Hello, everyone! My name is Ginette and this month begins my first full year term as the new president of the board for SWPACC. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve in this role, and humbled by the confidence my peers have placed in me. Thanks to our past president Joel Brady and the board for carving this path ahead of us. Welcome also to 2023’s additional board officers: Jennifer Flaggs, serving as SWPACC’s Vice President; Read more…
Last month, Joel Brady called his final board meeting to order as founding president of the Southwestern PA Climbers Coalition. The Board elected new officers in December 2022, bringing one chapter to a close and opening a new one for the organization. Stepping into the role of President is (formerly Vice President) Ginette Walker Vinski, with Jennifer Flaggs now as Vice President, DJ Wilmot as Treasurer, and newest board member Eliza Porterfield as Secretary. While Read more…
Hey have you heard? A member of our very own climbing community here in Southwestern PA, Elisa Varlotta, is raising funds to make a film about the women’s climbing community in Colombia! The goal of this project is to give attention to underrepresented groups while also connecting communities from around the world. She and the team are presenting “Guerreras” (Women Warriors), a film in the works that will share the untold story of the female 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 work started in September when SWPACC teamed up with Access Fund’s Conservation Team. Stick around for some climbing afterwards! Be sure to wear old clothes, Read more…
Call for Volunteers! Access Fund’s Conservation Team is coming to Pittsburgh next week! Join in for multiple days of community, stewardship and climbing. Come lend a hand on Friday or Saturday for trail improvements and general crag cleanup in and around the Pittsburgh area. We need the help! Bring your gear for climbing afterwards, if you’d like! Thanks to Access Fund, ASCEND, Public Lands, and 3ROC for your support of SWPACC and help in making these 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 sport routes. A couple of the easy and moderate trad routes there are very well protected and make for some of the best first leads Read more…
We are thrilled to be 3 Rivers Outdoor Co‘s Community Impact Partner for the second half of 2022! This is a great opportunity for SWPACC to raise some much needed funding and better connect with our community members. We were grateful to join members of the climbing community, along with 3ROC and Old Thunder Brewing for a kick-off on July 17 at the shop in Regent Square. Thank you to all who stopped by to Read more…
This is a recording of the update from Ginette Walker Vinski (SWPACC Vice President), Joel Brady (SWPACC President), and Caleb Hills (Access + Stewardship Co-Chair) on May 4, 2022. We were joined by general members of the climbing community, as well as representatives across the state from other LCOs (Southcentral Pennsylvania Climbers – SCPC, Eastern PA Alliance of Climbers – EPAC) and Access Fund. Summary: SWPACC is in the information gathering stage to determine what Read more…
Please join us on Wednesday, May 4th 2022 at 7pm for updates regarding access issues on State Game Lands 51 & 138. This meeting will be held virtually on Zoom; register here to get access to the event. The meeting will be recorded and posted publicly afterwards. Register for meeting
On April 5, 2022, the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced the closure to all rock climbing activities on State Game Lands 51 and 138 in Fayette County. The official statement indicates the reason for the closure is habitat preservation of “several rare, threatened or endangered plant and wildlife species.” Last week, upon notification of the impending announcement, the Southwestern PA Climbers Coalition (SWPACC), together with other PA Local Climbing Organizations and Access Fund, submitted a letter Read more…