Climbing Advocacy Conference 2026

FLIGHTS & TRAVEL:

• (CRW) Charleston, WV – 1 hour drive

• (ROA) Roanoke, VA – 2 hour drive

• (CLT) Charlotte, NC – 3.5 hour drive

• (PIT) Pittsburgh, PA – 3.5 hour drive

• (LEX) Lexington, KY – 4 hour drive

LODGING:

• Adventures on the Gorge

  • 2026 Access Fund Retreat

• Quality Inn (Fayetteville)

  • Group name: Access Fund

  • Check-In: 4/30

  • Check-Out: 5/3

  • 10 rooms at $109/night

  • (304) 574-8256

• The Outpost

CAMPING:

• American Alpine Club campground

• Adventures on the Gorge

• Ray’s

• Arrowhead Farm

• Chestnut Creek

CLIMBING AREAS:

• New River Gorge

• Summersville

• Meadow River Gorge

• Needleseye Park

CLIMBING GYMS:

• Gripped Fitness

SUGGESTED GUIDEBOOKS:

• New River Rock, Vol. 1 – New River Gorge proper

• New River Rock, Vol. 2 – Meadow River & Summersville area

• New River Gorge Bouldering

GEAR STORES:

• Water Stone Outdoors

Each year, Access Fund convenes climbing advocates from around the country in a new location to share best practices and develop the skills and knowledge they need to protect America’s climbing. This National Climbing Advocacy Conference is a valuable experience, but it can be a financial burden for some advocates. The Ghiselli Scholarship Fund exists to ensure that exceptional climbing advocates can attend our conference and advance their skills, regardless of financial circumstances. Learn more & apply here.

Location: Adventures on the Gorge- Smokey's

Location: Adventures on the Gorge- Smokey's

Moderator: Daniel Dunn

Speakers:

• Heather Thorne, Executive Director, Access Fund

• Matt Carpenter, President, NRAC

Location: Adventures on the Gorge- Smokey's

Moderators: Daniel Dunn & Billy Simek

Showcasing different styles of climber education and how to teach best practices while recreating in the outdoors -- from Access Fund's Climber Stewards programs, to Leave No Trace practices, and how local climbing organizations can effectively promote responsible recreation at their home crags.

Location: Muir/Tecumseh room

Moderator: Loryn Posladek

Speakers:

• Meghan Braley, NRG Climber Steward, Access Fund

• Alex Hansen, NRG Climber Steward, Access Fund

• Tara Taylor, Marketing Director, RRGCC

Rock climbers have an innate connection with wildlife and the cliffline ecosystems we spend so much time in and around. Join regional scientists in exploring how climbers interact with different species -- such as bats and green salamanders -- and how we can help protect them.

Location: Mather/Ingles room

Moderator: Katie Goodwin

Speakers:

• Hope Killian, Scientist, Tangled Bank Conservation

• Lindsay Hermanns, Wildlife Biologist, National Park Service

• Keith Christenson, Wildlife Biologist, Sanders Environmental

Improving access for all climbers does not end at buying property or putting in a parking lot. This session dives into the different ways that LCOs and affinity groups have been working to improve facilitated access and create a more inclusive space for everyone in the outdoors.

Location: Muir/Tecumseh room

Moderator: Andrea Hassler

Speakers:

• Brian Gilley, President, Muir Valley

• Ryan Martinez. Never Solo

• Emanuel Cruz, Queerclimbtastic

The least exciting topic that everyone is talking about -- insurance. Learn more about the layers of liability protection and how the setup of an LCO and its programs may require a simpler or more complex solution to coverage.

Location: Mather/Ingles room

Moderator: Brian Tickle

Speakers:

• Brian Tickle, National Acquisitions Director, Access Fund

• Jose Rodriguez, Finance & Operations Director, Access Fund

Location: Adventures on the Gorge- Smokey's

PARC Act: What happened & what's next?

Location: Adventures on the Gorge- Smokey's

Moderator: Erik Murdock

Speakers: Jason Keith, Senior Policy Analyst, Access Fund

LCOs bring your banners!

Location: Adventures on the Gorge- Event deck

Photographer: Caleb Timmerman

The southeast climbing community has paved the way in private land acquisitions and access to climbing areas. These range from outright purchase of a crag to property easements and even the timeless handshake agreement. This model has expanded to all parts of the country, yet southeast LCOs keep upping the ante -- because if climbers own it, others can't close it!

Location: Mather/Ingles room

Moderator: Brian Tickle

Speakers:

• Adam Webster & Jessica Spatafore, WV Land Trust

• Aaron Schneider, NRAC

• Kevin Johnson, Ragged Mountain Foundation

One of the most critical pieces of the climbing safety system—fixed anchors—often requires land manager authorization. Take a peek into regional work done in the New River Gorge as well as a larger, nationwide view of the current landscape of fixed anchor policy, including authorization, permitting, and other regulations.

Location: Muir/Tecumseh room

Moderator: Erik Murdock

Speakers:

• Kenny Parker, Treasurer & Head of Anchor Committee, NRAC

• Jason Keith, Senior Policy Analyst, Access Fund

Land managers and toilet officianados from around the country are talking sh*t. Discussing all types of human waste solutions and why it is so important what happens to our poop in the outdoors, along with how to choose which bathroom structure may be the most effective at a given climbing area.

Location: Mather/Ingles room

Moderator: Katie Goodwin

Speakers:

• Geoff Hill, Director, Toilet Tech

• Tara Vessella, National Park Service

• Kara Matassino, Stewardship Director, SCC

Technology has taken over every other aspect of our lives, so why not the dirty work of cutting trail or moving rocks to stabilize a belay base? Access Fund has been developing an app used by the Conservation Teams to track trail work needs and lay out projects. This will be a session of nerding out on some awesome new technology assisting in climbing & conservation advocacy.

Location: Muir/Tecumseh room

Moderator: Andrea Hassler

Speakers:

• Zander Goepfert, Mountain Project Product & Community Manager, onX

• Andrea Hassler, Stewardship & Education Director, Access Fund

Location: Bridge Brew

Moderator: Daniel Dunn & Billy Simek

Location: Adventures on the Gorge- Smokey's

Take a stroll through Needleseye Park in Oak Hill while learning about how this property was acquired by WV Land Trust, transferred to the city of Oak Hill, and involved NRAC to keep climbing management and access at the forefront throughout the entire process of establishing this municipal park.

Location: Needleseye Park

Moderator: Daniel Dunn

Speakers:

• Shannon Gillen, Preserve Steward, WV Land Trust

• Matt Carpenter, President, NRAC

Many popular crags across the country have experienced excessive erosion and require an entire overhaul to build a sustainable climbing area for years to come. Bridge Buttress was a perfect example. Walk through the steps of planning a stewardship project, securing funding, working with land managers, and executing the work.

Location: Bridge Buttress

Moderator: Loryn Posladek

Speakers:

• Loryn Posladek, Stewardship Field Coordinator, Access Fund

Summersville Lake is home to some of the most popular crags in the New River Gorge region. NRAC has worked with the Army Corps of Engineers on several erosion control projects and when the area was slated to become an official state park, climbers were at the table to guide the future of access. See this work in action at Whippoorwhill & Orange Oswald.

Location: Summersville Lake

Speakers:

• Gene Kistler, Board Member, NRAC

As climbing hardware ages across the country, many LCOs are adding bolt replacement to their list of programs. NRAC's program has excelled in pulling mank bolts out of the wall and performing hole-for-hole replacement. Learn about the latest tools and techniques, while practicing bolt removal on the ground. No prior experience is needed.

Location: NRAC Hardware Shed

Speakers:

• Pat Goodman, Hardware Committee, NRAC

• Nick Smith, Executive Director, NRAC