Outdoor Sports Planning 'Climb the Hill' this Week

The American Alpine Club (AAC) and Access Fund are heading back to Washington, D.C. for the annual Climb The Hill campaign May 9 through the 11th.

“Climb the Hill is an incredible opportunity to bring the climbing community together and ensure we have a seat at the decision-making table. It’s a privilege to lead this project with our partners at Access Fund who have spent years working on policy issues and meeting with lawmakers. With so many attacks on public lands, this is the time to work together and galvanize climbers,” said Maria Povec, Policy Director, AAC

The advocacy groups will meet with policy makers to advocate for public lands, outdoor recreation and improving climbing management.

Access Fund estimates that nearly 60 percent of all rock climbing areas in the U.S. are located on federal public land. Together, The American Alpine Club and Access Fund will advocate for balanced land management policy, with a focus on the Land Water Conservation Fund and Antiquities Act.

“This is an opportunity for Access Fund and American Alpine Club to bring together climbing industry leaders and professional climbers to support our common cause. Climbers have helped shape our public lands system for well over a century, and we are committed to protecting our unique American landscape.” — Erik Murdock, Director, Access Fund

The organizations plan to pursue legislative and administrative efforts to increase access to public lands, defend environmental protections and pursue balanced energy policies on public lands. The two organizations are tapping a wide delegation of renowned professional climbers, including Jimmy Chin, Sasha DiGiulian, Alex Honnold, Lynn Hill, Tommy Caldwell, and Margo Hayes among others.

They will be joined by prominent outdoor industry executives from Adidas, The North Face, Patagonia, and REI. Non-profit partners include Outdoor Alliance (OA), Latino Outdoors, Brothers of Climbing, Brown Girls Climb, American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) and the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA).

Learn more about this joint project at ClimbTheHill.org.