Following weeks of controversy surrounding a proposal to quarry a popular and longstanding multi-pitch granite climbing area in Montana’s Bitterroot Mountains, the US Forest Service extended the public comment period to July 31, 2007. In early June climbers got word that the Darby Ranger District was considering Ravalli County’s application for a special use permit to operate an industrial quarry for ten years in Lost Horse Canyon. In late June Access Fund Policy Director Jason Keith traveled to Montana to meet with climbers, Ravalli County Commission, the US Forest Service, and the staff from US Senators Tester and Baucus to urge reconsideration of this unreasonable proposal. After climbers, wildlife enthusiasts, and local homeowners and businesses complained, the Ravalli County Commission is taking another look at whether to pursue the project. For more information see the Bitterroot Climbers Coalition website http://bitterrootclimbers.org/news/, and the Access Fund’s comment letter opposing the mine www.accessfund.org/pdf/losthorse.pdf.

Lost Horse Canyon is considered by many climbers to be the gem of the Bitterroot National Forest. A traditional-style climbing Mecca complete with multiple 100 foot pitches, a plethora of incredible cracks and the rare occasional pin or bolt-protected crux leading to solid anchors. On par with some of the best pitches in places like Tuolumne, splitter cracks and crisp edges rise above the pristine emerald waters of Lost Horse Creek with the rugged summits of the Como Peaks and Tin Cup Ridge towering to the south. Similarly, Yosemite-quality boulders litter the magical Ponderosa and Fir forests along the valley bottom. The Forest Service wants to set up an industrial site for operating the quarry from Oct-April for the next 10 years. Gates, closures, heavy equipment operation and expansion of the footprint of the quarry are planned. Re-activation of the quarry will negatively impact the scenic nature of the area, produce noise, disrupt wildlife such as migrating herds and peregrine falcons (which nest on the cliff), create a bigger footprint scar in the area and basically make the area too dangerous or impossible to climb at.

The Lost Horse Quarry proposal would also work against US Forest Service policy that seeks “action toward enhancing America’s public lands and recreation resources” by destroying the recreational resource at Lost Horse and ignoring the needs of the recreation community in Montana and those that visit from abroad. A new industrial quarry site at Lost Horse will also choke off visitation that will, in turn, dry up tourist dollars in the Darby-Hamilton area of the Bitterroot Valley. Home values near the gravel plant or new trucking route will also be negatively impacted. This mining proposal does not recognize or consider the unique recreational asset of Lost Horse. Many climbers and other users enjoy Lost Horse every month of the year, and even if climbers are somehow accommodated, the USFS grossly underestimates the safety and access issues at Lost Horse.

Zion National Park Accepting Public Comment on Backcountry Climbing Policies, UT

The National Park Service’s plan for managing backcountry activities in Zion National Park, including some of the country’s most significant adventure big wall climbing, remains open for public comment through July 29. In May the park released its draft alternatives for managing 145,060 acres in Zion, which include recommended and potential wilderness, “and any technical rock climbing areas regardless of where they occur in the park.”

The Access Fund generally supports the park’s Proposed Action/Preferred Alternative B which continues existing policies (including seasonal closures to protect raptors and other protected resources) and will also “encourage . . . access to climbs on established and marked routes.” The NPS plan would not seek to monitor or otherwise limit the number of new climbs, but because of the wilderness management at Zion, the NPS will prohibit power drills and discourage excess bolting. Various other provisions in the draft BMP address overnight bivouacs, human waste, fixed ropes, access trails, and canyoneering (which faces increased restrictions) in the backcountry. For additional BMP details, see http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkId=113&projectId=13678&documentID=19085. The Access Fund’s comment letter on the Zion BMP can be found at http://www.accessfund.org/pdf/ZionBMP.pdf.

The NPS at Zion will take comments to its proposed Backcountry Management Plan through July 29 at:

Zion National Park
Attn: Backcountry Management Plan/EA
Springdale, UT 84767

Or online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov.

AREA UPDATES

Dogs: A Continued Access Problem in Red River Gorge, KY

By Bill Strachan, Executive Director, Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition

Muir Valley Nature Preserve is a 400-acre piece of private land with 7+ miles of cliff line near Red River Gorge, Kentucky that the owners, Rick and Liz Weber, graciously opened for climbing development. Upon opening the area to climbing they instituted the following rule with regards to dogs:

“Dogs must be kept on leashes at all times everywhere in Muir Valley. They must be restrained at the base of climbs such that they cannot interfere with and/or distract belayers or damage plants in the area”

Due to continuing problems with dogs at Muir Valley, Rick Weber posted the following announcement on the www.redriverclimbing.com website:

“Effective January 1, 2008, dogs will no longer be permitted in Muir Valley. This date can and will be moved up if flagrant infractions and incidents continue. Until then, dog owners who disregard the leash rule will lose visitor privileges.”

Climbers not following the dog rule at Torrent Falls were one of the primary reasons that public access to climbing there was closed. Again, we are reminded of why it is important to know and follow all rules when climbing regardless of whether on public or private land. If these rules are ignored, more restrictions or even closure may follow.

Support Hunterdon County Bouldering

John Anderson, Access NJ

In response to Hunterdon County's anti-access stance, Access NJ is holding a one-day (unsanctioned) Vulgarian Music Fest here NJ. Date TBD

Some music groups have made commitments to play. Others are welcome.

Free Music, Food and Drink. Pig roast, bouldering contest, strategy sessions, etc.....

Contact Access NJ if you're interested in attending. info@climbnj.com

Support access on NJ's public open space lands. Gig out.

Re-Cap of Grand-Opening Event

By Todd Smith, ACSD

ACSD’s official grand opening to the public was a huge success! Over 140 people showed up, joined as members, and helped us celebrate San Diego’s first climbing non-profit organization dedicated to keeping San Diego climbing open for future generations. Support and donations from vendors and individuals, allowed us to generate over $5,000! These much needed funds will go toward purchasing tools for service projects, paying for costs associated with working with public land managers on access issues, maintaining our website, and of course organizing more projects, events and fun things for our members to participate in. Whether you contributed the minimum amount or a whole lot more, you are playing an important part in San Diego’s climbing future. Thanks again to all our supporting vendors and for joining the ACSD. If you did join as a member, please plan on attending our first public meeting at REI San Diego (5556 Copley Dr. 92111) on Tuesday, July 24^th. If you didn’t make it to the Opening, and want to join as a member and find out more, either fill out a form on our website, or come by the public meeting. See you then! www.alliedclimbers.org

AF NEWS

Access Fund—4 Star Rating

The Access Fund has achieved Charity Navigator’s (the country’s premier charity evaluator) highest rating of 4 stars. Less than a quarter of the country’s charity organizations have received this highest rating.

This “exceptional” designation indicates that the Access Fund outperforms the majority of nonprofits in America with respect to fiscal responsibility. We put your money to work, doing what you want it to do: keep climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment.

Members—thanks for your continued support!

8th Annual Adopt-a-Crag 2007

Picking our way up The Nose

We’ll be measuring our progress this year by picking our way up The Nose of El Cap, reaching for our summit goal of 130 events.

So far, 53 events have been registered. Not bad, but not great. Climbers are known for last minute decisions and have even, shockingly, been called slackers…this is not the time!

Centered on community and stewardship, Adopt-a-Crag reaches beyond the sum of its parts. In addition to bringing local climbing communities together and conserving our climbing environments, Adopt-a-Crag also serves to teach stewardship-by-example to the younger generation, improve relations with land managers and owners, strengthen the reputation of the local and national climbing community, and increase our autonomy as a self-governing user group.

Are you organizing or participating in an Adopt-a-Crag this year? If you consider yourself a climber, then you should. Adopt-a-Crag is one of our most powerful advocacy tools because it gives decision makers firm numbers of how climbers take care of the places we play.

Help us reach our goal of 130 events and register your Adopt-a-Crag event today. Trash clean up? Trail maintenance? Hardware replacement or climber signage? Invite the local community out to celebrate their crag!

To register an event or find one in your area visit:

www.accessfund.org/adopt

For more information contact Deanne Buck:

303-545-6772 x112, deanne@accessfund.org

Yourclimbing.com's boulderProject Video Contest

Well Katie Brown and YourClimbing.com want you to tap into your inner Spielberg to help build the boulderProject Video Library!

They're holding a contest calling for videos that promote the boulderProject philosophy demonstrating how climbers, the environment, and access are all connected.

Time to get creative! Take the boulderProject theme (Climbers, the environment, and access are all connected) and come up with your own video, then post it on YourClimbing.com for a chance to win both an Osprey Aether 60 pack www.ospreypacks.com/Packs/AetherSeriesMens/Aether60/ (valued at $219) and an Osprey Daylite pack www.ospreypacks.com/Packs/SideOrders/Daylite/ (valued at $50)—not to mention fame as producer of the latest boulderProject video!

For more details and advice check out YourClimbing.com’s contest page www.yourclimbing.com/contest-access_fund_boulder_project_video_contest.

A big thanks to YourClimbing.com from the Access Fund!

Refer-a-Friend

It’s Easy: Know a climber who’s not a member? Get them to join and receive free stuff. The more people you get to join, the more free stuff you get!

Every time your name is entered as a referrer, you are entered into a contest to win a rope.

PLUS

· REFER TWO FRIENDS and receive a Nalgene Flask.

· REFER FOUR FRIENDS and receive a Nalgene Flask and a dri-release wool T-shirt from Outdoor Research.

· REFER SIX FRIENDS and receive a Nalgene Flask, a dri-release wool T-shirt from Outdoor Research, and a North Face merino wool beanie cap.

PLUS

The two top referrers will receive a bonus gift package worth over $150.

REFER your friends by sending them to this NEW link:

www.accessfund.org/AFfriend

· If they become a member, they are also entered into a contest to win a free rope.

· They must enter your name in the “Referred by” box on the join form in order for their membership to count towards your total tally.

· Awards will be sent on a monthly basis as your referrals accumulate.

· Program will reset January 1.

· The Access Fund reserves the right to substitute any gift based on availability.

It’s in the Bag…or at Least It Should Be

The Access Fund has been talking for a while about human waste containment systems and encouraging climbers to use these poop bags when in the wilderness. With a successful distribution pilot program in Indian Creek, land managers are taking notice that climbers are proactive about their impacts.

The Access Fund maintains that human waste containment bags should be in every climber’s pack or pad. There’s no reason to dig a scat hole and stink the place up. Poop bags keep our crags clean and land managers happy.

It may be difficult to get yourself to actually go out and buy a human waste containment system so here’s an incentive to get your crap together: 25% off from Access Fund Corporate Partner RESTOP.

www.accessfund.org/secure/store.php You’ll need your membership number to login to the memberSHOP and then click on the RESTOP logo.

EVENTS

Make any event an Access Fund fundraiser and/or member drive. It’s so easy—register your event online and we’ll set you up with everything you need! www.accessfund.org/events/eventreg.php

Also, register your crag clean-ups as an Adopt-a-Crag to strengthen our communal efforts. Adopt-a-Crag is the largest climber volunteer effort year after year and land managers notice. Be a part of it! www.accessfund.org/cons/aac.php

**A big thanks to these recent Access Fund Fundraisers that went the extra mile bringing in tremendous money and members helping to keep your climbing areas open and conserve your climbing environment!

In keeping with “everything helps”, Paul Morley, a fine Southern friend of the Access Fund decided to make his latest get together an Access Fund fundraiser. The keg arrived, his friends threw down, and when the dust settled the next morning they had a wad of cash to donate to the Access Fund. A huge thanks Paul. You’re always doing your part plus 10!

Having a BBQ with a bunch of climbing buddies this summer? Think about passing the hat around for the Access Fund. Or charge a “spray tax” for every time some starts spraying at your party (hey AF staff…BTW, I’ve just put a spray bucket in the lobby…this is now officially a spray free zone…every time anyone sprays it’ll cost you a dollar…we’ll probably raise enough money on our own to pay off Murray-Pendergrass).

AF THROWDOWN—partners and members—the Access Fund staff challenges you to say no to spray. Make your office, car, or personal space a spray-free zone and charge anyone who sprays in your presence a “spray tax”.

Whoever raises the most money will receive a handmade crown made by AF staffers as well as a box-o-swag. This is not a contest—it’s a challenge.

Challenge expires September 1^st, 2008. Send in your money postmarked by September 2^nd to:

The Access Fund

Attn: Spray Tax

P O Box 17010
Boulder CO 80308

[DB—Hey Robb, this is a stoopid contest because people will stop spraying when they’re charged the tax and then we won’t raise any money]

[RS—Hey Deanne, when it’s your turn to come up with the contest you can think of something better. BTW, sprayers can’t stop themselves. It’s like a virus. We’re gonna empty the pockets of some people…like Climbing, Rock & Ice, and Urban Climber…Sportiva, Black Diamond, and Petzl…those guys are all gonna be outta beer money by September 1. Guaranteed.]

[DB—Fine]

Events Calendar

08/03 Lover's Leap, CA. The Lover's Leap Clean Up hosted by the Solid Rock Climbers for Christ. 9am to 1pm. A free dinner and gear giveaway (including a rope) will be offer to all participates at 6pm in the Lover’s Leap Campground. Local contact: Brad Dorton, brdukeskadi@hotmail.com , Calvin Landis, info@srcfc.org

08/04 Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve, KY. The 3rd Annual John Bronaugh & Alex Yeakley Adopt-a-Crag Day hosted by the Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition. Bill Strachan, cpstatyk@pipeline.com

09/13—09/16 Salt Lake City, UT. HERA Ovarian Cancer Climb4Life www.herafoundation.org

09/15—09/16 Pocatello, Ross Park Climbing Area, ID. Pocatello Pump www.isu.edu/outdoor/pump.html

MEMBER BENEFITS

Get member only discounts on all the new stuff in the Access Fund MemberSHOP! www.accessfund.org/membershop

New Men's T-shirts

100% Organic Cotton prAna T-shirts. Those old T-shirts you've been wearing have more perforations than Swiss cheese at City of Rocks. By purchasing our T, you can rebel against corporate dress codes and battle for climbers' rights at the same time. Artwork by Jeremy Collins. Sizes S, M, L, XL. $20 non members/$18 member price NOW IN STOCK!

New Women's T-shirts

100% Organic Cotton prAna T-shirts. Designed for a comfortable fit and ideal for steep sport climbs, bold runouts or just hanging out. Artwork by Jeremy Collins. Sizes S, M, L. $20 non members/$18 member price NOW IN STOCK!

Pass It On!

www.accessfund.org/membershop

Discounts on RESTOP Waste Bags:

Does a bear S#!@t in the woods? Yes, but we should pack ours out. Access Fund members receive 25% off RESTOP bag systems for human waste and other products.

Higher Ground Coffee Access Fund Blend Ten Percent of proceeds fund preservation and maintenance of our climbing areas.

Did you know that Access Fund members receive free shipping on web orders from Mountain Gear? You must access the Mountain Gear site through the AF MemberSHOP after you login.

Buy a CLIF Bar Cool Tag Renewable wind energy credit keeps about 300 lbs of CO2 out of the air and helps the Rosebud Sioux Tribe build a wind farm in South Dakota

AF Extras

Cruise to the AF website and play ASANA PackWorks' video game Gunther's Big Day www.accessfund.com/extras/game.php Click through to ASANA's site to purchase the full version. $10 from each purchase made through this link will be donated to the AF. Go Gunther! Thanks ASANA!

AF Ambassador Timmy O’Neil “takes care of business” in Indian Creek www.accessfund.org/extras/tic.php

Access Fund Ambassador Chris Sharma sending a first ascent in the boulderProject promo spot at www.accessfund.org/extras/promo.php

Combined Federal Campaign

Are you a federal employee? Did you know you can donate to The Access Fund through the federal government's Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)?

Federal employees, including federal civilians, military personnel, and U.S. Postal Service workers, can donate to AF through the federal government's Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). The CFC is a charitable fundraising program where you give to the Access Fund through automatic payroll deductions.

If you are a federal employee, please look for the Access Fund (agency # 12047) in the official CFC listing of eligible donors. You can also make your contribution on-line by going to: www.conservenow.org, click on Search for a Charity, type in Access Fund and make your contribution there.

If you have additional questions on these programs please contact Whitney Self at: whitney@accessfund.org.