Our nation's parks are in disrepair. Cultural resources are being neglected, signs are old or missing, visitor centers are lacking, security needs aren't being met, and trails are eroding. Basic needs for the recreation community, such as parking, trailheads, and toilets, are also lacking.

Last year Congress and the Administration proposed the Centennial Initiative, a national campaign to fix our national parks in time for their 100-year anniversary in 2016. The initiative would engage communities in programs to restore cultural resources, gets kids into the parks, and repair trails and waterways. Although some funding was allocated, the bills have stalled in committee. Over the last several months the Access Fund and our Outdoor Alliance partners have been in Washington, DC asking Congress to get going. The clock is ticking while our parks continue to decline.

The Access Fund needs your help. While we are working in DC, we want to fill blogs and local papers with letters to the editor asking Congress to support national parks.

Please support climbers and other human-powered recreationists by firing off a short letter to the editor to your local paper or blog. We have made it easy for you with a sample message. Mention the national parks in your state and tell personal stories of what they mean to you and your family. If you can list a specific problem at a park from lack of funding, be sure to do so.

Go to http://capwiz.com/outdooralliance/dbq/media to find your local paper and quickly submit our sample letter to the editor. See www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt to find your local representatives to reference in your letter.

Sample Letter to the Editor:

(Letters have the best chance of being printed if they are less than 150 words. Be sure to include your full name, address, and phone number.)

Dear Editor,

America's national parks are in great disrepair and we need [your Senators/Representative] to help save them. [List national parks in your state: www.nps.gov] Many of these valued recreation areas have been neglected due to a lack of federal funding. Also, visitation is down at many parks, and kids are increasingly disconnected from these national treasures.

The Centennial Initiative can combat these trends and revitalize the National Park System for its 100th anniversary in 2016.

[Add personal stories or other pertinent local information.]

Sincerely,

[Your name, address, phone number, and organization]

Preserving National Forest Roadless Areas Will Protect Climbing Around Idaho’s Highest Peaks

Idaho’s highest peak, Mount Borah (Borah Peak), crowns the rugged and isolated Lost River Range. This massive limestone mountain sports folded limestone cliffs, dramatic spires, and grand views, all of which contribute to a legendary backcountry climbing destination and makes it among the most popular summit climbs in Idaho. Aside from a destination for climbers, the area is also home to antelope and elk, bighorn sheep, and cougar.

A big part of Borah Peak is the setting, which is in the heart of a National Forest System Roadless Area. Roadless Areas are not quite wilderness, but they feel that way; they also tend to be more accessible and open to a variety of sustainable recreational pursuits. Roadless Areas make up about 31% of our National Forests and are ecological gems with clean air, water, and plenty of wildlife.

In 2001, the Federal government proposed to protect these areas in a simple way—stop building new roads. Without roads, it’s pretty tough to harvest timber or mine phosphate. The American public loved the idea and the “2001 Roadless Rule” became one of the most popular federal regulations in history.

Things are about to change. Even though these are National Forests, the Federal government now wants to let individual states drive how roadless areas are managed, letting them re-jigger different levels of ecosystem protection and impinge on the wild qualities that make these places what they are to climbers, boulderers, and everyone else that uses these lands and waters in a sustainable manner.

The first state to take the plunge is Idaho. Colorado is next. There are Roadless Areas in 39 states across the country. Fortunately, the Federal government is circling back and asking the public what they think about this new state-driven plan, starting with the Idaho plan. Aside from setting the stage for other states, Idaho is particularly important because, with 9.3 million acres of Roadless Areas, it has the largest intact ecosystem in the lower 48 states.

We already have more than 380,000 miles of National Forest System roads—nine times the size of the Federal Interstate System. Should we keep these places wild and thriving with qualities that make places worth climbing? Should we treat them like the national resources that they are? Or should we whittle them away, here and there, state by state, until the edge that makes Roadless Areas unique becomes dull and then gone?

For more background information, check out this video produced by the Outdoor Alliance.

To Protect These Experiences, We Need Your Help Today !

Tell the Forest Service what you think—go to this website to easily produce and send a letter urging the protection of our few remaining Roadless Areas. For more information contact Jason@accessfund.org.

MORE RESOURCES:
Photos: www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150190/borah-peak.html
Photos: www.forwolves.org/ralph/wpages/borahpk.htm

NATIONAL NEWS

Two Access Lawsuits Decided: Yosemite National Park, CA

On February 21, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the National Park Service in the case of Terbush v. U.S.

Peter Terbush died from rock fall on Glacier Point Apron in 1999 and this lawsuit concerned whether the Park Service was negligent in failing to warn of the dangers present on the Apron. The government countered that they are immune from such lawsuits because Congress has given rangers discretion on when and where to warn the public of potential dangers. The case was further complicated by the fact that a wastewater treatment plant facility had allegedly been discharging large amounts of water from the top of the Apron prior to Terbush’s death, potentially creating an unnatural hazardous condition.

As a policy matter, this case is of interest to climbers because if the Park Service had lost, climbing policies could have become much more restrictive in Yosemite and anywhere that the government allows public access to potentially hazardous locations. If the Park Service had been held responsible for the safety of park visitors, they would have likely reduced access opportunities, especially to potentially dangerous spots, such as climbing areas.

The Terbush lawsuit represents an unusual case, however, because the question remains whether the hazards on the Apron that killed Peter Terbush were natural or whether they were caused by a mismanaged wastewater treatment plant that sent a large volume of water down onto a popular climbing area. The record from the District Court did not have enough information for the Appeals Court to decide whether the Park Service was negligent in their wastewater treatment plant facility, and, accordingly, the Appeals Court has ordered the case back to the District Court to decide this issue. However, at this point it seems unlikely that the Terbush case will affect climbing management policy in Yosemite or elsewhere.

On March 27, in Friends of Yosemite Valley v. Kempthorne, another lawsuit potentially involving public access in Yosemite, the court ruled against the Park Service. In this case the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal district judge’s decision in 2006 that Yosemite National Park failed to adequately address limits on public use near the Merced Wild and Scenic River.

In May of 2007, the Access Fund, American Alpine Club, and several other environmental organizations including the Yosemite Fund, Friends of the River, National Parks Conservation Association, California Trout and The Wilderness Society, filed briefs supporting the Park Service’s planning methodology for the Merced River. This broad coalition opposed the strict, numeric limits on visitors in Yosemite that were supported by plaintiffs and the district court. The Access Fund maintains that this approach is impractical and unfair and that adaptive carrying capacity management provisions are a better approach to protecting the environment and visitor access. See here for more background on this issue: www.accessfund.org/display/page/PR/64

The Ninth Circuit, however, sided with the district court and ordered Yosemite National Park to develop a new management plan that sets numeric limits for visitors in Yosemite by September 2009. This recent court decision also blocks several ongoing restoration and rehabilitation projects in the Valley. Unfortunately, the Ninth Circuit’s ruling could result in restricted access (camping, climbing, or even hiking) in all Wild and Scenic River management areas, including Yosemite Valley, Yosemite’s Tuolumne region, the New River Gorge in West Virginia, the Obed River in Tennessee, and other designated and proposed Wild and Scenic Rivers in California, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Kentucky, and elsewhere.

The Access Fund will keep you posted and alert you if there are opportunities to affect the outcome.

For more information, contact jason@accessfund.org.

AREA UPDATES

Blue Ridge Parkway Prepares General Management Plan, NC

The National Park Service (NPS) is preparing a general management plan (GMP) for the Blue Ridge Parkway. This plan could affect high-quality bouldering and climbing areas such as Grandmother Boulders and Shiprock. The Carolina Climbers Coalition has been working with the NPS to maintain climbing access to these popular areas. For more background, see www.carolinaclimbers.org/Ship-Rock.html.

This GMP will provide a vision for the parkway's future and help guide decision-making for the next 20 years, including recreation policy that could affect climbing access. The Blue Ridge Parkway has developed three preliminary alternatives, and 15 of the parkway’s large recreation areas are addressed in these three alternatives.

Review the draft plan and submit comments http://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkId=355&projectId=10419.

For more information, contact the Carolina Climbers Coalition: www.carolinaclimbers.org.

Queen Creek Coalition Holds Climber Meeting, AZ

On March 24, the newly-formed Queen Creek Coalition (members of the Friends of Queen Creek, Arizona Mountaineering Club, owners of Phoenix-area climbing gyms, and unaffiliated climbers) held a public meeting to provide the Arizona climbing community with an update on their efforts to advocate for climbing access in the Oak Flat/Queen Creek Canyon area. The Queen Creek Coalition was formed to give climbers and other recreational users a voice in the proposed Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act. The 2007 versions of this land exchange bill (S.1862 and H.B. 3301) were introduced into the 110^th Congressional Session of Congress by Senator Kyl and Representative Pastor. The legislation would transfer significant climbing and bouldering to Resolution Copper Company.

This meeting was in conjunction with a regular meeting of the Arizona Mountaineering Club. About 50 climbers attended to learn more about the history of climbing in the area and the current status of the land exchange legislation.

For more background on this issue

www.queencreekcoalition.com/March08_Presentation/page1.html.

Check back regularly with the Queen Creek Coalition for news and updates. www.queencreekcoalition.com

Climbing Access Threatened at Sunset Rock, TN

By Samantha Christen, Southeastern Climbers Coalition

Climbing at Sunset Park, one of the premier trad areas in Tennessee, is in danger of being nothing but a bittersweet memory, according to representatives of the Southeastern Climbers Coalition (SCC).

Matthew Gant, a member of the SCC board, said the National Park Service was recently on the verge of shutting down climbing at Sunset. “One month ago the rangers had given up on climbers and had made plans for closing Sunset to climbing permanently,” Gant says. He further explains that the park service cited numerous negative incidents involving climbers, including loudness (Sunset is in a residential area), blocking trails with ropes and gear, and unruly dogs. Local climber groups were able to convince the park service not to go ahead with the climbing ban. According to Grant, the rangers want to see more involvement in education, monitoring, and self-policing of the crag by groups like the SCC.

Sunset Park is part of the Chickamauga National Battlefield Park, a major battle in the Civil War. As such, it is under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Samantha Christen, the SCC’s area representative for Sunset, points out that this is the only military park in the U.S. that allows climbing, and there is no particular obligation for the NPS to continue this practice. “At any point in time, they (NPS) can come in and shut us down with absolutely no explanation,” she says.

The SCC has been a key organization in maintaining the sometimes uneasy relationship between climbers, the park service, and the residents of Lookout Mountain. Volunteers from the group have put in a tremendous number of person-hours on trail work, erosion control, and installing bolted anchors to spare the trees at the top of the cliff. Christen says the park service appreciates this work, but only to a point. “We are only, in their eyes, fixing what we broke,” she says. “In their eyes, we, at this point, really have done no preventative maintenance, just repair of damaged areas.”

The NPS maintains Sunset as a memorial to the Civil War battle; recreation is a secondary concern. This is especially true in light of recent government cutbacks, which have left the park service shorthanded. If climbers make the rangers’ job more difficult, they may consider it easiest just to get rid of the problem by banning climbing, Christen and Gant say. “The park service does not hate us, nor do they wish to see us go as a user-group,” Christen says. “However, with the decrease in manpower due to federal cutbacks, they are prepared to take necessary measures to ensure that they are able to do their jobs.”

The SCC is currently working on a plan for educating Sunset climbers on the issues involved and on how to deal with people who violate the rules. Some possible steps include fliers to hand out or put on climbers’ cars; letters to climbing gyms, school clubs, and outdoor organizations; and encouraging people to ask their fellow climbers to move their gear off the trail or keep their voices down.

In the end, though, it will come down to whether Sunset climbers care enough about this great destination to do the right thing. All it will take is a few uncaring individuals out of the thousands who climb at Sunset every year to put an end to almost 50 years of great southern climbing. For the latest status of Sunset and what you can do to help, go to the SCC website: www.seclimbers.org/index.php

Muir Valley Nature Preserve: “Build It and Climbers Will Come,” KY

By Doris Edwards, Friends of Muir Valley, Co-Chairperson

Muir Valley Nature Preserve in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge area is 400 acres of privately owned land developed as a nature preserve and climbing venue. It is open to the public and has quickly grown in popularity, with over 10,000 visitors in 2007. To meet the demands of the ever-increasing number of climbers, the Friends of Muir Valley, a local, volunteer-based organization made up of over 300 active supporters, is working closely with the owners to continuously improve and maintain the infrastructure of Muir Valley.

Friends of Muir Valley would like to remind visitors that climbing on private land is a privilege. To help mitigate the impacts of the growing number of visitors, dogs are no longer allowed at the Preserve. Please leave your dog at home. Also, please practice Leave no Trace climbing ethics.

For more information on low-impact climbing practices, visit www.accessfund.org/boulderproject/coex.php. For more information on Friends of Muir Valley, visit www.friendsofmuirvalley.org/.

Climbers of Hueco Tanks Coalition Formed, TX

On March 29, the Access Fund’s Grassroots Coordinator, Charlie Boas, met with El Paso locals and visiting climbers to form/reform a local climbing organization.

Prompted by the recent closure of the Mushroom Boulder, the new Climbers of Hueco Tanks Coalition (CHTC) met to discuss the history and future of Hueco Tanks climbers groups with long-time local Dave Head and Hueco Rock Ranch Managers Rob Rice and Charles Kelly.

After some fantastic homemade burritos and a few cervezas, the new coalition has decided on a name, selected a Board of Directors, and scheduled a second meeting for early May.

At the next meeting the CHTC will be deciding on a mission statement and planning for an upcoming fundraiser scheduled for September 2008.

For more information, please contact Charlie Boas at charlie@accessund.org.

AF NEWS

Access Fund Announces First Round Grant Recipients

The Access Fund awarded $11,750 to Mid-Atlantic Climbers, Northern Colorado Climbers Coalition, The Mohonk Preserve, and Carolina Climbers Coalition in the first-round grant cycle of 2008.

Mid-Atlantic Climbers (MAC) will use its grant award to help offset the cost of graffiti removal equipment needed for its Adopt-a-Crag at the Northwest Branch climbing area. While the Northwest Branch is a smaller climbing area, it provides quality climbing convenient to the DC Metro area. MAC will remove graffiti that covers boulders and the base of climbs at the Northwest Branch. For more information about MAC or the Northwest Branch Adopt-a-Crag, visit www.dcmetroclimbing.org.

Northern Colorado Climbers Coalition’s (NCCC) grant award will help the new LCO with formation and start-up costs, including its 501(C)(3) filing fee and web-hosting costs. NCCC is one of the Access Fund’s newest affiliates and is off to a great start. For more information about NCCC contact, Cameron Cross at horsetoothhang@yahoo.com.

Grant funds awarded to the Mohonk Preserve will help the fund a two-seat, solar-vented toilet at the Preserve’s West Trapps trailhead. The Preserve is home to the world famous Shawangunks “Gunks” climbing area, and the West Trapps trailhead provides access to many of the area’s finest climbs.

The Carolina Climbers Coalition (CCC) will use its grant award to pay off remaining bridge loans and interest for its Laurel Knob Acquisition. In 2006, the CCC purchased the 50 acre tract that included Laurel Knob, one of the tallest cliffs in the East.

June 15, 2008 is the second-round grants deadline. Please review the grants requirements at www.accessfund.org/cons/guidelines.php and send your completed application to Ellen@accessfund.org.

Adopt-a-Crag 2008 & TeamWorks

Are you hosting an Adopt-a-Crag this year? If so, contact your local climbing gym to see if they are involved with the Access Fund’s TeamWorks program. You may find willing and eager youth volunteers.

TeamWorks is an exciting program that, with the cooperation of team coaches, allows indoor, youth, climbing gym teams to earn points for participating in Access Fund Adopt-a-Crag events. As a reward for their stewardship efforts in taking care of the places we all play, the 10 teams with the most points will win cash grants between $250 and $2,000 for their youth programs.

If your local gym doesn’t know about this program yet, please help them out. Send them this link: www.boulderproject.org/teamworks/.

Red Rock Rendezvous Raises Over $10,000 for the Access Fund

More than 1,000 climbers attended the Fifth Annual Red Rock Rendezvous presented by Mountain Gear March 28-30. The event generated over $10,000 for the Access Fund in proceeds from silent and live auctions, an athlete auction, food concession sales, and a membership drive netting around 150 members.

And Mountain Gear matches the proceeds from the event dollar for dollar making the Red Rock Rendezvous the Access Fund’s largest membership and fundraising event year after year.

Access Fund Executive Director Brady Robinson and Access Director Diana Vernazza attended the Rendezvous festivities and took advantage of their time in Las Vegas to meet with members of the Las Vegas Climbers Liaison Council (LVCLC) and the BLM. The LVCLC hosted two successful crag clean-ups during the event, during which 40 people removed 20 cubic yards of trash.

A huge Access Fund thanks goes out to the amazing crew at Mountain Gear for once again going above and beyond in giving back to the climbing community.

Also, a reminder: Access Fund members get free shipping from Mountain Gear. Login to the Access Fund memberSHOP for this members only deal.

Vertical Times Photos Prompt Readers’ Response

After our Winter Vertical Times hit mailboxes last month, several readers contacted Access Fund about two photos, including the cover image, that show climbers lounging in El Capitan meadow. The readers were concerned that the climbers in the photos were disobeying Yosemite National Park (YNP) regulations that prohibit camping in El Capitan meadow.

The Access Fund agrees that these photos could reasonably cause our readers confusion and wants to set the record straight: the Access Fund fully supports the YNP regulations that prohibit camping in the meadow. The Access Fund spoke with photographer Kevin Steele, who explained that the photos were shot as climbers observed El Cap and watched the full moon rise. Though they appeared to be bivying, they were not.

Thanks to all of the readers who contacted us. We appreciate hearing from you.

The 2^nd Annual Climbing Wall Association Summit

The 2008 Climbing Wall Summit will be held in Boulder, Colorado at the Outlook Hotel from Thursday, May 1 through Sunday, May 4. Pre-conference workshops and the opening reception are scheduled for May 1 and conference workshops and other activities will be held on May 2-4.

www.climbingwallindustry.org/cwsmain08.php

Access Fund’s Grassroots Coordinator, Charlie Boas will be hosting a seminar to discuss how the Adopt-a-Crag, Community Partner, and TeamWorks programs tie the gym industry to the climbing activist community.

The 2008 Climbing Wall Summit will provide the climbing community with an outstanding professional development experience. The Summit will bring attendees together to network, collaborate, learn, and more effectively tap into the immense potential of manufactured wall climbing. There will be classes, clinics, and workshops as well as structured networking time. Workshops will cover a variety of topics and will be designed to meet your needs.

Travel and win $500 in GORE-TEX® gear!

Go to www.gore-textravelfootwear.com to find out which destinations made the Top 10 GORE-TEX® Footwear Summer Travel Destinations listing, and participate in the ‘GORE-TEX® Footwear Diamond in the Rough’ contest, which challenges U.S. travelers to uncover hidden GORE-TEX® brand game pieces in participating destinations. The first traveler to find the hidden game piece in each destination will win $500 in GORE-TEX® gear!

The GORE-TEX® brand, with help from the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), identified the Top 10 GORE-TEX® Footwear Summer Travel Destinations where travelers can experience the diversity of both outdoor adventure and urban leisure travel.

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 the membership materials you need and the swag to get people excited. www.accessfund.org/events/eventreg.php

Events Calendar

04/18—04/19 Eastern Mountain Sports, Club Day at all EMS locations: get involved with local clubs and save! www.ems.com

04/19—04/19 Wild Earth & Dirt Day festival, Boulder, CO. Earth Day Celebration, hosted by Boulder Adventure Film Festival at NCAR's Mesa Lab, www.boulderadventurefilm.com/dirt.html

04/19—04/20 Joshua Tree, CA. Hera Foundation's Goddesses on the Rocks: Women's Climbing Weekend with Sterling Ropes, www.herafoundation.org

04/25—04/25 Minneapolis, MN. Midwest Mountaineering's 5th Access Fund Regional Climbers’ Forum, www.outdooradventureexpo.com

04/30—04/30 REI, Boulder, CO. Majka Burhardt slideshow "Vertical Ethiopia: Climbing Towards Possibility in the Horn of Africa" hosted by the Access Fund, the American Alpine Club, and American Mountain Guide Association www.majkaburhardt.com or www.rei.com/stores/44

05/03—05/03 Rocktown Climbing Gym, Oklahoma City, OK. Flashpoint Sport Climbing Comp (USAC sanctioned), http://rocktowngym.com/competition.html

05/16—05/18 New River Gorge, Fayetteville, WV. New River Renedzvous, www.newriverrendezvous.com

Adopt-a-Crag Events Calendar

Please 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

04/19 Red River Gorge, KY. Red River Reunion Trash Clean-up, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by the Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition. Bill Strachan, cpstatyk@pipeline.com

04/26 Indian Creek, UT. The Friends of Indian Creek Campground Clean-up, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by the Friends of Indian Creek. Trisha Hedin, thedin@grandschools.org

04/27 Ralph Stover State Park, NJ. The Ralph Stover Adopt-a-Crag, an event hosted by Eastern Mountain Sports, Bridgewater, Joe Camoplattano, joejoe.camp@gmail.com

05/03 Smith Rocks, OR. The Smith Rocks Spring Thing, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by the Smith Rocks Group and Oregon State Parks. www.smithrock.com, Ian Caldwell, iancaldwell@hotmail.com

05/04 Post Falls, ID. Kootenai Klimbers Spring Cleanup, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by the Kootenai Klimbers, Spokane Mountaineers, the City of Post Falls, Mountain Gear, Mountain Goat Outfitters. 9am-2pm. Rusty Baille, baille@icehouse.net

05/23 Franklin Gorge, WV. The 2nd Annual Franklin Traildaze & Crankfest, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by Punishers, Inc. Starts at 3pm May 23 and ends at Midnight May 26. Camping and Cabins available. Michael Gray, roninthorne@rockclimbing.com

MEMBER BENEFITS

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

For the Month of April ONLY!

15% of Sharp End Publishing’s Internet sales for the month of April will be donated to the Access Fund.

Don't miss this opportunity to purchase guidebooks, videos, or the Women of Climbing calendar and support the Access Fund at the same time. Make your purchases today and know that 15% goes to protect access to our crags.

Evolv Rock Shoe Benefits Access Fund

Evolv QUEST-AF 1% of all sales go to the Access Fund.

Complimentary Rock and Ice 2008 Gear Guide for Members

click here

Dear fellow climber, On behalf of Rock and Ice and the Access Fund, please check out this complimentary digital edition of our 2008 Gear Guide. This year, I'm pleased to say that the Gear Guide is more useful than ever, and is loaded with critical reviews of gear, from rockshoes to harnesses to bags to tents. Back by popular demand, we've also included our B.I.G. (best in gear) awards. To earn a B.I.G., a piece of gear had to prove itself in the field by being innovative or better (or both) than all the rest. Please click here to view the digital edition and see for yourself.

*You must allow pop ups for http://www.realread.com.

Safe climbing,

Duane Raleigh
Publisher and Editor in Chief Director
Rock and Ice

Free Membership at eConscious Market

eConscious Market is the Internet's largest philanthropic eco marketplace featuring eco-products for your home and office, work and play. Every time you shop, you give too. 50% of net profits from your purchase will be donated to the Access Fund!

For a free eConscious membership:
Go to: www.econsciousmarket.com/site/Become-A-Member
enter: accessfund (no spaces all lowercase) as your promo code
enter email and password and verify password
select Free (PROMO CODE REQUIRED, includes member only discounts)

Access Fund TNF Beanies

The perfect block heater for long ice-routes, crisp bouldering sessions, or a bad hair day. 100% Merino wool. A soft fleece lining adds a little extra protection from the elements. Tastefully co-branded with the Access Fund and The North Face logos. One Size. $15 non-member / $13.50 member. NOW IN STOCK!

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. Ten dollars 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

AF 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 that 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. The CFC is a charitable fundraising program that enables you to 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 online by going to (www.conservenow.org), clicking on “Search for a Charity,” typing in “Access Fund,” and making your contribution there.

If you have additional questions on these programs, please contact Ellen Jardine at ellen@accessfund.org.

Support the Access Fund’s Work on Capitol Hill

Write a Letter to the Editor Supporting Better Funding for our National Parks.