Have you seen it? That glint in a climber’s eye—as they go quiet with steel-like focus at the base of a climb, breathing evenly and purposefully, chalking up and cracking their fingers, ready for the send attempt?

I’ve seen that iron will in climbers right before the send. In my role as Policy Director at the AAC, I’ve also seen that same focus and passion in our members as they fight to protect our climbing landscapes and communities. Climbers are doers. We get stuff done. Every move we make on the rock is volitional, an act to spite gravity, an active yes to the movement and our bodies. We execute the next move. And when the crux is protecting our local climbing areas and communities, we say yes to that as well.

That’s why we’ve spearheaded the Climbers’ Advocacy Network (CAN): so we can better resource the grassroots advocacy initiatives cropping up within AAC chapters across the country. In this first stage of the CAN, we’re supporting advocacy campaigns in California, Colorado, D.C., Georgia, New England, Utah, and Washington. 

Climbers are doers. We get stuff done. Every move we make on
the rock is volitional, an act to spite gravity, an active yes to the movement and our bodies.

As we build capacity in each of these regions, we have developed an advocacy curriculum for our CAN volunteers, equipping them with the knowledge of experts so that, as they build their campaigns for the issues that matter, they are poised for success. In June 2022, we convened these volunteers at the CAN Summit to kick start their campaigns. They each walked away with a robust plan for how they are going to contribute to protecting public lands, fighting climate change, or advocating for equitable access to the outdoors—all tailored to the needs and interests of climbers in their region.

We see that iron will in you, too. It is thanks to your generosity and support that the American Alpine Club can create and sustain initiatives like this—prioritizing the issues that matter most to climbers. Thank you for being part of this community!

Taylor Luneau

Policy Director, American Alpine Club

Georgia — Colorado — California — Northeast

At the American Alpine Club, it is no secret that the power of our policy and advocacy work is fueled by passionate climbers from across the country. They may be the policy chair of their local chapter, long-term AAC volunteers taking initiative to get involved in a climbing management plan, an AAC member flagging an issue happening at their local crag, or a climber hoping to learn how to create impact in their community. Regardless of who the individual may be or how they are connected to the Club, climbers are deeply engaged in policy and advocacy. We believe that change happens when everyday climbers unite around a shared cause and are positioned to advocate for the interests of their community. Therefore, over the past several months, the AAC policy department has been cultivating the inaugural Climbers’ Advocacy Network (CAN).

There has been a lot of impactful policy and advocacy work happening in AAC chapters across the country. We hope to be better allies of these individuals and provide them with the education and resources they need to be more effective in their local communities. To kickstart the program, we observed where this work was already happening and where volunteers were most excited to engage in policy and advocacy efforts. Through interviews with climbers and gathering data from our Annual Climber’s Survey, we landed on these initial hubs: California, Colorado, D.C., Georgia, New England, Utah, and Washington.

We are in the process of recruiting volunteer teams and creating a Climbers’ Advocacy Curriculum. This curriculum will enable our climbing advocate volunteers to enhance their policy and advocacy skillsets and ultimately take on projects in their local communities.

The Ultimate Dream for the CAN:

Meadows in Yosemite National Park, CA. Land of the Me-Wuk and Numu peoples. AAC member Jeremiah Watt

+  Each AAC section and chapter has a CAN Chair or Policy Chair that will work closely with their local chapter, the AAC HQ, their local climbing organization, and other coalition partners to build conservation and climate capacity on a local level.

+  They will create campaign plans to address issues that matter most to climbers in their regions.

+  Campaigns + projects will be different from place to place because each community is unique and has its own strengths and weaknesses.

+  Projects could look like rallying climber support for a new Office of the Outdoors in your state or hosting voter registration nights at their local gym.

What ideas do you have for building local impact in your climbing community?

American Alpine Club Podcast

PROTECT: The Climbers’ Advocacy Network

I’m just one person…what can I do? Turns out, quite a lot—if you have the resources and support to join together with other climbers. That’s why we’ve created the Climber’s Advocacy Network (CAN).

In this episode, we sat down with two individuals that love climbing—and just can’t stop themselves from getting involved in their climbing community. They have joined the Climber’s Advocacy Network and are advocating for issues that impact climbers near them. Sam, from the Colorado hub of CAN, and Reese, from the Georgia hub of CAN, discuss what motivates them and what they’ve been learning from participating in the Climber’s Advocacy Network. We also sat down with grassroots campaign consultant Skye Schell to help us contextualize the potential and possibility of the CAN within outdoor advocacy at large. Dive in and explore how climbers at the AAC are fighting the good fight to protect their local public lands and build equitable access to the outdoors.

“In Georgia, we are joining a coalition to advocate for a Georgia Office of the Outdoors. Formalizing an Office of the Outdoors would:

1) Fund and resource sustainable infrastructure and land management practices to support the influx of visitors to Georgia’s outdoor spaces.

2) Create opportunities for economic growth in rural areas near outdoor recreation.

3) Support initiatives for equitable access to the outdoors.

Especially with the climbing boom in the southeast, having a voice that represents climbers as an essential part of this campaign will ensure that the new Office takes climbers’ perspectives seriously as they develop land management processes and build infrastructure across Georgia. Over the last 10 years, climbing has shaped me into who I am. Everyone should have the chance to find themselves through climbing—in a way that is still sustainable for the generations to come. This legislative pathway is one way that climbers in the southeast can fight for that.”

Reese Rogers

Georgia CAN Volunteer

“In California, the AAC has been advocating for the The Central Coast Heritage Protection Act for several years, and the CA Climber’s Advocacy Network is focusing on pushing this act over the finish line. If passed, it would permanently protect 319,382 acres of public lands, 227 miles of waterways as wild and scenic rivers, and an abundant number of climbing sites, including many in and around Pine Mountain, an area the AAC has recently taken up a legal challenge to protect.

Conserving these public lands would ensure access to close- to-home nature for many urban communities—an essential component to providing equitable access to the outdoors and an important step in creating the next generation of outdoor advocates. Additionally, this bill would help protect the ecological future of the region by safeguarding 468 species of wildlife and more than 1,200 plant species. I’ve had the privilege to go backpacking along the Sespe River and was in awe of its beautiful landscape. It’s humbling to know this is one of the last places on the planet that is home to the critically endangered California Condor. This bill not only protects critical habitat for wildlife, but also valuable outdoor recreation resources for the people in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles Counties. We are determined to support this legislative effort because we believe that climbing is more than just cliffs and boulders–it is also the people, flora, and fauna that make up the heart of each adventure.”

Damon Yeh

California CAN Volunteer

“In New England, we are feeling the increased effects of climate change. Heat waves across Massachusetts, warmer winters with less reliable ice climbing opportunities in New Hampshire and Vermont, and generally more unpredictable seasons have raised serious concerns for climbers based in New England. Thankfully, some climate-based initiatives are gaining steam in our region, like making electric vehicles more practical, pushing our public infrastructure to be greener, and ensuring our energy is cleaner. As CAN advocates, we are ready to put in the work to support these initiatives and make real and important strides towards curbing climate change through advocacy in our state legislatures. That’s why we are actively inviting climbers to join our work and target climate initiatives that will hopefully influence national trends in the years to come. After all, clean climbing needs to be more than just ditching pitons.”

Greg Parker and Daniel Kroth

Northeast CAN Volunteers