As we look ahead to the future of climbing and the availability of outdoor recreation opportunities for all, the American Alpine Club’s (AAC) Cornerstone Conservation Grant represents our commitment to supporting local climbing communities in their conservation and restoration initiatives.
More individuals, families, and groups are spending time in climbing areas and landscapes, causing added environmental stress and degradations to these places. We look to local climbing communities to identify areas in need of conservation, restoration, and educational resources for visitors.
The AAC Cornerstone Conservation Grant, powered by REI, formally launched in 2011 with the goal of funding projects to improve, conserve, and protect local climbing resources across the country. Since that first year, we have awarded over $250,000 to local climbing organizations (LCOs), land managers and agencies, nonprofits, and individuals for projects as varied as building or improving trail networks to climbing areas; establishing new toilet facilities and signage at trailheads; and deploying a variety of community groups for clean-up and graffiti removal at local crags.
2021 Winners:
Salt Lake Climbers Alliance - Jacobs Ladder Reroute to Lone Peak Cirque
$2,000
The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance, with support from the Salt Lake and Pleasant Grove Ranger Districts, are proposing a reroute on a steep section of unsustainable trail to Lone Peak Cirque known as Jacob’s Ladder. This multi-use trail is perhaps the worst in the Wasatch with erosion up to six feet deep!
Boulder Climbing Community - Avalon Climbing Area Access Trail Project Phase II
$5,000
BCC will reroute the main approach trail accessed by crossing Boulder Creek. The current approach trail quickly leads up a dirt slope that is continually eroding due to user traffic and environmental impact such as water runoff. BCC will realign this approach trail, building a sustainable and durable path within the talus field, ensuring that continued user traffic no longer erodes the vegetated hillside.
Mohonk Preserve, Inc. - Promoting Low Impact Climbing
$3,000
Mohonk Preserve’s increase in climbing activity in recent years have necessitated extra steps for the preservation of climbing areas to avoid environmental damage and climbing accidents. This grant will fund an educational information campaign based on Low-Impact Climbing and Leave No Trace principles to ensure that climbers have the skills to engage with the environment mindfully.
Carolina Climbers Coalition - Bald Mountain Creek Preserve Bouldering
$3,000
In 2020, the Carolina Climbers Coalition began working with Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land (STPAL) to develop a strategy for publicly permissible bouldering access on their 750 acre preserve called the Bald Mountain Creek Preserve. Located near Burnsville, NC, the Preserve contains 45+ boulders with approximately 250 problems. The Preserve has three boulder fields; McKinney Gap, Weaver Knob, and Buckhouse. With funds from this grant, we hope to build a parking lot that will open the Weaver Knob and the Buckhouse Boulders, and we hope to aid our C4 Trail Team with funding. Currently, Weaver Knob and Buckhouse Boulders do not have any parking and can not be opened to climbing without parking and trail infrastructure.
Durango Climbers Coalition - Animas City Mountain restoration initiative
$5,000
The funds requested will be used to help La Plata County install two trailhead signs, and three wayfinding signs as well as match a potential grant request from the Access Fund for the development of a tool cache which will allow the DCC to complete necessary trail improvements at X-Rock and other climbing areas near Durango.
Southeastern Climbers Coalition - Education Signage Updates at SCC-owned Properties
$2,000
SCC owns and manages 8 climbing areas across Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. The climbing community continues to grow and more climbers are visiting our properties for the first time, therefore the need for clear signage and accurate property maps is vital to the long-term sustainability of our climbing resources. Using the results from our 2020 resource inventory project, we have identified the need for boundary and trail markers, access road signage and kiosk updates relative to each location. We are partnering with University of Tennessee's IGT lab to create new property maps at several of our climbing areas. SCC is seeking funding to hire a graphic designer to help with design updates as well as to cover the cost of sign printing and installation.
CRAG-VT (Climbing Resource Access Group - Vermont) - CRAG-VT Stewardship Cache Project
$2,500
CRAG-VT is seeking funding to support the procurement of stewardship supplies to match our greatly increased level of volunteer activity. Grant money will be used for purchase of tools, a shed, and stewardship day event materials.
Washington Climbers Coalition - Washington Climbers Conservation Initiative
$2,500
A beginner crag close to a major metro area has seen heavy impacted over the last 4 years. This multi-year project plans to address this by performing trail reroutes, closing none sustainable trails, and installing steps upper steeper portions of the area.