Eroding approach trails? Deteriorating belay areas? Exposed roots? Not at this crag.

Awesome things happen when our Conservation Teams combine professional trail-building expertise with the horsepower of local volunteers—especially when one of those volunteers brings a mini excavator.

One of our two Conservation Teams recently wrapped up several successful Adopt a Crag volunteer events at a new crag in northwest Arkansas. Arkansas Climbers Coalition (ARCC) and Access Fund rallied 36 volunteers to assist the Conservation Team. The result? A crag that’s built for the long haul. 

Fitzgerald South, Arkansas. Ancestral lands of 𐓏𐒰𐓓𐒰𐓓𐒷 𐒼𐓂𐓊𐒻 𐓆𐒻𐒿𐒷 𐓀𐒰^𐓓𐒰^, O-ga-xpa Ma-zhoⁿ, Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, and Caddo. © Access Fund.

“Developing any new crag is an opportunity to minimize climber impact from day one,” says Access Fund stewardship manager Andrea Hassler. “Stewardship work in the beginning promotes long-term conservation of the climbing area.” Today, as the number of climbers continues to grow year over year, it’s more important than ever to develop new crags with that in mind. 

ARCC recognized the opportunity to equip this newly acquired crag with smart recreation infrastructure—approach trails, reinforced belay areas, retaining walls, and more—that will protect and conserve the natural habitat. The Conservation Team’s trail work expertise helped kickstart that effort. While there, they designed and established new approach trails, reinforced belay areas that will see heavy use, and helped build a number of resilient rock structures. 

A new retaining wall built by Conservation Team members and volunteers.

One local climber with access to a mini excavator—and experience operating it—brought it to one of the volunteer days. Using the heavy machinery, the experienced volunteer made short work of what would have taken many volunteers many hours to accomplish. 

Moving stone with a mini excavator.

Thanks to the Conservation Team, ARCC and the climbing community there have a head start on transforming this crag into an excellent climbing resource that will last for generations. ARCC plans to make the crag accessible to climbers transitioning from indoor to outdoor climbing, particularly beginning climbers. Once open, the new crag will offer climbers in the Bentonville/Fayetteville area a nearby option to climb outside after work or on the weekends.

Access Fund and the Conservation Team thank the volunteers from the climbing community, Arkansas Climbers Coalition, the Boulders & Brews gym, and local trail maintenance organization Trailblazers. This critical conservation work would not have been possible without their generous support.

Climbers who missed the Adopt a Crag events still have a chance to get involved. Visit the ARCC website or follow ARCC on social to stay in the loop on upcoming volunteer days.

Don’t live in northwest Arkansas but still want to lend a hand? Tools and equipment are critical to the Conservation Teams’ work. From gloves that protect their hands to pickaxes for breaking up hard dirt, they couldn’t get the job done without them. The easiest way to chip in and support them is to donate to Access Fund today—here’s what your donation can fund:

Thank you to the Conservation Team sponsors for their generous support: