2020: Supply and Demand

We are increasing our supply to meet demand.

Supply and demand, two words associated strongly with industry and economic growth. But, right now we have a huge increase in demand in our climbing community.

Here is where we are at in 2020: 

  • Climbing is growing at 6% a year, and expect even bigger growth after the Olympics

  • An estimated 14,000 people from Boulder County climb outside at least once a year, many of these climb outside much much more than that

The Boulder Climbing Community is the organization along the Front Range maintaining our world-class climbing areas. In 2019 as an organization we identified the need to grow, aka increase supply, in order to meet the increased demands on our climbing areas.

Already, we build sustainable trails and belay platforms, provide wag bags and port-a-potties, replace hundreds of bolts that need maintenance, and monitor eagles. Beyond the crags we also advocate for climbing locally, educate climbers, and ensure issues are addressed before they arise. But we recognize that we need more of all these efforts to keep up with climbing’s explosive growth in our community.

In order to increase supply of all the great things that make our crags sustainable we invested in a full-time stewardship manager in 2020 to add oversight to our program areas, which include:

  • Expanding our wag bag program

  • Organizing our re-bolting efforts to replace as many bolts as possible

  • Continuing to develop partnerships with our land managers

The BCC also invested in a full-time marketing and communications manager to oversee fundraising, communications, and membership, which includes:

  • Developing partnerships with local businesses and organizations

  • Organizing events and a membership program that brings the climbing community together

  • Telling the story of the BCC across all our communication platforms

Our amazing trail crew will also stay busy in 2020 working on climbing areas and access trails from the Indian Peaks Wilderness to the South Platte, including:

  • North Rocks Area, Flagstaff Mountain

  • Castle Rock Overlook, Boulder Canyon 

  • Upper Dream Canyon, Boulder Canyon

  • Isabelle Glacier Trail, Indian Peaks Wilderness

  • Cathedral Spires, Jefferson County 

  • Lumpy Ridge, Rocky Mountain National Park. 

Further, we have committed our trail crew to a couple of hours a week to get out and talk to the community about what they are doing. 

The BCC is looking toward the future and as an organization, we know we will need to do more to steward our climbing areas. We hope all Front Range climbers will stand behind us, support us, and join us. 

 #cragsaintfree. 

Kate Beezley | Executive Director

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