Texas Climbers Coalition (TCC) now owns Medicine Wall, a limestone bluff in San Antonio, Texas that provides an urban getaway for outdoor climbers. Access Fund holds the conservation and recreation easement to permanately protect the area.

History
Despite never being officially open to public access, the privately owned Medicine Wall was a popular sport climbing crag for over 20 years, until a fatal accident in 2015 prompted the landowners to strip the hardware from the wall and strictly enforce trespassing laws. However, the landowners (a large development company) recognized the recreational value of the property and had an interest in conserving it. They first approached the City of San Antonio hoping they would acquire the property for inclusion in the greenway trails system. The city declined to take ownership, due in part to liability concerns, but put the landowners in touch with TCC.

The landowners agreed to convey the Medicine Wall parcel to TCC, provided that a separate land trust hold an easement on the property to permanently protect it. TCC reached out to Access Fund, an accredited land trust, who agreed to facilitate the transaction and hold a conservation and recreation easement on Medicine Wall to permanently protect the property for conservation and recreation.

TCC now needs help to raise $37,000 to manage Medicine Wall and pay for the expenses associated with the property transfer, stewardship improvements, and long-term costs of the conservation and recreation easement. Donate today at texasclimberscoalition.org/medicine-wall.

Resources

Rules & Restrictions
Medicine Wall is now open. Check the Texas Climbers Coalition website for updated information.