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…
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 approval. We welcome any input from the community to raise ideas and contributions to this plan; if you cannot attend this meeting, please contact us Read more…
Climbing, like many outdoor sports, has a high cost of entry: the gear. It ain’t cheap. To boulder in the gym, in addition to a membership (>$60/month), one needs to purchase a chalk bag (cheap) as well as climbing shoes regularly (often >$100 a few times a year!). If you’re roping up you’ll tack on a harness ($50-$150), and a belay device ($100 for a GRIGRI, the most common assisted braking belay device in use). 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 Meeting topics: Setting committee goals for 2022 Sketching out a committee budget Identifying a chair/co-chair for 2022 Ongoing project updates Merchandise Spring climbing comp New projects Used gear redistribution –Vincent, interim committee chair
[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 100 feet high. The majority of the routes are in the 5.9-5.10 range, but there are many excellent beginner routes also, and a handful of 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 a drill for SWPACC which enabled to replacement at breakneck and will facilitate future projects. SWPACC has formally agreed to a lease with the owner 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 primarily governed by a board of directors to a member-led organization with shared roles and responsibilities at the committee level. Most recently, we put together Read more…