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Alex Honnold

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We've Completed Our Most Challenging Ascent Yet: Climb the Hill

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Climbers and Climb the Hill attendees listen during the standing-room-only senate reception we hosted. Photo © Stephen Gosling.

Climbers and Climb the Hill attendees listen during the standing-room-only senate reception we hosted. Photo © Stephen Gosling.

The 4th annual Climb the Hill with Access Fund is all wrapped up, and it was our most impactful effort to date!

Climb the Hill represents the interests of the climbing community among national policy-makers. Professional climbers, outdoor industry representatives, and recreation advocates accompany us on Capitol Hill, where we meet with federal lawmakers to discuss issues affecting the climbing and greater outdoor recreation community.

This year, we:

  • Brought 60+ athletes, outdoor brands, non-profit partners, and community advocates together on Capitol Hill in D.C.,

  • attended a hearing on streamlining permitting for outfitters and guides via the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act and the Recreation Not Red Tape (RNR) Act,

  • and offered a Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (JEDI) training for team members, crafted by the Climb the Hill JEDI Taskforce.

And:

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We advocated for climate forward solutions.

We spoke up for public lands protections.

We rallied for recreation access and enhancement.

We demanded appropriate funding for land management agencies.

We outlined Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (JEDI) principles in our lobby efforts with the support of our JEDI Taskforce..

A staffer, Alex Honnold, and Justin Napolitano approach a meeting. Photo © Stephen Gosling.

A staffer, Alex Honnold, and Justin Napolitano approach a meeting. Photo © Stephen Gosling.

AAC and Access Fund Set Sights on Capitol Hill

June 18, 2019, Golden, CO—The AAC and Access Fund (AF) are making another big ascent of Capitol Hill on September 18– 20, 2019 to discuss policy issues that impact the climbing community with those who hold the keys to our public lands. “Climb the Hill” event participants will receive training in Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) as they prepare to present a comprehensive and equitable narrative around access to our climbing areas. They will speak to lawmakers about how public lands issues impact not just climbers, but all people and communities.

“We head to D.C. this fall to continue the discussion with our elected officials to let them know that we want our public lands to be protected, and that the ‘we’ includes women, POC, adaptive, indigenous and queer climbers,” says Shelma Jun, Flash Foxy founder and AF board member. Together, the climbing community will also advocate for reforms to energy development and leasing, improvement of recreation access, the protection of recreation and conservation land designations, and action on climate change.

The two organizations are tapping a wide delegation of renowned professional climbers and advocates including Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Conrad Anker, Majka Burhardt, and leaders from Brown Girls Climb, Brothers of Climbing, Flash Foxy, Adaptive Climbing Group, Latino Outdoors, Natives Outdoors, American Mountain Guide Association, The Mountaineers, and many other local climbing organizations and companies.

“I am excited to attend Climb the Hill because I believe the nation’s public lands are best protected by a diverse representation. As a rock climber, a woman of color, and advocate, it's important to me to steward public lands because they have such a positive effect in my life and I want to pay it forward. Supporting, protecting, and addressing issues our public lands affects all communities and I am looking forward to attending this year and speak on behalf of Latino Outdoors, Access Fund, and American Alpine Club,” says Maricela Rosales of Latino Outdoors.

“Public lands are a much bigger issue right now than they have been in the past… protecting our public lands is a very easy way to minimize our harm, because when you open up public lands to exploitation, that is now no longer a pristine, wild place. You can’t take your grandkids there someday, because there’s a freaking open coal mine or something. I just went down a dark path, and now I’m sad,” said Alex Honnold in an interview with ROAM at last year’s AAC Annual Benefit dinner.

Together, these groups will tackle important issues and hopefully, keep Honnold and the rest of us from being sad. If you've got some policy chops or a background in JEDI issues, we could use you in D.C. With strong voices and a stubborn inability to surrender our public lands, we won't give up on the beautiful, wild places in which we find sanctuary. If you’re interested in participating, you can apply here. We look forward to hearing from you!

Learn more about Climb the Hill: www.climbthehill.org

Climbers Lobby for Public Lands

Climbers and policymakers discuss the future of our public lands. Stephen Gosling photo. 

On May 11th, 2017, the AAC and Access Fund joined forces in our nation’s capital to Climb the Hill to advocate for the protection of public lands, a robust outdoor recreation economy and adequate funding for land management agencies. With a team of 50 climbers—including Tommy Caldwell, Sasha DiGiulian, Alex Honnold, Kai Lightner and Libby Sauter—we dispersed throughout Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and leaders of the Department of Interior and the U.S. Forest Service. Over the course of the day, we attended 50 meetings on the Hill and with agency leaders.

Climbers showed up in force and found a responsive audience. Lawmakers were impressed by the unique perspectives of the climbing community. For example, Tommy Caldwell captured their attention when he began, “Fifty percent of my days are spent living and climbing on our public lands. Public lands matter to me because...” As climbers, we are experts on the value of public lands because we know them intimately and spend significant amounts of time on them.

Climb the Hill culminated with a Congressional Briefing to further provide members of Congress and staff from both sides of the aisle with a climber’s perspective. The briefing was packed, with standing room only. Speakers included Sasha DiGiulian, Tommy Caldwell, Alex Honnold and Senator Tim Kaine (former Vice Presidential candidate).

Climb the Hill was made possible by title sponsor Adidas and with contributions from The North Face and Brooklyn Boulders.

Alex Honnold speaks to the importance of public lands. Stephen Gosling photo.

What's at Stake

About 60 percent of all rock climbing areas in the US are located on federal public lands—lands which are held in trust for all Americans. However, right now, there are unprecedented threats to our public lands. Both state and federal lawmakers have introduced legislation to sell off millions of acres, weaken public management, underfund land management agencies, and increase land development at the cost of public access. These measures threaten climbing as well as the fundamental notion that our public lands belong to everyone. As climbers, we have a responsibility to speak up.

Some members of the lobbying team. Stephen Gosling photo. 

How You Can Help

As climbing grows in popularity, climbers’ voices are an increasingly influential force for public policy issues. From now until May 26th, 2017, climbers are needed to speak up for Bears Ears National Monument, the first national monument to list climbing as a valued activity in its proclamation. Bears Ears contains world-class climbing, including Indian Creek, Lockhart Basin, Arch/Texas Canyon, Comb Ridge and Valley of the Gods. President Trump’s April 26th Executive Order on the review of national monuments lists Bears Ears National Monument as the first priority for review. We need your help to communicate to the administration that the Bears Ears National Monument has incredible significance to our community and must remain protected. As Libby Sauter said during Climb the Hill, policy is determined by those who show up. Please write letters, call, email and tweet at Secretary Zinke to ensure the administration knows how much Bears Ears means to us. For more information, check out the notice issued by the Department of the Interior.

You can:

  • Use the climbers’ letter writing tool.

  • Submit comments online at http://www.regulations.gov by entering “DOI-2017-0002” in the Search bar and clicking “Search.”

  • Send snail mail to: Monument Review, MS-1530, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20240. (use our postcard template)

  • Call the Department of the Interior with any questions: Randal Bowman, 202-208-1906.

  • Tweet at Secretary Ryan Zinke: @SecretaryZinke.

The lobbying group at the Capital. Stephen Gosling photo. 

Looking Ahead

Climb the Hill made a strong impression on our lawmakers. AAC and AF will Climb the Hill together again next year and, in the meantime, we will continue to advocate for the protection of public lands and strive to make a lasting, positive impact.

P.S. Did you miss our live coverage from DC? Watch it here:

Alex Honnold is Keynote Speaker for 2016 Annual Benefit Dinner

December 1, 2015, Golden, CO—The American Alpine Club is proud to announce Alex Honnold—one of climbing's most recognizable talents—as the keynote speaker for the 2016 AAC Annual Benefit Dinner, presented by REI and The North Face, honoring 100 years of climbing in our National Parks.

Honnold will speak February 27th, 2016, at The Mayflower hotel, located at 1127 Conneticut Avenue North West in Washington, DC. Honnold has forever changed our perspective of the possible with feats like the iconic Fitz Roy Traverse and a 24-hour sprint on the Yosemite Triple Crown. Alex leads a new generation of cutting edge climbers, especially in Yosemite National Park.

The festivities are open to the public and kick off on Friday, February 26th with the Annual Membership Meeting and Climbers' Gathering at Earth Treks Rockville. Open to everyone, the evening will include a food truck, DJ, libations, and awards.Dinner attendees will have access to special panel discussions and seminars during the day on Saturday.

The main event the night of the 27th will gather all generations for an unprecedented climbers' celebration in D.C. In addition to Honnold's keynote address, attendees will enjoy fine dining, beer and wine, live and silent auctions, and awards—including the rare President's Gold Medal—will be given honoring climbing's luminaries and rising stars. All proceeds benefit AAC programs.

Tickets are very limited. For more information and to reserve your spot, visit americanalpineclub.org/honnold. Registration closes on February 19, or when sold out.