News

Frank Curto + Schenley Work Days – Sat/Sun, Sept. 30 + Oct. 1

FRANK CURTO + SCHENLEY PARK CLIMBING AREAS WORK DAY – BUILDING STAIRS Saturday, Sept. 30 | Sunday, Oct. 1 Downtown Pittsburgh, PA Join SWPACC Volunteers on Saturday and Sunday, September 30 + October 1, 2023 for the final push on wrapping up one of Climb Pittsburgh’s crowning achievements – adding stairs to Frank Curto Park’s Climbing Area and wrapping up some trail work at Schenley Park’s Climbing Area! For Frank Curto, the city of Pittsburgh Read more…

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Join our board! Applications now being accepted!

Join our Board! Do you or someone you know have: a passion for climbing? an interest in giving back to the climbing community? a desire for hands-on experience with a nonprofit board? Please nominate yourself as a candidate for the SWPACC Board of Directors 2023 Elections! Six (6) of eleven (11) board seats are up for election this year. Experience is not required; you will learn as you go! It is important that the composition Read more…

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Announcing new SWPACC grant opportunity to make climbing more accessible for all

Breaking the Beta! A new microgrant program from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Climbers Coalition SWPACC’s microgrant program is designed to lower barriers to access in climbing in southwest PA.  Climbing is a powerful sport. It can help us practice facing fear and challenge in a safe container, so that we can feel stronger and more prepared for the things the world throws at us.  We want everyone who feels drawn to it to be able to Read more…

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Podcast explores climbing in PA state parks, featuring SWPACC and EPAC

Podcast explores climbing in PA state parks, featuring SWPACC and EPAC Hemlocks to Hellbenders’ recent 90-minute episode is all about rock climbing in Pennsylvania state parks! Did you know, that out of the 124 state parks in Pennsylvania, only 3 allow rock climbing as an approved activity? Ohiopyle and McConnells Mill State Parks in the west, and Ralph Stover State Park in the east. On this episode, Dana Caracciolo (EPAC) and Mike Varlotta (SWPACC) talk Read more…

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New Year, New Leadership

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…

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With appreciation, Joel Brady!

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…

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Local climber seeks to elevate Latinx/Women climbers in new film project

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…

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Crag Stewardship Opportunities: 11/13 & 11/19

    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…

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Call for Volunteers! Access Fund Conservation Team coming to Pittsburgh 9/8-11

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…

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LOCUS GROVE & THE NARROWS

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…

By admin, ago