Following three decades of uncertainty, the executive branch aligns with Congress on the protection of climbing in Wilderness.
Rock climbing had a milestone moment on Capitol Hill January 21, 2026—affirming that the climbing community’s measurable efforts to protect climbing in Wilderness are likely to produce a favorable outcome for America’s climbing legacy.
This progress was on full display during a recent House Committee on Natural Resources oversight hearing on the status of the EXPLORE Act, including the Protecting America’s Rock Climbing (PARC) Act implementation—an unprecedented moment where rock climbing took center stage in a national policy discussion.
Members of Congress from both parties emphasized the importance of getting climbing policy right. During the hearing, Congressman Westerman (R-AR) and Congresswoman Celeste Maloy (R-UT) spoke directly to one of the most critical issues for climbers: ensuring that agencies do not consider fixed anchors “prohibited installations” and not misapply the minimum requirements analysis (MRA), a bureaucratic process reserved for prohibited uses, to climbing in Wilderness. Their message was clear—climbing is not a prohibited use, and it should not be treated as one. That distinction is exactly why the PARC Act exists.
The PARC Act was developed in response to a 2023 proposed federal land agency interpretation of the Wilderness Act that would have classified fixed anchors as prohibited in Wilderness. That approach marked a departure from five decades of land management practice, during which climbing was managed to protect cultural and natural resources, and fixed anchors have been treated as a regulated yet appropriate component of Wilderness climbing. The proposed policy change would have prohibited existing slings, pins and bolts until an expensive time- and resource-intensive administrative process determined whether they could remain in place, threatening more than 50,000 climbing routes across 28 states, including iconic routes on El Capitan, in Zion National Park, Wyoming’s Wind River Range and North Carolina’s Linville Gorge.
Following the passage of the PARC Act in January 2025, federal land management agencies are now in the critical implementation phase, requiring them to issue updated climbing management guidance within 18 months of the passage of this groundbreaking law. This is where the rubber meets the road. Now the focus is on developing administrative processes that support responsible climbing practices while still protecting Wilderness character, traditional values and natural resources.
Congresswoman Lee (D-NV) stressed the importance of climbing to her district, as she represents the internationally renowned Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. She directly asked Thomas Heinlein, assistant director of the Bureau of Land Management, to commit to reinstating a previously productive climbing management working group that was dissolved by land managers in the lead-up to the harmful 2023 federal proposals to prohibit fixed anchors. The working group included representatives from land management agencies as well as leaders from the conservation and climbing communities. She emphasized concern that climbing policy subject matter experts might not be consulted before land managers institute policies that, perhaps unintentionally, could create unnecessary safety or access issues in her district.
When asked about the timeline for releasing guidance, Heinlein told lawmakers that implementation guidance is a top priority and can be expected soon. Once released, climber input will be essential.
One of the most encouraging takeaways from this moment was the unanimous bipartisan support for climbing and recreation in general. Lawmakers across the political spectrum recognized climbing’s cultural, recreational and economic importance. The hearing made it clear that protecting responsible climbing access is not a partisan issue, but a shared priority.
Access Fund will continue to monitor developments closely and will alert the climbing community as soon as guidance is released. The climbing community’s unwavering advocacy helped get us here, and continued engagement will help ensure climbing in Wilderness is protected for many years to come.
Stay tuned, and be ready to act.
A special thank you to Congressman Bruce Westerman, Congresswoman Celeste Maloy, and Congresswoman Susie Lee for listening to the climbing community and championing the appropriate implementation of the PARC Act.