Pinnacle Boulders in Upstate N.Y. Now Part of Adirondack Park
Access Fund is pleased to announce the transfer of the Pinnacle Boulders, outside of Caroga, New York, to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for long-term management as part of the Adirondack Park. Acquired by Access Fund in 2016 through a donation by the previous landowner, the Pinnacle Boulders are a small cluster of quality boulders near the town of Caroga and a short distance off State Highway 10, making the bouldering area a convenient option for local climbers looking for a quick circuit.
Access Fund worked with DEC representatives leading up to and following the acquisition to ensure that the boulders would be properly stewarded and protected in perpetuity as part of the Shaker Mountain Wild Forest in the Adirondack Park.
At the time of the donation, the Adirondack region didn’t yet have a formal local climbing organization. The project came together thanks to a collaborative effort between local climber and guidebook author Justin Sanford, the landowner Ellen Wood, and Access Fund. Since the acquisition, climbers in the region formed the Adirondack Climbers Coalition (ACC) in 2018 to bring a more unified voice to the table on matters related to land management policy and conservation.
“Land conservation that includes climbing opportunities is a great example of how conservation and recreation can work together,” ACC President Will Roth says. “The ACC is eager to see similar acquisitions and transfers completed in the Adirondacks to ensure other important climbing resources in the region are protected forever.”
Since 1990, the Access Fund has assisted with 81 acquisitions through the Access Fund Climbing Conservation Grant Program and the Access Fund Climbing Conservation Loan Program, helping to preserve over 17,421 acres of land for climbing. These programs help to ensure that when opportunities arise to permanently conserve access to climbing areas large and small Access Fund can move rapidly to enable the best possible outcome for long-term access. In addition to acquisitions, Access Fund also supports boots-on-the-ground stewardship of climbing areas in the U.S., through its Conservation Team and Adopt a Crag programs. You can support Access Fund’s mission to preserve access and conserve the climbing environment by donating at https://www.accessfund.org/join-or-give.