s lease sale. 

3. Investment in Public Land Climate Resiliency 

   1. Please support the funds being allocated to the individual public lands agencies in order to support the protection, restoration, and resiliency of public lands and resources. Investing in these protections is critical for the economic viability of gateway communities outside of public lands, thousands of jobs, and the support of outfitters + guides who operate their businesses on public lands. 

4. Support Mineral Leasing Act Reform

   1. It is reassuring to see thoughtful amendments to the Mineral Leasing Act included in reconciliation. There must be a fair price, and economic return, established for leasing minerals on public lands, and the price has historically been too low. Please support the proposed increased cost of acreage and the requirement that once every 4 years the dollar amounts pertaining to mineral leasing on public lands are assessed for inflation and market needs. Additionally, the effort to shorten the mineral leasing terms is a good step in the right direction, please support these amendments.     

5. Protect NEPA!

   1. Please support the funds being allocated to increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the National Environmental Policy Act. In order for NEPA to be most effective and ensure that projects are subject to thorough environmental review, there is a need to add capacity via additional funding and personnel. 

6. Bonding Reform and Orphaned Wells Clean up: Create New Jobs! 

   1. We are glad to see $4.7 billion for orphan wells clean up in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework. This funding represents a great start toward addressing a massive, country-wide clean-up need. 

   2. We must also address the system that creates these wells in the first place, so we are not faced with the same situation down the road, continuing to leave taxpayers with the cleanup responsibility for the industry’s mess. 

   3. It is crucial to pass the landmark updates to the federal oil and gas bonding requirements, to help better cover the cost of clean-up. This will save the federal government and taxpayers money, and act to prevent future orphaned wells while protecting communities, creating jobs, and combating climate change. 

   4. The BLM does have the authority to raise federal bond amounts, but the agency has failed to do so. Congress must act to ensure that bond updates are in statute, and not dependent on an agency that has failed to address this issue for decades. 

   5. A 2019 GAO report found that current federal bonding requirements for oil and gas operators are inadequate and outdated. These must be updated. Bond amounts have not been updated since the 1950s and 1960s, and have never been adjusted for inflation, nor advances in technology that increase reclamation costs.

7. Carbon Pricing 

   1. We support the inclusion of an adjusted carbon pricing system within budget reconciliation. Starting with a low price (~$20/ton) and increasing after five years will incentivize clean energy production and consumption. As well as a border adjustment tax that will put the United States at a global advantage as we see a shift towards carbon taxation and climate action overseas.

   2. The use of carbon tax funds to pay for other climate policies. This will offset the total cost of climate action. 

   3. Full investment in an updated electric grid to decrease carbon in power production and increase disaster resilience. 

   4. Invest in financially and physically accessible electric vehicles and charging stations through tax rebates and infrastructure investments. 

The Prescription - September 2021

Photo of Leaning Tower by Meros Felsenmaus

The Prescription - September 2021

Yosemite Valley, Leaning Tower

Two climbers attempting the West Face of Leaning Tower in June decided to descend after arriving at Ahwahnee Ledge (the top of the fourth pitch), due to excessive heat and sun. While rappelling the very overhanging first pitch with the haulbag, Climber A rappelled over a small roof and got too far away from the wall to reach the ledge at the bottom of the pitch, despite clipping some directionals during his descent. (The West Face route is approached by a ramp that traverses onto the face, so the first anchor is far above the ground.) Since the climber could not reach the ramp, he continued rappelling to a lower ledge. This ledge had no permanent anchor, and Climber A was not carrying the right pieces to construct a solid anchor. With no way to anchor the haul bag, he could not detach it from the ropes nor reascend the ropes to reach the ramp.

During their descent, the two climbers had called Yosemite Search and Rescue to request some advice. Climbing rangers were able to assist them over the phone with their first rappels, but soon decided to send SAR members to Leaning Tower in case further assistance was needed. When SAR members arrived, they fixed a rope and lowered it to Climber A, and he was able to leave his haul bag and jumar out. They then secured the team’s rappel ropes to the ledge so the second climber could rappel directly to the approach ramp. The ropes and haulbag were retrieved later that day.

ANALYSIS

The Leaning Tower is one of the steepest big walls in North America, the lower half of which overhangs at an average angle of 110 degrees. The West Face has been the site of numerous rappelling difficulties, and while Climber A did utilize some directionals, he extended one piece with a long runner and soon found himself too far from the cliff to place more directional pieces. (Source: Yosemite National Park Climbing Rangers.)

The report above and the how-to sidebar that follows will appear in the 2021 edition of ANAC, which is being mailed to AAC members this month.

THE ART OF THE BAIL

Rappelling with a Haulbag: Advice from a Yosemite Ranger

Bailing off a steep route is a nearly inevitable outcome if you climb enough walls, so it’s best to know how to get down safely before you find yourself dangling in space, wishing you knew what to do. Yosemite climbing rangers advise the following techniques for rappelling overhanging routes with a haulbag.

(1) The first person descending should rappel on a fixed single strand of the rappel ropes with a Grigri or a similar locking device, clipping both strands of the ropes to directional pieces to keep them close to the wall. They should also carry equipment to reascend the fixed rope in case of getting too far from the wall or rappelling past the anchor.

(2) When the first person arrives at the lower anchor, they should feed out five to ten feet of slack rope, tie a knot with both ropes, and clip the knot to the anchor. This will close the system for the second rappeller and allow the second person to pull themself into the wall to unclip directionals on their way down and to pull into the anchor at the end of the rappel.

(3) The second rappeller should untie the fixed strand from the upper anchor or undo any knot-blocks, and then rappel both strands as normal, using a tube-style device (such as an ATC) and a third-hand backup. They can unclip and clean the directional pieces as they descend. The second person down should carry the team’s heaviest gear (haulbag, etc.), because the tube-style device produces a smoother rappel than a Grigri. They should not have any reason to reascend the ropes because they will be fixed to the lower anchor. —Christian Black, Yosemite National Park Climbing Ranger

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ANAC 2021 IS COMING SOON!

Production delays at the printer pushed back the delivery schedule for the new edition of Accidents in North American Climbing, but the books have finally arrived at our mailing house in Denver. Boxes are now being filled and books will start going into the mail and onto retailers’ shelves over the next couple of weeks. Thanks for your patience!

The 2021 Accidents includes a new 15-page section documenting and explaining avalanche incidents involving backcountry skiers and snowboarders. We hope you’ll find it to be a useful addition—let us know what you think at [email protected].

Not yet a member of the American Alpine Club? You can order a print or digital (PDF) copy of the 2021 book at the AAC online store.

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ALTITUDE AND VISION SURGERY

Researchers at the University of Washington, University of New Mexico, and the University of Tübingen (Germany) are conducting a research survey to estimate how commonly vision changes occur while traveling to high altitude after vision correction surgery. The goal is to gather information that can help other climbers and trekkers choose the right surgery for them. If you’ve had vision correction surgery and have since traveled to high altitude, you can help by completing an anonymous online survey. Further information about the project and the survey itself can be found by clicking on this link.  

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DANGEROUS HAILSTORM IN THE BLACK HILLS

A sudden July storm caught Ed and three other climbers near the top of Waves, a two-pitch route near Mt. Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota. In the face of 50 mph gusts, plunging temperatures, and golf-ball-size hail, getting off the climb was a test of experience, concentration, and teamwork, as you’ll hear in Episode 68 of the Sharp End podcast.

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The monthly Prescription newsletter is supported by adidas Outdoor and the members of the American Alpine Club. Questions? Suggestions? Write to us at [email protected].