Black Diamond has just come forward to match all donations, up to $100,000, to help Access Fund build more sustainable climbing areas, spread Leave No Trace ethics, and work with land managers to prevent closures.

The explosive growth in outdoor climbing has led to overcrowding and severe environmental impacts—trails are eroding, plants and trees are dying, trash is piling up, and we’re navigating a minefield of human waste. In too many cases, our climbing areas are being loved to death, and we’re on the brink of closures and restricted access.

Land managers across the country are facing tough decisions about how to allow access without destroying our special places. We must act quickly if we’re going to shape a sustainable future for climbing.

"Black Diamond is 100% committed to supporting Access Fund's work to create more sustainable climbing areas that can withstand the growth of our sport," says Jess Powell, Partnership and Event Manager at Black Diamond. "Crags are the place where we push our limits, find community, and develop grit. If we do not invest in them now, we will lose access to these special and life shaping places and experiences. We're grateful for the opportunity to support Access Fund in this work, and we hope the climbing community joins us."

Right now, Access Fund is working quickly to:

• Invest in the recreation infrastructure that will make our crags sustainable—like professionally built trails, reinforced belay areas, composting toilets, education kiosks … the list goes on and on.
• Scale our education initiatives to reach more climbers with Leave No Trace ethics, inviting the growing number of climbers into the advocacy community.
• Put more boots on the ground to work with land managers, so that we have a seat at the table when access restrictions are evaluated.

But we need more resources to scale our efforts—to rebuild more crags, to reach more climbers, and to connect with more land managers.