AF E-News #38 - December 2003
The Access Fund
your climbing future
E-News Online ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
IN THIS ISSUE:
1. US House of Representatives Supports Favorable Policy for National Park Service Management of Fixed Anchors in Wilderness
2. New Jersey Access Issues
3. Access Fund Affiliate Web Page Updated
4. Check out the AF Member Handbook Online
5. Access Fund Memberships and Merchandise for the Holidays
6. Featured Corporate Partner -- PETZL
7. Access Fund Membership Incentive Program (MIP)

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1. US House of Representatives Supports Favorable Policy for National Park Service Management of Fixed Anchors in Wilderness
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In addition to a similar Congressional support letter climbing advocates obtained from the US Senate in November, seven members of the US House of Representative recently signed onto a support letter urging the National Park Service to implement a reasonable policy authorizing new fixed anchors in NPS-managed wilderness. Over 30 members of the outdoor industry the environmental community and climbing advocates also signed a similar letter last summer.

The House letter was signed by National Parks Subcommittee Chairman George Radanovich (CA), Energy and Commerce Chairman W. J. Tauzin (LA), Energy and Mineral Resources Chair Barbara Cubin (WY), National Parks Subcommittee Member Mark Souder (IN), Western Caucus Chairman Chris Cannon (UT), Utah Member Rob Bishop, and Mike Simpson and Butch Otter of Idaho. Download a copy of this letter at
http://www.accessfund.org/pdf/FA_letter_12-3-03.pdf

In upcoming months the Access Fund will be working with other climbing groups and members of the outdoor industry to produce and implement a wilderness climbing education initiative to get the word out to wilderness climbers about the status of climbing policies and restrictions in designated wilderness and basic Leave No Trace practices in the backcountry. For more information, contact Access Fund Policy Director Jason Keith at jason@accessfund.org.

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2. New Jersey Access Issues
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Access NJ, a grassroots organization focused on climbing access issues in New Jersey announced the following issues that will be addressed in 2004 and into 2005. Visit their website at http://www.climbnj.com. Help is needed for a variety of issues and situations. Meeting dates and locations to be posted and the status of climbing access issues in NJ. See http://climbnj0.tripod.com/ for contact information on your local legislator.

a. Cradle Rock
After discrete discussions w/ local landowners a local climbing organization is being formed to address possible permanent access to the Cradle Rock Boulder Field. This local climbers organization's sole purpose is to anchor, examine and evaluate issues needed to regain access to the boulder field.
Contact: John Anderson at: ingvarja@cwenj.com for additional information.
b. Legalization of Rock-Climbing on NJ's State owned and managed lands.

Climbers need to be openly active in this area. 90% of climbing in NJ takes place in the NJ Highlands.
Access NJ is now part of "the Highlands Coalition" see http://www.highlandscoalition.org/
State of NJ web Site on the Highlands: www.savethehighlands.org

c. Upcoming Meetings and Passive Legislative Issues
Saturday: January 24, 2004 - Weiss Ecology Center Parking Lot - details to be posted.
Future meeting dates and times to be posted on the www.climbnj.com web site.

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3. Access Fund Affiliate Web Page Updated
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Thanks to the hard work of Deanne Buck, AF grassroots coordinator, the Access Fund Affiliates web page has been updated to make it easier for you to find your local climbing organization. Organizations are now listed by state at
http://www.accessfund.org/whoweare/who_lco.html.

An Access Fund Affiliate is a volunteer-based local climbing club, organization, association, or access committee working in unison with the Access Fund to keep climbing areas open and to preserve the climbing environment. The Access Fund provides organizational start-up assistance, project grants, and resources to Affiliates. Affiliates also support the Access Fund through stewardship events and membership drives. To add your local climbing club, organization, association, or access committee to this list, email deanne@accessfund.org

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4. Check out the AF Member Handbook Online
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The Access and Conservation Member Handbook is a complete source of information about access issues, Access Fund programs, letter writing and other advocacy tools, and a primer on ways to get involved at your
local crags. Look inside for:

- Tips for writing political action letters. Personal letters from the climbing community often make a real difference in public policy debates.
- A complete list of the Access Fund's staff. The staff is always ready to help you with access issues or stewardship work in your area.
- Guidelines about how to climb responsibly and minimize the impacts of climbing on the environment, on land managers, and on other climbers and visitors.
The Member Handbook is updated regularly and available for downloading as a PDF file at: http://www.accessfund.org/pdf/memb-handbook.pdf

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5. Access Fund Memberships and Merchandise for the Holidays
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Haven't come up with a gift for your climbing partner yet? Running out of ideas for those climbing buddies who have more gear than they know what to do with? How about giving the gift of an Access Fund membership? Sign up someone on your list at https://www.accessfund.org/secure/joinnow/join_indiv.php

Or if you are looking for the perfect stocking stuffer, the Access Fund O'Piner is an essential tool that every climber should have. Why? 1) It opens tasty bottled beverages. 2) It doubles as a hook for that last dicey A4 placement. 3) It sports our logo etched into a cool replica piton.

NEW: Access Fund women's shirt -- tapered for feminine fit. High quality preshrunk 100% cotton Silver brand shirts designed for a snug fit and ideal for steep sport climbs, bold runouts, tendon-tweaking boulder problems or just hanging out. Canary yellow with Access Fund logo on front and mandala art on back. Available while supplies last. (Sizes S-XL) $20.

Crazy Creek Chairs Blowout! While they last, we are selling these chairs for $15 (50% off retail!)

All merchandise can be purchased at https://www.accessfund.org/secure/gear.pl

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6. Featured Corporate Partner -- PETZL
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"Petzl is proud of our 13-year relationship with the Access Fund. The importance of supporting THE national climber advocacy group cannot be understated. The AF has a proven track record that we are reminded of every time we climb in areas like Indian Creek, the New River Gorge, Castle Rocks State Park, and the Red River Gorge."
--John Evans, Petzl Marketing Director

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7. Access Fund Membership Incentive Program (MIP)
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Climbers who join the Access Fund or renew their membership in 2003 at a minimum level of $50 will reap the following benefits:
MIP Levels and Benefits:
$50 - Access Fund T-shirt
$100 - T-shirt & 1yr subscription to Outside Magazine
$250 - T-shirt & Black Diamond Moonlight headlamp with AF logo
$500 - T-shirt & North Face Redpoint jacket with AF logo
$1000+ - T-shirt & 60m Maxim "Dry" rope
Join/renew your Access Fund membership or find out more about the MIP at
https://www.accessfund.org/secure/joinnow/join_indiv.php

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