2007 Adopt-a-Crag Wrap-up and Awards
Presented by REI, GORE-TEX Products, and CLIF Bar
The Access Fund would like to thank everyone who participated in an Adopt-a-Crag event in 2007 and to congratulate the event organizers who made the 8th Annual Adopt-a-Crag the biggest year ever! Adopt-a-Crag is the largest, communal climber volunteer effort each year. Adopt-a-Crag events show landmanagers that climbers take care of the places they play while celebrating their crags through stewardship efforts that maintain the climbing environment and strengthen the reputation of the climbing community. This year the majority of events occurred during the traditional months of September and October, which have become the Adopt-a-Crag Celebration Season. Adopt-a-Crag 2007 exceeded expectations with 7,000 volunteers logging over 32,200 volunteer hours at 129 events in 35 states, Puerto Rico, and British Columbia. This amazing effort from the climbing community equates to over $604,000* worth of volunteer time devoted to conserving our climbing areas. *In 2006, the Independent Sector www.independetsector.org cited $18.77 per hour as the monetary value of volunteer time.
Each year awards are given to Adopt-a-crag events and organizers that went above and beyond. This year’s Adopt-a-Crag Awards are presented to:
THE ADOPT-A-CRAG OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Access Fund and REI are proud to present the Adopt-a-Crag of the Year Award to: Adam Reyes, REI Northridge/Arcadia and the Stoney Point Clean-Up. On October 20, local REI employees (REI Northridge and REI Arcadia) teamed up with the Los Angles Parks and Recreation Department to host the annual Stoney Point Clean-Up in Chatsworth, CA. With 189 volunteers contributing over 570 volunteer hours, the local climbing community cleaned up this historic bouldering area. Special thanks goes to the LA Parks and Recreation Department for opening the gates and providing a garbage truck for the event. Other groups involved in this great event were Trader Joe’s, REM Eyewear, and the local Boy Scouts.
THE ADOPT-A-CRAG STEWARDSHIP AWARD
The Access Fund and GORE-TEX® Products are proud to present the Adopt-a-Crag Stewardship Award to Amy Carden for the “Dude Where’s My Stash!” Adopt-a-Crag events at Mt. Evans, CO and Chaos Canyon, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. Amy Carden, a concerned climber from Westminster, CO and manager of AF Corporate Partner ROCK’n & JAM’n climbing gym, took the lead in creating a dialogue with park rangers and organized two Adopt-a-Crags to mitigate climber impacts in two alpine bouldering areas. The “Dude Where’s My Stash” events made a lasting and positive impression on rangers at Rocky Mountain National Park and Mt. Evans. Amy deserves a big “thank you” from the climbing community for protecting the resources we love.
THE ADOPT-A-CRAG CONSERVATION AWARD
The Access Fund and CLIF Bar are proud to present the Adopt-a-Crag Conservation Award to the Minnesota Climbers Association. Rock climbing and environmental stewardship thrives in the Midwest. This year’s stewardship award goes to the members of the Minnesota Climbers Association (MCA), including Glenn Burns and Kaija Webster (AF Regional Coordinator-MN). The MCA organized six Adopt-a-Crag events in a five-month period in both Minnesota and Wisconsin at Ely’s Peak, Taylor Falls, Barn Bluff, the North Shore, and Willow River. Average turnout was 30 participants contributing 110 total volunteer hours at each event. Projects included anchor replacements, trail maintenance, trash cleanup, and tree planting.
IN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN AWARD
The Access Fund “In a League of Their Own Award” (NEW for 2007) is presented to the 4th Annual Yosemite Facelift, hosted by the Yosemite Climbing Association and organized by Ken Yager. Last year’s Yosemite Facelift broke all-time Adopt-a-Crag records with over 1,100 volunteers and 9,200 volunteer hours. For that, Ken Yager and the YCA received the Adopt-a-Crag of the Year Award.
This year the Yosemite Facelift had OVER 2,900 volunteers and 18,300 volunteer hours! As a result, the Yosemite Facelift has been removed from the normal Adopt-a-Crag Awards. Until someone gives Ken a run for his money, we have placed the Yosemite Facelift in a league of its own.
Adopt-a-Crag provides a national “voice” and resources to the many local stewardship events organized within the climbing community each year and would not be possible without the generous support of its sponsors.