Call for Action - Shenandoah Rock Outcrop Management Plan 2012

As we mentioned last month, Shenandoah National Park released an update to their Rock Outcrop Management Plan (ROMP).  After reading through the document and working with other organizations including the Access Fund, the Mountaineering Section of the PATC, and the American Alpine Club, we feel the following points are the most relevant to climbers.

- The ROMP focuses heavily on climbing, despite the fact that other activities such as hiking draw far more people into the park and as a result, have far greater impact. To use an example from the ROMP itself, Old Rag is visited by an estimated 50,000 people annually, but the number of climber use-days for the entire park is estimated at only 500.

- Several areas are closed to climbing: Marys Rock, North Marshall, Hawksbills Summit, West Summit of Old Rag, and 35 meters north of the "chute" trail at Little Stony Man.  While the ROMP does provide general information about impact and natural resources at risk, little detail is given on the types of impact in specific areas. There does not appear to be any definitive evidence cited that identifies climbing as a source of significant adverse impact within the park. More detailed information should be provided to further explain the need for restrictions.

- Given the fact that climbers make up only a small percentage of rock outcrop users, the park should consider the possibility that some climbing access could be allowed, even if other user groups are not. Park planners should consider ways to protect the natural resources without prohibiting access to climbing. Climbers have a rich history in Shenandoah National Park, and this history should be preserved as much as possible.

Mid Atlantic Climbers will be filing a letter jointly with the Access Fund voicing these concerns.  However, we strongly urge you to file your own comment, as a climber and an individual, by the deadline, Saturday, January 12, 2013.  No matter how brief, the more climbers that file comment the more our message is heard.  Simply click the “Comment on Document” button at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkID=274&projectID=19298&documentID=50505.

If you have any questions or comments on this, or about filing your own comment, please feel free to contact us at midatlanticclimbers@gmail.com.

Decision 2013

Yes, Decision 2013, the time when you get to speak up, make your voice hear, and help decide what what events and climbing areas Mid Atlantic Climbers will work on next year!

Mid Atlantic Climbers is starting to put together next year's event schedule and we need you to tell us what is important to you. Have you been to a climbing area lately that you think needs some TLC? Did you witness washed-out trails or access issues during your fall season?

Remember, if you climb in the Mid Atlantic region, you are a Mid Atlantic Climber -- so let us know what you think!

10th Annual Great Falls Adopt-a-Crag 10/20/12

10th Annual Adopt-a-Crag Great Falls

Saturday, October 20th, 2012. 

8am - noon.

This is the area's longest running and largest Adopt-a-Crag events. Volunteers will work on various projects throughout the park in the morning and then be treated to a free BBQ and raffle courtesy of Mid Atlantic Climbers and our generous sponsors.

We also need a dedicated crew of about 25 volunteers to work on a trail near Cow Hoof Rock. This crew will will break for the BBQ and raffles with everyone, but will then return and work until about 4pm.  Please contact the Adopt-a-Crag coordinator Victoria Guido if you are interested in this particular project.
 

Links:
Details and Registration (Please RSVP)
Great Falls Event on Facebook

Ilchester Time Lapse

Our good friend and photographer Indy put together this great video high-lighting the trail work completed at our September 8th, 2012 Ilchester Adopt-A-Crag.



Ilchester Trail Work Weekend (9/8/12) - a Time-lapse/slideshow view. from Mark 'Indy' Kochte on Vimeo.

Makes you want to attend an Adopt-A-Crag, doesn't it?

Good thing we've got three more lined up this Fall.  Check out event page for all the details.

Hauling Rocks and Building Trail at Ilchester

The first Adopt-a-Crag of the fall season at Ilchester was a huge success! Mid Atlantic Climbers' volunteers proved once again that they are some of the toughest, most committed volunteers around!  

Thank goodness for climbers and their rigging skills!

More than 40 volunteers came out on a warm Saturday morning September 8th to combat erosion at the Ilchester Cliff in Patapsco State Park. Volunteers moved rocks, logs, and earth, and built new structures designed to stop the erosion at the cliff top. Volunteers even rigged a high line designed to move the heaviest logs, boulders and other materials to the desired location.

Dropping the rock into place.

The logs and rocks were positioned to stop soil from eroding off of the cliff top. The new trail re-route will benefit all park visitors; it connects the stairs down to the cliff top and the trail leading away from the cliff.

After a morning of hard work and pizza lunch courtesy of of REI, MAC raffled off some climbing gear and gym passes thanks our generous sponsors: The Access Fund, Earthtreks, Patagonia, Solid Rock Climbers for Christ, Eastern Mountain Sports, Sport Rock, Osprey Packs and Friksn.
Because of the efforts of our generous sponsors, the folks at Patapsco State Park and volunteer coordinators this event was a HUGE SUCCESS!
 
Events like the Ilchester Adopt-a-Crag truly demonstrate climbers' commitment to the Patapsco State Park and show how much DC and Baltimore area climbers really care about our climbing resources. By cultivating a healthy relationship between the user group and the land owners, MAC is proactively working to keep climbing areas open in DC, MD and VA.

Mid Atlantic Climbers has 3 more Adopt-a-Crag events coming up this fall. Anyone interested in coming out should RSVP HERE and anyone interested in getting involved in planning or leading future events should feel free to contact midatlanticclimbers@gmail.com 

All experience levels welcome.

Ilchester Adopt-a-Crag Sat. 9/8/12

Ilchester Adopt-a-Crag 
Saturday, September 8th, 2012 
8am - noon
Meet at the Hilltop Rd Parking area
 
A beautiful after-work crag in Ellicott City, MD has some serious erosion issues. Volunteers are needed to help install and replace erosion barriers at the cliff base this Saturday!

Need some incentive? We'll have door prizes for ya, and if the work's not done by noon, we'll buy pizza for lunch!

And of course, everyone's welcome to stick around and climb afterward!

Links:
Details and Registration. 
Ilchester Event on Facebook

Access Fund Conservation Team Open House at Northwest Branch

Exciting news! The Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Team will be arriving in Washington, DC on May 9th, 2012 to work with the Mid-Atlantic Climbers on access enhancements to the Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park in Silver Spring!

Conservation Team -
Photo Credit Access Fund

The Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Team will be at Northwest Branch Thursday May 10th through Saturday, May 12th undertaking park enhancements. Want to see the park upgrades? Come out on Sunday, May 13th, when the conservation team members will provide information about their work at Northwest Branch - and all around the United States - at an open session at Northwest Branch beginning at 2 PM.

The trail project and open session will be at Northwest Branch Park, which is located at 10701 Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20910 - immediately south of the strip mall where Trader Joe’s is located. For more information email midatlanticclimbers@gmail.com.

The Conservation Team is the Access Fund's newest stewardship program, with a staff of two trail specialists who travel the country ten months out of the year helping local climbers and volunteers maintain climbing areas. The team assesses climbing area conservation needs, works with locals to address those needs, and provides training on planning and stewardship best practices to keep those areas healthy.  For more information about the Access Fund-Jeep Conservation Team, visit www.accessfund.org/ct.

Rockfest 2012 a success!

This year's Rockfest event at Rocks State Park was a huge success! We had over 60 volunteers who worked all day to complete multiple projects that massively improved the park for all visitors. Despite the dreary forecast, folks came out excited to pitch in and the forecasted rain held off until after our projects were complete!

Thanks to everyone who helped with the projects which included trail work including installing steps on the purple trail and clearing out an ATV emergency access trail, invasive species removal (only one reported case of poison ivy), trash clean up, and construction of a nature center play area.

Building stone steps on the purple trail.

Construction of the natural play area.

Trash clean-up crew getting ready to beautify the park.

We'd like to report that the rangers at Rocks State Park are very happy with the work we were able to accomplish and were very supportive of our event overall. Be sure to thank them for their work the next time you climb at the park!

Lunch was provided by Earth Treks!

Thanks to our generous sponsors, meals for the day were provided to volunteers, and at the end of the day we had raffle prizes for everyone who participated!

Solid Rock Climbers for Christ generously provided dinner for our hungry volunteers!

In addition to the raffle, we normally give a prize for the most unique piece of trash cleaned up. Luckily, the park had less trash than we expected, so we gave the prize of a clean Mid-Atlantic Climbers T-shirt for the dirtiest volunteer. Here's our winner:

We were very grateful that the rain held off during the day on Saturday, but its eventual arrival sent most people home on Saturday night instead of enjoying camping. For the few hearty souls who stayed the night, we were treated with a sampling of short climbing films and good company around the campfire.

Thanks to Mark "Indy" Kochte for taking all of the photos in this blog post. You can see even more photos from the event on Facebook here.

Rockfest 2012!

We know that many of you in the Mid-Atlantic Region have enjoyed the climbing that Rocks State Park has to offer - from bouldering to the classic Strawberry Jam. Now it's time to give back. Join us for Rockfest 2012 on April 21st to give the park some much needed love!

Even if you've never been, this will be a great opportunity to take care of local public lands, meet fellow climbers and outdoor enthusiasts, and have a great time doing it! We'll spend Saturday doing various projects in the park from trail work to invasive species removal, and will then have the special opportunity to camp in the park Saturday night. Volunteers will enjoy complementary lunch and dinner on Saturday and breakfast Sunday. After a day of hard work, volunteers can spend Sunday exploring the park, hiking, bouldering or climbing with friends!

Photo Credit: Indy Kochte

Due to the size of the camping area we are limited to 75 campers, so sign up to guarantee your spot!

Where: Rocks State Park
When: Saturday April 21 at 9am - Sunday April 22 at 3pm
What: Getting dirty with MAC and the Access Fund. Get all the details at our event page.

Projects Include:
Building a new emergency access trail to the cliffs.
Fixing a bridge
Removing invasive species and encroaching pricker-bushes to the cliff base
and more!

Share this event on Facebook and be sure to “Like” Mid-Atlantic Climbers.

Sponsors:

We're excited to have the following companies contributing to make this event a success!

The Access Fund

Earthtreks Climbing Centers

Solid Rock Climbers for Christ

Spiroll Rope Protectors

Local climbing organization committed to supporting regional recreation areas

This fall, more than 100 climbers, outdoor enthusiasts and community members gathered in the fall to support two Maryland recreation areas--Northwest Branch recreational park in Silver Spring and the Patapsco Valley State Park north of Ellicott City.

Paul Barringer, a local climber and MAC member who spearheaded planning of the Northwest branch event says that he enjoys the area because it is a little bit of wilderness right in the midst of the suburbs. “As an urban crag, Northwest Branch gets a lot of use--which brings a host of attendant problems like trash, wear and tear on the trail, and graffiti,” he said. Berringer explained that while bouldering at Northwest branch has a low impact on the environment, and access is easy, it is still important for climbers to play a major role in addressing problems in the area. “It's also great to have the opportunity to make a contribution and meet new people.”

According to MAC President Chris Irwin, both Northwest Branch and Illchester rock, the site of the season’s second adopt-a-crag, could be considered urban parks due to geographic proximity to high population areas, and increasingly high strain on the resources including the climbing areas. “Illchester rock in Patapsco and Northwest Branch are both right off of the highway, close to where people live, and they get a lot of use,” he said. “It is important for us as climbers and as environmental stewards to make sure we have the smallest impact on the natural environment possible,” he said describing several of the projects at the Illchester adopt-a-crag including construction of a retaining wall at the base of the cliff and stairway rehabilitation.


Describing the work completed at Illchester rock by MAC volunteers, Patapsco State Park Ranger and volunteer coordinator Robert Eckhardt said, “This kind of project costs me a lot, and for each of you to come out and do a little bit means a lot. The stairs look great, the retaining wall looks great, you really should be proud.”

Berringer, Irwin and MAC are looking forward to playing a major role in the stewardship of Northwest Branch and Illchester rock in the future and the group has several events planned in the coming months.

Mid Atlantic Climbers is in the process of scheduling follow-up projects at both areas, so that local climbers can continue to show their support for local areas.

Northwest Branch Adopt-a-Crag

Northwest Branch has some great boulders with sharp crimps, quartz crystals and unfortunately some graffiti.

If you haven't been, it’s a beautiful wooded and boulder-strewn ravine, nestled between suburban neighborhoods in Silver Spring, MD.

Come out and help to preserve and protect this local climbing resource as we clean up trash and debris, and do trail maintenance.


NORTHWEST BRANCH
ADOPT-A-CRAG:
Saturday November 13th, 2010
8am to 12:00pm

After a morning of hard work, we’ll give away some door prizes, and have a presentation on the geology of the area. Bring your shoe's and chalk (pad's if you have them) and sample some of the local stone.

What to Bring:
Sturdy Shoes, Work Gloves, Water Bottle, Climbing Shoes for bouldering after Clean-Up

Sponsors:
Mid-Atlantic Climbers, Earth Treks, Patagonia, REI, Starbucks, Alice Ferguson Foundation and of course the Access Fund the people who created Adopt-a-Crags.

Event held in conjunction with the Maryland-National Capital Park Planning Commission

To preregister, please email: adoptacrag@midatlanticclimbers.org

Free Film screening at PATAGONIA store in Georgetown Sun 9/12

Mid Atlantic Climbers would like to invite you to a free screening Magnolia Pictures's "180 South" at PATAGONIA store in Georgetown.




The film follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia.

Mid Atlantic Climbers will be hosting an Information Table to provide you with info
about:
- upcoming Adopt-a-Crag projects
- local access issues and,
-opportunities to volunteer
- buy a t-shirt or AF/MAC membership to support the cause.

So stop by, say hello and enjoy the film!

"180 South" by Chris Malloy and Magnolia Pictures
Sunday, September 12th, 2010
6pm

PATAGONIA Store

1048 Wisconsin Ave, NW

Washington, DC 20007

Roc Comp Pancake Breakfast!

Thanks for coming out to our Climbers Happy Hour! We raised money that will go right back to your local climbing areas.

If you're headed out to Earth Treks Roc Comp this weekend, look for us.

Friday 4/23 we'll be in the Vendors Village at Earth Treks Columbia. Come visit us and and all of the other reps from your favorite organizations.

Saturday 4/24 we'll be hosting a Pancake Breakfast!

$10

10-Noon at ET, Timonium.

Proceeds will benefit Mid Atlantic Climbers and the Access Fund. Then stick around for the awards of the citizen comp, semi-finals and of course finals!

Oh yeah, after-party too!

See you there!

Action Alert - NY State Parks

Access Alert - NY State Budget Shortfall puts Peter's Kill on the chopping block!
Due to an historic $8 billion budget gap, NY State Governor Paterson recently proposed closing 55 parks and historic sites (Full List), including the Peter's Kill climbing area in Minnewaska State Park.
Take Actions!
We're asking climbers to speak up and let the NY State Parks Dept know that closing parks is not the solution.
The Access Fund has a quick and easy way to voice your opinion and keep these parks open.
Other Resources:Full article from NY Times
Press Release from NY State Parks Department

Earth Treks Columbia Gear Swap to Benefit MAC!

Earth Treks Columbia's Fall Community Gear Swap
Saturday, August 29th
9am to 5pm.

Earth Treks has generously offered 10% of the proceeds to Mid Atlantic Climbers / Access Fund. This is a great time to get rid of some of your old gear, or pick up some more gear at a great price!
There will be special "One-Day-Only" membership deals and a BBQ Lunch 11am-2pm ($5/ Free for members).
For more info Contact: derick@earthtreksclimbing.com
Earth Treks is also hosting a members only Night Climbing afterward from 6-8pm
This promises to be a unique experience: lights off and headlamps on!

Fall 2009 Adopt-a-Crag Events

In partnership with the Access Fund, local climbing organization the Mid-Atlantic Climbers invites volunteers to particiate in the 7th annual Adopt-a-Crag events this September at Great Falls National Park, VA and Carderock Recreation Area, MD.

The two events will take place on Saturday, September 5th in Great Falls Park, VA and Saturday, September 26th in Carderock Recreation Area, MD. Volunteers will work with the park service on erosion control, trail maintenance, and other projects to ensure the resources at these national parks remain accessible to all visitors. This year, Adopt-a-Crag program will host clean-ups at over 100 climbing areas around the country including Great Falls and Carderock. Both events are supported by generous donations from Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), W.L. Gore, Eastern Mountain Sports and CLIF BAR.

Last year's DC area Adopt-a-Crag events were supported by over 250 volunteers. For two days, climbers helped lay down over five tons of gravel, three tons of wood chips, and removed several thousand pounds of trash. Volunteers also helped to maintain several miles of trails and wilderness areas that are used by visitors and climbers alike throughout the year.

For more information about Access Fund as well as other Adopt-a-Crag events please visit ( www.accessfund.org/adopt ),

No experience is necessary, this your chance to help sustain our most precious resource as rock climbers -our local crag.

To volunteer please contact Mid-Atlantic Climbers at midatlanticclimbers@gmail.com for more information.

Dates and Locations:
Saturday, September 5, 2009 at Great Falls National Park, Great Falls, VA
Saturday, September 26, 2009 at Carderock Recreation Area, MD

Time: 9:00am-2:00pm, check-in at 8:30am

Shenandoah ROCKFEST

(April 18th and 19th, 2009) was a major success! 

Thanks everyone for coming out and making it happen!

The numbers:

100+ volunteers participated and removed

2,375 lbs of trash collected (estimated) from

38 overlooks along Skyline Drive

11 volunteers, who after cleaning up trash all morning, helped carry out an injured hiker from near the waterfall on Rose River Loop

Mid-Atlantic Climbers, The Access Fund, and Shenandoah National Park would like to thank all our amazing Team Leaders and all our awesome Volunteers who came out and participated by picking up trash, directing traffic, cooking meals, and sorting recyclables. 

We would also like to thank Steve Bair of the National Park Service for his advice, patience and permission and Wendy Cass for her presentation about the Rock Outcrop Management Plan and new Climbing Management Guidelines, and how these efforts affect the rock climbing community.

We have two Adopt-a-Crag events coming up this fall:

Great Falls National Park, VA ---- Sept. 5th, 2009

Carderock, MD --- Saturday, Sept. 26th, 2009

Send us an email at midatlanticclimbers@gmail.com if you'd like to be involved in the planning or participate as a Team Leader at either of these events!

Last, but not least, Mid Atlantic Climbers would also like to thank our sponsors, without whom this event wouldn't have been possible.

REI

Solid Rock Climbers for Christ

Arborwear

friksn

Osprey

Hey Look - A Puppy

The Big Experiment

TeamScum

Andalusian Dog

Spiroll Rope Protectors

Sport Rock

Rock Candy Holds

Nicros

SoIll

University of Maryland

Central Coffee Roasters

Seneca Rocks Climbing School

Clif Bar

Rock On!

-Chris Irwin

Mid Atlantic Climbers