Access Fund is a nationally accredited land trust, awarded by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission in 2015, and a member of the Land Trust Alliance. We own and manage several climbing areas across the nation in partnership with local organizations, landowners, and climbers. While it is our first priority to support and empower local organizations to protect their climbing areas, not all communities have this capability. For critical projects outside the reach of an existing local climbing organization, the Access Fund has the ability to acquire land or hold conservation and recreation easements to manage property on behalf of the climbing community.
Since its inception in 1991, Access Fund has made over twenty-one direct acquisitions of land and easements. In addition to the permanent easements and short term land holdings below, Access Fund has transferred key parcels from the following climbing areas for permanent protection as public land: Shelf Road, Golden Cliffs, and Society Turn in Colorado, Rumney in New Hampshire, Baldy Point in Oklahoma, the Pinnacle Boulders in New York, Dogwood Boulders and Hell's Kitchen in Tennessee, and Icicle Canyon in Washington.
Explore Access Fund's current conservation easements and land holdings below for more information on their specific conservation value, access requirements, and management.
Recent Posts
Medicine Wall Conservation Easement
Cathedral & Whitehorse Ledges Conservation Easement
Pendergrass Murray, Bald Rock, & Miller Fork Conservation Easements
The Homestead
Holy Boulders Conservation Easement
Unaweep Canyon Conservation Easement
Donner Summit Conservation Easement
Jailhouse Rock Conservation Easement
Handley Rock Conservation & Recreational Easement
We steward all of our properties in accordance with Land Trust Standards and Practices to ensure sustainable recreational use of these open space areas.
Land Holding Policy
If a climbing area is imminently threatened, Access Fund may consider direct action and involvement when:
A local climbing organization, land trust, or other land-holding entity are not present in the area;
The local organizations do not have capacity to carry out a transaction or manage the property;
The local climbing community cannot set up a qualified organization within an adequate time frame for protection;
The property is of significant value to the local and national climbing community;
The climbing area is imminently threatened by development or closure; and
A long-term owner is identified: the Access Fund has good assurance the property can be transferred to a climbing-supportive owner for long-term management, such as a newly formed local climbing organization, land trust, or government agency.
With appropriate stewardship funding, the Access Fund may consider holding a conservation easement to further protect long-term conservation and access.