E-News 94
August 2008
THE BETA
AREA UPDATES
Red River Gorge, KY – Torrent Falls Reopens
AF NEWS
Time to Climb – Many Seasonal Wildlife Restrictions Expire
EVENTS
MEMBERSHOP
Evolv Rock Shoe Benefits Access Fund
Complimentary Rock and Ice 2008 Gear Guide for Members
Free Membership at eConscious Market
Charity Navigator Four Star Rating
By Bill Strachan, Executive Director, Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition
On August 1, 2008, the privately owned Torrent Falls climbing area reopened to the public on a limited basis after being closed for over a year and a half. The area was closed when climber behavior conflicted with the use of the property as a tourist resort. After the property was sold, the current owner maintained the public climbing closure but made known their intention to reopen the area at some point.
Limited public access is now being granted, free of charge (per KRS 411.190), to those who sign a waiver and register on www.torrentfallsclimbing.com. The number of parties and cars (car-pool!) is limited to three, with a recommended maximum group size of three. Access is allowed on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays only. Online registration begins at 6am each day and is valid only for the day of registration. The entrance gate to Torrent operates from 8am until 8pm with the code provided during registration. The gate is locked at all other times, so please plan your day accordingly. Each vehicle is required to display a valid parking pass obtained during the online registration. Vehicles without passes will be towed or immobilized.
Ever since Torrent Falls was purchased by current RRGCC President Dr. Robert Matheny, Jr., the Coalition has been holding open Board meetings there. Meeting attendees are allowed the privilege of climbing for that day. After improvements are completed on the lodge building, the RRGCC plans to lease one of the rooms for office space. Because of term limits, Dr. Bob’s position on the RRGCC Board will expire in spring 2009. The RRGCC truly appreciates all that Dr. Bob has done for the organization in his six years as a Board member and thanks him for giving us the opportunity to establish Torrent Falls as our new office and base of operations!
By Keith Daellenbach
Two events are coming up at the Madrone Wall in Clackamas County, and public
involvement is requested.
The FIRST EVENT is Public Involvement Meeting #1 (of three) to be held at Still Meadow Community (16561 S.E. Marna Road, Damascus, OR 97089, 1/2-mile north of Madrone Wall, www.stillmeadowcommunity.com) on Wednesday, August 6 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
Clackamas County Parks is now inviting public input for a
Parks Master Planning process for Hardscrabble Quarry (a.k.a. Madrone Wall).
The County is working with the community to complete a feasibility study and
develop a concept Parks Master Plan for the Madrone Wall. THIS IS YOUR
OPPORTUNITY to attend and provide input on future uses of and improvements to
this site, including the potential creation of a park.
The County’s Madrone Wall is a 44-acre site adjacent to Highway 224
between Carver and Barton just south of Damascus. This site was purchased by
the County in 1937 and was sporadically quarried from the 1950s through the
1970s. For decades, it was used by outdoor enthusiasts, including hikers, rock
climbers, picnickers, and wildflower viewers, before the County closed it to
public access in 1997. A County plan to quarry the site was eventually dropped
in 2000. In 2006, the Board of County Commissioners unanimously agreed to
not sell this public site and to make it a priority for Parks Master
Planning. This meeting is the first step to involve the public in the
Park’s Master Planning process.
Comments, suggestions, or questions regarding this Park
Master Planning process should be sent to Katie Dunham at kdunham@co.clackamas.or.us (503/794-8051) or Chris
VanDuzer at chrisv@co.clackamas.or.us
(503/353-4663). Submissions will be presented at the Public Meetings.
The SECOND EVENT is an
Adopt-a-Crag that the Madrone Wall Preservation Committee is coordinating with
Clackamas County Parks to help restore native plant biodiversity and ecosystem
to the Madrone Wall by removing invasive plants (e.g., Himalayan blackberry and
English ivy). Please join us at our very first opportunity to make a
difference at this amazing civic treasure since the site was closed 11 years
ago! This is a great event if you are looking for an environmental public
service project.
The Adopt-a-Crag will be held on Saturday, September 27. Meet at the parking lot of Carver School (just as you enter Carver from the North on Highway 224 at 16077 S.E., Highway 224, Damascus, Oregon 97089, www.carverschool.org/Find_Us) and carpool to/from Madrone Wall site.
Bring: appropriate safety equipment (work gloves, work boots, etc.), water, hat, sunscreen, and gardening tools (loppers, pruners, shears, small hand saws, shovels, dandelion pickers, weed wrenches, digging tools, etc.). Please RSVP by 20 September to kdaellenbach@att.net. Please continue to respect the County's "No Tresspassing" wishes.
AF NEWS
Adopt-a-Crag season is upon us. Are you participating in a clean-up at your local crag?
Find out if there is already an event scheduled in your area and get out there! www.accessfund.org/adopt
Help us reach our goal of 140 events nationwide by registering 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!
Gym Teams!
TeamWorks is the Access Fund’s new program designed to get indoor youth teams participating in Adopt-a-Crag events. Teams earn points by hosting and attending Adopt-a-Crags. The top ten teams will win a cash grant from the Access Fund. Additionally, the first place team will receive a full-page write up in Urban Climber magazine.
If you are an RC, Affiliate, or youth team coach that would like to participate in TeamWorks, email Charlie at charlie@accessfund.org.
In June, July, and August, many seasonal wildlife restrictions around the country are lifted as fledgling raptors leave the safety of their nests. These restrictions give our cliff wildlife the protection it needs at its most vulnerable time. With climbers' support, such arrangements demonstrate that climbing can coexist with wildlife protection efforts and help to ensure future climbing access.
The Access Fund maintains a list of known closures and restrictions at www.accessfund.com/access. Compiling this information is a community project, if you see discrepancies between the information listed and the status at your crag, please email media@accessfund.org.
Where possible the latest information is given, but always check signs on site. If birds shift nest sites, restrictions may be lifted early or removed entirely.
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
08/16—08/17 Bear Valley, CA. Adventure Sports Festival: Climbing workshops, Bouldering Competition, and more. Hosted by Mountain Adventure Seminars www.adventuresportsfestival.com
09/13—09/14 Red River Gorge, KY. 2008 UCLIMB EVENTS sponsored by Mountain Gear. 800-829-2009 www.uclimb.org
09/18—09/21 Salt Lake City, UT. Hera Foundation's Climb4Life Fundraiser
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
08/16 Little River Canyon, AL. The Little River Canyon Clean-Up, a TeamWorks Adopt-a-Crag hosted by the Escalade Rock Climbing Gym junior team, E-unit. www.escaladegym.com, Kara Freeman, escaladerock@bellsouth.net
08/16 Mt. Evans, CO. The Rock'n & Jam'n Youth School Clean-Up, a TeamWorks Adopt-a-Crag hosted by the Rock'n & Jam'n climbing gym youth team. 10am. Website: www.climbingthebest.com, Amy Carden, amy@rocknandjamn.com
08/16 Leavenworth, WA. Playground Point Bouldering Pick-Up, a TeamWorks Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by the Edgeworks Climbing Gym Youth Team and Washiongton Climbers’ Coalition. Website: www.edgeworks-climbing.com, Mike Kimmel, mkimmel@ups.edu
09/05 Telluride, CO. The Society Crag Trail Restoration, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by Jagged Edge Mountain Gear. Erik Santiago, cssadinski@gmail.com
09/06 Obed Wild and Scenic River, TN. The 9th Annual Obed Adopt-a-Crag and ETCC Fundraiser, an event hosted by the East Tennessee Climbers Coalition., Rick Bost, rickbost@aol.com
09/06 Rifle MP, CO. The Rifle Mountain Park Clean-Up, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by Wolverine Publishing, the City of Rifle Parks and Recreation, the Roaring Fork Climbers Coalition, and the Rifle Climbers Coalition. Andy Wellman, andy@wolverinepublishing.com
09/06 Pocatello, ID. The Adopt-a-Crag at Ross Park, an event hosted by the Idaho State University Outdoor Adventure Center. www.isu.edu/outdoor, Charlotte Dadabay, dadachar@isu.edu
09/06 Castlewood Canyon, CO. REI Castlewood Canyon State Park Adopt-a-Crag an event hosted by REI Denver. Josha Fox, Jfox@rei.com
09/13 Sand Rock, AL. Sand Rock Needs Our Help! A TeamWorks Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by the Adrenaline Climbing Gym Youth Team and the Southeastern Climbers Coalition. Web: www.adrenalineclimbing.com, Trey Johanson-Smith, trey_onbelay@adrenalineclimbing.com
09/13 Looking Glass Rock, NC. The Looking Glass Rock Adopt-a-Crag, an event hosted by the Fox Mountain Guides and Climbing School. 9 am web: www.foxmountainguides.com, Adam Fox, info@foxmountainguides.com
09/13 Colorado Springs, CO. The Red Rock Canyon Climbing Comp & Clean Up, a TeamWorks Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by the ROCK Climbing Center Junior Team, Front Range Climbing Company, the Mountain Chalet, and REI Colorado Springs. Lara Groshong, info@climbingtherock.com
09/13 Great Falls Park, VA. The Great Falls Adopt-a-Crag an event hosted by Mid-Atlantic Climbers, Great Falls National Park, and REI Fairfax, College Park, Rockville, and Bailey Crossroads. Website: www.dcmetroclimbing.com, Ocean Eiler, ocean@dcmetroclimbing.com
MEMBERSHOP
Get member-only discounts on all the new stuff in the Access Fund MemberSHOP and find other deals that benefit our work! www.accessfund.org/membershop
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. $20.00 non-member / $15.00 member. NOW IN STOCK!
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!
Evolv QUEST-AF 1% of all sales go to the Access Fund.
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)
(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!
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 Courtney Bartels at courtney@accessfund.org.
The Access Fund maintains a top, four star rating with Charity Navigator—79% of your contributions going directly to programs which support our mission.