With the help of DC area climbers and outdoor enthuasists, Mid Atlantic Climbers, in collaboration with the National Park Service, hosted the group's seventh annual Adopt-a-Crag events at two local crags with the aim of preserving DC area climbing environments.
More than 55 climbers and other outdoor enthusiasts came out this September in support of Mid Atlantic Climber's mission for the first Adopt-a-Crag event at Great Falls National Park, Virginia. Four teams of volunteers tackled projects identified by National Park Service including brushing-in of social trails, trail maintenance, building a slit rail fence and re-grading the path to one of the overlooks. After the projects were completed volunteers were treated to a BBQ compliments of Sportrock Climbing Centers and a gear raffle from Mid Atlantic Climbers and the Access Fund.
Later that month, at the Carderock Recreation Area in MD, over 60 volunteers took on several projects in prominent areas of the park, paying special attention to long term park preservation. In collaboration with the US Navy and the National Park Service's Volunteer Coordinator Kyle Anderson, volunteers worked on trail maintenance, erosion control, brushing-in of social trails, and replacing the river bank retaining wall. After projects were completed, volunteers were treated to a BBQ hosted by EarthTreks Climbing Centers and a gear raffle from Mid Atlantic Climbers and the Access Fund. Teams focused on the brushing in of social trails which are fairly common to both climbing areas due to the high volume of visitors.
Fortunately, volunteers put a large dent into a long term riverbank project along which will be completed by the National Park Service in the coming weeks. MAC and the National Park Service kindly asks that in the meantime park users take care when hiking and climbing in the Carderock area as the National Park Service completes this project which will ensure the sustainability of the Carderock Recreation Area for years to come.
Mid Atlantic Climbers would like to thank this years Adopt-a-Crag partners including: the Access Fund, Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS), Sportrock Climbing Centers & Earthtreks Climbing Gyms. The group would also like to extend a very special thanks to REI for their continued support this year and throughout the last 7 years. Lastly, none of this would not have been possible without the dedication and enthusiasm of the individual volunteers. To everyone who has ever participated in the Adopt-a-Crag series, Mid Atlantic Climbers would like to thank you for helping to protect the future of climbing.
Photos Gallery can be found at: ( password: thinmint )
Carderock, MD 2009
Great Falls, VA 2009
Keep Smiling
Ocean Eiler
Mid Atlantic Climbers
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DC Abopt-A-Crag History
Adopt-a-Crag, the Access Fund’s signature event, brings climbing community members together to preserve and maintain national parks. The volunteers work with the park service personnel on cliff cleanup, 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 will produce trail restoration projects and crag clean-ups at over 100 climbing areas around the country.
This is the start of our sixth year that DC area rock climbers are hosting an Adopt-A-Crag event. Last year, over 150 volunteers participated in the DC area Adopt-A-Crag events. In years past climbers helped lay down over four tons of gravel, 2 tons of wood chips, and collected several thousand pounds of trash. Climbers also helped to maintain several miles of trails and wilderness areas.
Since 1990, the Access Fund has been the only national advocacy organization that keeps climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. The Access Fund supports and represents over 1.6 million climbers nationwide in ALL forms of climbing; Rock Climbing, Ice Climbing, Mountaineering, and Bouldering. The organization works in cooperation with climbers, other recreational users, public land managers, and private landowners to promote the responsible use and sound management of climbing resources throughout the United States.
Photos from past events: ( password: thinmint )
Shenandoah Rock Fest 2009
Great Falls Park, VA 2008
Carderock, MD 2008
Northwest Branch, MD 2008
Videos from past events:
Great Falls Park, VA Sep 15, 2007
Great Falls, VA Sept 9, 2006
Please support our Past Sponsors:
2008 Adopt-A-Crag Sponsors
Award:
Mid-Atlantic Climbers were awared The Access Fund 2008 Stewardship Award |
