Today’s episode is a tribute to one of the most influential characters in the climbing community and the original climbing advocate: Armando Menocal. Armando is known by many as a civil rights lawyer turned climber and the dedicated founder of Access Fund. He passed away in October 2024 at the age of 83 after a battle with cancer. This episode is a short collection of words from some of his closest friends and colleagues in his memory.
Armando’s experience and leadership as a civil rights lawyer representing underserved communities translated well to advocating for climbing access on public lands amid fierce controversy during the rise of sport climbing in the ‘80s and ‘90s. His vision for an inclusive climbing community—embracing all styles, including sport climbing and fixed hardware—helped shape the landscape we enjoy today and contributed to the recent victory with the passage of the Protecting America’s Rock Climbing (PARC) Act.
Enjoy this heart-warming episode celebrating Armando’s kindness and his vision for the future of climbing. Thank you to Brady Robinson, Rick Accomazzo, Allen Sanderson, David Rosenstein, and Kika Bradford for contributing to this episode.
Armando Menocal Climbing Advocacy Fund: https://www.accessfund.org/armando-fund