Tickets are on sale now for our annual Soirée held on Thursday, November 3rd at Rembrandt in Boulder. Come join us for an evening of celebration, connection, and revelry as we raise funds for crucial Front Range climbing stewardship projects. Secure your tickets here!
It may not seem obvious, but weakness in our hips can lead directly to shoulder pain while climbing. Because climbing requires the use of all extremities simultaneously, impairments in one region of the body almost always have a direct impact on the other extremities. One of the most common, but seldom recognized, patterns is the relationship between the shoulder and the opposite side hip.
April is here and that means it is time for our stewardship season to launch. I am thrilled about what we have planned and the amazing new staff we have to achieve these goals.
As always, our superpower that will allow us to meet our goals this year is our cadre of committed volunteers, who were also critical to our successful stewardship in 2021. Take Jon Cheifitz, for example.
In December, I had the chance to meet with Jon, a key rebolting volunteer and nominee for our Stewardship Award. We chatted about rebolting, ideas for future fundraising, and how to deal with the turbulent hiring landscape. During the conversation Jon casually mentioned he planned to replace 100+ bolts single-handedly in 2022 and told me to bump up my rebolting goal based on his plans. This blew my mind. To put it in perspective, this number represents almost one-fifth our rebolting goal for the year. When Jon’s house burned down during the Marshall Fire, I expected him to call me up and let me know that just wasn’t in the cards anymore. Instead they called us up to let us know that they couldn’t wait to get to work rebolting. He also applied for, and was elected to, the BCC board.
Meaningful work brings folks like Jon, and numerous other volunteers, back time and time again. It’s what fulfills them. In fact, routinely our volunteer opportunities fill up within minutes. That is why we are committed to increasing our volunteer opportunities by at least 20% in 2022.
BCC volunteers accomplished huge things in 2021. We want to continue that momentum and level of work in 2022, and grow in a couple of key ways. Before we launch into what the future holds, let's briefly revisit the accomplishments that made 2021 an amazing year for Front Range Climbing stewardship because of the BCC and its volunteers.
We added 5 miles of primarily climber approach trails to the Boulder Canyon Trail system.
We undertook 7,429+ hours of volunteer work valued at $212,000.
The BCC replaced 522 bolts along the Front Range, which equals 80 routes, 700 volunteer hours, and 40 newly trained volunteers.
We also completed 13 gym kiosks to distribute wags bags and to educate climbers on gym-to-crag principles.
Speaking of wag bags, we distributed 3,000 last year.
Our trail crew put in 33 weeks of work.
This work is a true community collaboration. We have hundreds of volunteers, some of whom volunteer 100+ hours annually. We absolutely cannot do what we do without support from our community.
In 2022, we plan to match these accomplishments and grow in a few strategic areas:
We plan to increase our bolt replacement by 20%.
In June we will start work on a 5-Year Strategic Plan: We know that good stewardship of our organization means good long-term planning.
Increase our volunteer capacity by 20%.
To make these goals a reality and continue at the same level as before, the BCC has added two new roles: a seasonal Anchor Replacement Contractor, which will be filled by long-time volunteer Peter Thomas, and a part-time Operations and Volunteer Coordinator, which will be filled by Alissa Orgel.
Our veteran trail leader, Ryan Kuehn, will also be stepping into our retooled Stewardship Director role. Frank Barton will be our new Crew Lead and Austin Shaw will be returning in a new role as our Field Coordinator. Dayton Bieber has joined our team as our talented new Marketing Director.
Our ability to grow in these strategic areas also means ensuring a healthy revenue stream for the BCC. Our Stewardship Kick-Off Campaign, which launches on April 11, is one of three campaigns we run annually to raise critical community-supported funding. This campaign exists for the community to show its support for our organization: 47% of our funding comes directly from the community via donations, events, and memberships.
The BCC benefits from the support of local businesses, national and regional grants, local funding, and individual donations. A donation will be put towards buying supplies and tools to start our season of stewardship, and funding our new Anchor Replacement Coordination and Volunteer Coordinator roles.
Support our Stewardship Campaign today so that Front Range crags continue to be the best cared for crags in the nation.
At our Backyard Bivy this past weekend we announced that the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest had decided to “implement a proposal to add approximately 5 miles of access trails to the National Forest Trails Transportation System within Boulder Canyon that lead to existing climbing routes”. This decision memo by the USFS is the culmination of many years of work begun by BCC founder Roger Briggs, JB Habb, BCC staff, board members, and volunteers of the BCC and also represents the next 10+ years of BCC’s efforts to improve climbing access in Boulder Canyon. This is a huge win for the BCC and Boulder climbers and we are excited to detail what this means for the future of climbing in Boulder Canyon.
When our trail program was founded in 2014, our goal was to provide land management agencies with innovative and effective technical solutions to address the impact that climbers have on their land. Over the years, we have taken on large scale trail work projects on land managed by City of Boulder OSMP, Jefferson County Open Space, Colorado State Parks, and the United States Forest Service.
In Boulder Canyon, if you have enjoyed the sunny climbing at Plotinus Wall in Lower Dream Canyon or the new approach trail to Oceanic Wall and Avalon, you have benefited from the work that BCC performs in this area. These projects have all been multi-year projects, not only for the actual trail work but also for the years of preparation that goes into the project before our trail crew ever puts a tool in the ground. This decision memo by the USFS to recognize climbing access trails in Boulder Canyon not only legitimizes climbers as an active user group in the canyon, but also acknowledges that these trails are necessary to access our sport and will need to be maintained or rebuilt in order to meet USFS standards. This presents the opportunity for the BCC and USFS to partner on applying for large scale grants to help fund future multi-year projects in Boulder Canyon. The BCC hopes that through our unique partnership with the USFS and our trail work at various Boulder Canyon crags, Boulder Canyon can be a model sustainable climbing area that can be replicated throughout the US.
3/29/2022: Parking permits are needed to park between 9PM and 5 AM at the following locations:
Gregory Canyon - Base of Flagstaff Road
Panorama Point - 1.0 miles up Flagstaff Road
Crown Rock - 2.2 miles up Flagstaff Road
Realization Point - 3.4 miles up Flagstaff Road
Flagstaff Summit - 0.5 miles up Flagstaff Summit Road from Realization Point
Lost Gulch Overlook - 4.3 miles up Flagstaff Road
Shoulder parking in designated areas
Under a new Boulder ordinance, beginning December 2, parking along Flagstaff Road (above the turnoff for Gregory Canyon) will only be allowed from 5am - 9pm, rather than the current rule of 5am - 11pm. This change was due to considerable law-breaking behavior along Flagstaff Road, and not due to alleged misbehavior by climbers.
Link to City of Boulder Press Release.
This is only a parking rule. The boulders and other terrain will remain open 24/7, for those willing to park at the base of Flagstaff and hike or bike up/down.
The Good News: The BCC, together with our friends at the Flatirons Climbing Council, worked hard to successfully persuade Open Space staff, Board of Trustees, and Boulder City Council to create an online system that will allow users to obtain a permit to park until 11pm — preserving the same access as before. Open Space staff are working to develop the permit system, but it will not be ready on November 18. We will publicize the timing and logistical details of the system when they are known.
Please comply with the 9pm parking closure (starting December 2nd) and the permit system once it is created (if you want to park until 11pm). This is more than an issue of getting a parking ticket. Open Space staff will review this entire structure in a year. Our ability to persuade Boulder to create the permit system, rather than suffer a total loss of parking access after 9pm, was due in large part to the good relations climbers have developed with this land manager.
To learn more, check out the City of Boulder’s OSMP home page:
In 2021, Front Range Crags shined a little bit brighter due to the Boulder Climbing Community ( BCC) and its volunteers.
The BCC continued to expand their impact by advocating for climbers in Rocky Mountain National Park, Eldorado Canyon State Park, Clear Creek Canyon, Flagstaff Mountain, and beyond, via our newly inaugurated advocacy committee; ensuring climbers maintained access to their favorite crags and were represented in future decisions.
The BCC continued to ensure that local climbers had access to wag bags and porta-potties to keep human waste out of the watershed and preserve the environment.
With the help of our outreach volunteers we doubled membership again in 2021.
There were also a huge number of firsts in 2021 for us at the BCC!
We trained over 40 new rebolting volunteers via our rebolting clinics. By training volunteers we increase our impact by a huge factor: if each volunteer replaces a few routes, that results in hundreds of routes that will be updated and safer. In fact, these newly trained volunteers helped us replace 500 bolts this year!
Say that again “500 bolts in 2021!”This is a huge achievement for the community, not only this year, but in future years; newly minted volunteers will continue to increase our impact as BCC grows.
The BCC installed 13 gym kiosks to close the stewardship gap between the gym and crags.
Our trail program also broke barriers this year. After years in the works, the BCC, in partnership with the Arapaho and Roosevelt District of the United States Forest Service (USFS), added nearly every climber approach trail in Boulder Canyon to the USFS trails systems map. That’s over 5 miles of trails! This trail designation allows the BCC to increase the scope and scale of the work we can do in Boulder Canyon in the future. This is a huge deal and we are thrilled for what this means for the future stewardship of Boulder Canyon.
Our trail crew (FRCS) constructed 3,500 linear feet of trail and installed 578 stone steps in 2021. With over 5,000 volunteer hours, our trail crew built trails at Avalon, Castle Rock Overlook, Der Zerkle, Upper Dream Canyon, Cathedral Spires, and the Royal Arch Trail. Building trails uphill is hard work. In order to build a sustainable trail through steep and exposed environments, the trail crew relies heavily on the use of stone structures. Building with stone is one of the most technically difficult forms of trail building, from quarrying and splitting stone, using highline rigging systems, to the actual construction methods of stone building. Our trail crew possesses the knowledge and experience that very few trail programs have.this experience is part of the reason our partnership with USFS thrives. The BCC is thrilled to be stewarding some of the best crags in the country. But the ongoing support of the community is needed.
Help us meet our fundraising goals for the year by making a donation today.
We appreciate the expressions of interest and concern by some climbers regarding the expansion of mining on the Albert Frei & Sons property, as proposed in the Walstrum Spur Amendment to their mining permit. It is important to clarify several facts regarding the proposed mining expansion and the Frei property.
Most importantly, the climbing areas at issue (on the North side of Clear Creek from just West of Tunnel 5 to the Waves Wall) are on the Frei's private property. This includes Dog House, Other Critters, Safari, Live Action, Creekside, Armory, and Primo Wall, among other crags. The Frei family is well aware that there has been extensive climbing on their property for a period of time and has not tried to stop it.
The BCC and the Access Fund have been working with the Frei family on a permanent agreement that would formally secure climbing on this property. The issues are complex, but we are making progress. Just this week, the Frei family reaffirmed their interest in a stewardship agreement that would permit continued use of the Frei property by the climbing community and allow for maintenance of crags and approach trails. We are committed to continuing those efforts on behalf of the climbing community, including speaking with them again very shortly.
We also want to clarify some details of the proposed mining expansion, which has been the subject of some misinformation. The Frei family representatives assure us there will be no mining on the creekside of the canyon rim, and certainly no mining of the crags themselves. As they have stated: “the entire canyon rim is staying intact.” Mining operations will be conducted from behind the canyon rim. The proposal also includes an undisturbed buffer between the mining area and Clear Creek Canyon. While there might be some noise and other impacts at certain times and places, the crags will be preserved and, we hope, there will be a basis for a permanent agreement securing climber access to these many valued crags.
Photo: by Kevin Capps of Laura Capps sending at the Dog House
It has happened to all of us. You head out early to the crag, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (thanks to that caffeinated beverage in your hand), hoping the project is no match for your new gym training regiment. As you march up the trail, the excitement gives you butterflies in your stomach, at least you think those are butterflies. You reach the cliff and throw on a harness and shoes, no time to waste, but as soon as the figure eight is finished the grumbles and rumbles from deep within give you a moment of pause. Uh-oh, it’s 💩 time. Do you have a plan?
Everyone poops, and sometimes it has to happen at the crag, boulder field, or alpine wall. With so many climbers in the Front Range it doesn’t take long for popular climbing areas to literally be covered in human feces throughout a season. Not only is this gross, it’s bad for the environment. Human waste, especially when concentrated, can pollute watersheds and negatively affect wildlife. It can also lead to access issues from land managers who are left trying to deal with a minefield of cat holes. These days the accepted way to deal with 💩 at climbing areas is by packing it out and disposing of it properly.
Here at the BCC, we think wag bags are the best strategy for dealing with human waste when established toilets and porta-potties are not available. Each year we spend thousands of dollars to provide bags for the climbing community, free of charge. We do this in a few different ways. First, we install and stock crag stations at various popular crags in the Boulder/Golden area. These stations are meant for emergencies at the specific crag and any climbers who find themselves in need should take and use one. Second, we have installed new kiosks at numerous gyms in the Front Range that include wag bags for BCC supporters. These bags are meant to be taken and carried in a pack until duty calls while out climbing. We all want our crags to be as clean and healthy as possible so doing your part to manage human waste is a critical task as climbing continues to grow.
Try as we might, BCC can’t get wag bags into the hands of every single person who visits Front Range crags. That is why we believe that climbers need to start thinking about wag bags as essential kit for a day of climbing. Just like you wouldn’t leave your chalk bag or climbing shoes behind for a day of cragging, you should always pack a wag bag when heading out to the cliff. As climbers, we buy all sorts of little things that make our experience better–chalk, tape, crack gloves, brushes–wag bags should be included in that list. We are fortunate to have quality gear shops in our area like Neptune Mountaineering, Rock and Resole, and Bentgate Mountaineering that all stock wag bags for purchase. If every climber made a point to have a wag bag on them as part of their “poop plan”, our crags would be much cleaner and the climbing experience would be better for everyone.
We hope that as you are packing your bag for your next climbing adventure you remember to be a responsible climber and throw in a wag bag. We also hope that you support the BCC in our mission to provide as many wag bags as possible to the community, because 💩 emergencies happen. A part of every membership and donation goes toward supporting our wag bag program through crag stations and gym kiosks.
PS. Never used a wag bag? Get the beta from our friends over at the Access Fund!
Due to an increased amount of illegal activity (vandalism, graffiti, drinking and driving, etc.) the City of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) is considering greater restrictions on nighttime parking along Flagstaff road above Boulder. The current rule is no parking from 11pm - 5am. The proposed change would be to no parking from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. While this may not seem like a big deal, it could potentially change how boulderers are able to access problems during the prime bouldering season.
As anyone who has bouldered at Flag will tell you, good conditions matter. Sometimes these good conditions may happen at night during the fall, early winter, and spring season. The BCC’s advocacy committee wants to hear from the Flagstaff faithful about if and how this new rule change would affect their experience at the boulders, especially during the prime season.
We feel that a more restrictive fixed time rule, such as no parking 9pm-5am, would address OSMP’s concern about inappropriate usage and leave more nighttime hours for boulderers during the sending season.
If you frequent Flagstaff and have an opinion on this, please let us know your thoughts at advocacy@boulderclimbers.org. The Open Space Board of Trustees is set to meet to discuss this rule change on August 11th, so please send your thoughts by August 9th.
Over the past two years Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) has been piloting a timed entry reservation system for access to the park during the peak summer season. The pilot system was unveiled during the pandemic as a way to help limit the spread of the virus but also to help alleviate issues of crowding that had been brewing for many years prior. The goal of these pilot years was to collect data to help the park make informed decisions when it comes to a long term, more permanent solution.
As of May 2021, RMNP has officially kicked off the multiyear process to decide what visitor use strategies they will implement for the foreseeable future. One of the proposed strategies is a permanent timed entry reservation system. While the BCC is excited to see the park trying to address issues of overcrowding and resource damage, we have concerns about whether or not these long term solutions will consider the use patterns and needs of climbers for years to come.
RMNP is a world class destination for alpine bouldering and multi pitch trad climbing and we want to make sure climbers voices are heard in this process. BCC wants to hear from you about your experiences with the RMNP pilot reservation system and what aspects you think are important for all climbers long term. Fill out our questionnaire here:
We also encourage all climbers who recreate in RMNP to consider submitting public comment on the park’s plans. To learn more background information on the Day Use Visitor Access planning process and submit your official comments, visit the National Park website.
Comments are due by July 26th!
The Colorado Department of Transportation (“CDOT”) has announced a lengthy flood recovery project on Colorado Route 7 between Lyons and Highway 72 which will have important implications for climbing in the South St. Vrain Canyon. In short, beginning in approximately August 2021 (the exact date has not been announced), CDOT will begin closures which will effectively preclude any access to climbing in the canyon. The project is expected to last until approximately October 2022, though these projects often run long. So, if you want to climb in the South St. Vrain Canyon, the best time would be in the near future, before the closure takes effect. The BCC hopes this advance warning is helpful in formulating your Summer climbing plans. Note that the closure will not affect the ability to drive from Ward to Allenspark and continuing North to the Longs Peak trailhead.
The BCC has been dealing extensively with CDOT and the US Forest Service (which owns the land where the climbs are located) on this closure. There was no possibility of avoiding a closure, which is needed to get the work done as quickly as possible. The BCC focused its efforts on trying to assure that no climbing resources were destroyed and that access would be maintained once the closure is lifted. CDOT has committed to retaining all of the formal pull outs along Route 7. There are also informal pull outs that are important for easy access to key crags. While CDOT has not committed to retaining the informal pullouts, the discussions leave us cautiously optimistic that there will be no significant loss of access after the closure is lifted, though some crags may require a somewhat longer walk from the nearest pullout. Special thanks to guidebook author Bernard Gillett for his tremendous help with this project.
If you would like to receive updates on the project or read about CDOT’s plan, you can do so on their website.
If you have any questions, please contact advocacy@boulderclimbers.org
Photo by Bernard Gillett
Eldorado Canyon State Park recently released its draft management plan, which highlights “the unique character of the park as a rock climbing destination.” The plan will guide how the park manages its resources and the visitor experience for the foreseeable future. It is important for climbers to ask questions and comment to refine the plan; the draft is available to the public and Colorado Parks and Wildlife is accepting comments until May 25th.
One of BCC’s core values is working with land managers to help steward and maintain climbing resources in the Front Range. This is a critical opportunity for climbers to work with public land managers to help shape how one of the country’s best-known traditional climbing areas will look for years to come.
The BCC, Action Committee for Eldorado, Flatirons Climbing Council, and Access Fund jointly wrote a letter to the CPW commissioners voicing our concerns. If you would like to view our letter you can do so here.
We want to highlight a few points climbers should focus their thoughts and comments on:
The Park is planning to pilot a reservation system. While we recognize that the park must look for solutions to overcrowding, we think the proposed system is too broad and should be refined to better accommodate the climbing community. We encourage climbers to consider (and comment on) how a reservation system could best be structured so that it accommodates both (1) climbers who need to plan well in advance (and want the certainty that they will be able to access the Park on their chosen day[s]) and also (2) climbers who need some flexibility for spur-of-the-moment outings. We also encourage climbers to consider how human-powered means of transportation could be used to address parking issues. The pilot program will be implemented as soon as possible.
The Park is considering capacity limits for climbers at certain high traffic areas to keep visitor use sustainable. We encourage folks to consider and comment that, for the most part, climbers will self-regulate and that added pressure from park staff could lead to user tension and safety concerns.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is using different comment forms for certain chapters. Be sure to fill out all forms for the complete plan.
To provide general comments on the plan, complete this form.
For chapter 6 on management strategies (this is where the reservation system is discussed), complete this form.
For chapters 2-4 on park setting, resources, and visitation, complete this form.
For chapter 5 on management zones, complete this form.
If you decide to submit a public comment, be sure to thank the park staff who have done a great job stewarding this amazing climbing area over the years, and continue to look for ways to make outdoor recreation sustainable in the canyon.
If you have questions or comments about our stance please send them to advocacy@boulderclimbers.org.
Climbers can continue to lead on all things stewardship, by carpooling and biking when possible. New routes and fixed anchor management will continue to be managed through ACE and the Park, with support from the BCC.
All Stewardship all day everyday? Yes, all day everyday. From our newsletter to our events we are stewardly. If our organization is a bulls-eye, then stewardship is in the center. We can’t help ourselves, we have a wealth of climbing areas staring us in the face all day every day of the highest caliber. Caring for our crags ensures access, it sets our community apart, and it creates the infrastructure to ensure landscapes are sustainable for all climbers.
The BCC team charged into the COVID-19 pandemic last March and April asking “what can we do?.” Trail and climbing visitation remained active during lockdown and then exploded over the summer. In 2020, folks moved from all corners of the country to Boulder to access open spaces that remained open unlike theaters, museums, concert venues, and even schools. Visitation is up at the crag, on the trail, at the campground, the bike park, and on the skin track; have you seen it?
The Boulder Climbing Community’s stewardship work became critical to ensuring that Front Range landscapes were not only maintained, but provided the resources to be sustainable under pressure. The BCC stepped up and had the most impactful year of its existence. (Read all about it here). To summarize: more trail feet built, more bolts replaced, more wag bags stocked, and a whole lot of work behind the scenes to set up to do even more stewardly good in 2021.
Trails and trail maintenance, monitoring endangered species like the golden eagles, providing wag bags, replacing aging bolts and anchors, organizing crag clean ups-stewardship days, graffiti removal days, and advocating for climbers, is the “stewardship” work we do to keep local Front Range crags open and sustainable for generations to come. Right now, 2021 y’all, the BCC has even more stewardship work planned, and we need everyone’s help to make it happen:
We are entering our 8th season of trail work with 30 weeks of work planned!
Nearly doubling our weeks of work in Boulder Canyon to 14 weeks: 4 at Avalon (Middle Tier), 5 at Upper Dream Canyon, and 5 at Castle Rock Overlook.
Finishing the Cynical Pinnacle reroute at Cathedral Spires
Working on projects in the Flatirons and Indian Peaks Wilderness, yes!!
We will continue to monitor eagles in Boulder Canyon so that we can open crags as soon as the eagles have time to nest
Replacing 500+ bolts along the Front Range in 2021
Boulder Canyon crag makeovers include Avalon, Sherwood Forest, Black Widow Slab, and Easter Rock, as well as bolts replaced at Clear Creek Canyon
6 days planned at crags the community has identified as high need, the Graveyard Crag
Graffiti clean up at Darkside Boulders, and additional days at Eldorado Canyon State Park, and the Flatirons
Noticed a wag bag station at your local gym or gear shop? We are working with local gyms and gear shops to make it easier to make sure you have a wag bag in your backpack for whenever you need one, wherever you need one.
Port-a-potties!! Return of the port-a-potty at Upper Dream and all hail the port-a-potty at Castle Rock
We hope you are as excited as we are by these projects!
The BCC held its first annual stewardship kickoff campaign one year ago under uncertain future circumstances, and the community stepped up to contribute critical funds to ensure we could continue our work during the pandemic. There is more work to be done in 2021 and we need the community’s help to guarantee the full scope of this work happens.
The best way to support the BCC is through a $5 or $10 recurring donation a month, if you can do more, awesome. If you are already a monthly donor consider making a small donation during the campaign to demonstrate a “heck yeah!” for all this good work. You would be surprised how many climbers have no idea who the BCC is, tell your friends and spread the word of this good work!
Climbing partnerships are some of the strongest around. The belayers, spotters, and people who support us and all of our climbing endeavors are so important to our climbing and community. The BCC is alive today because of businesses that support us through donations, volunteers, and events. We owe a huge thank you to the following businesses for sponsoring the BCC and being champions for stewardship in our backyard climbing areas:
Check out the Supporters Page for more info on each partnership, our Grassroots Supporters, and links to check out these wonderful and generous sponsors. Interested in sponsoring the BCC? It's not too late! Reach out to billy@boulderclimbers.org for more info.
Do you love what the BCC does and stands for? Are you a climbing steward who wants to do more to help our crags? The BCC is accepting applications to become a board member! As a board member you can help guide the BCC in its mission to protect and improve front range climbing areas. Applications are due by March 12th so apply and join our team!
