Get Involved with SWPACC! Call for co-chairs and committee members The Southwestern Pennsylvania Climbers Coalition (SWPACC) exists to promote the responsible development of climbing and bouldering in southwestern Pennsylvania, to share information about the development and conservation of the resource, and to gain and preserve access. How do we get Read more…
Last week, SWPACC wrapped up voting for its annual board elections. Six seats on the board were available with eight candidates stepping up to serve. All joint members of SWPACC and Access Fund were eligible to vote. The newly elected board members are: Joel Brady Caleb Hills Valerie Kramer Makenzie Read more…
2023 Access Fund Climbing Advocacy Conference Nov. 10-11, 2023 The Record, Bentonville, Arkansas Last week, Ginette Walker Vinski (SWPACC Board President) and Caleb Hills (newly elected SWPACC board member and Access+Stewardship committee co-chair) joined with members of local climbing organizations from across the country for Access Fund’s annual climbing advocacy Read more…
Nov. 13 – Trail stewardship at Schenley Park 12PM – 3PM Help us finish the installation of stone steps on the steep section of trail leading to the Schenley Pillar. If we have enough volunteers, we may also be able to further stabilize other sections of trail. This good Read more…
First, some context: If you’ve never heard of them, these two areas are in Cumberland Maryland, about a 2-hour drive from SWPA. Locust Grove is home to multiple 100′ walls (predominantly slab) and over 60 high quality routes half of which are trad and half of which are well protected Read more…
The next community committee meeting will be open to the general public; please feel free to drop in and invite some friends! Meeting link: meet.jit.si/swpacc-community-committee At this meeting, we will identify tasks to put into our 6-12 month plan, along with a preliminary budget to submit to the board for Read more…
[Okay, actually, send an email 🙂 ] The Background The area known as Locust Grove, just outside of Cumberland, Maryland has a 40-50 year history of rock climbing, albeit as a “secret crag.” Over 70 routes exist on impeccable rock, half of which are fully equipped sport routes, some reaching Read more…
Many hands… On August 28 seven members of the SWPACC Access and Stewardship Committee installed 16 mechanical and 14 glue-in bolts, using all stainless steel bolts to replace rusted bolts across 10 different routes in the main climbing area of Breakneck. The Committee also recommended and the board approved purchasing Read more…
Building the foundation Over the past several months, the SWPACC Governance Committee has been hard at work with the behind-the-scenes functioning of our growing local climbing organization. With the new committees being formed in the past year, the Governance Committee has facilitated the smooth transition from a club that was Read more…
Bringing the climbing community together The community committee has been tabling at a couple of events around the city, ordered new blaze orange merch to be stocked in our shop later this season, and met with cross-state LCOs to discuss JEDI issues at large. Some upcoming projects we’re looking to Read more…