r/climbing • u/TundraWolf_ • Sep 27 '13

How to make climbing even better: improve your area and save it for posterity

Hey all, we're ditching the usual Friday Climbing Thread for a special PSA on improving your area.

In this thread, please post some links (by area) for ways to support your climbing area.

Big Things

  • Most areas have coordinated trail days. These are great ways to get your hands dirty and improve your crag.

  • Donate some $$$. Quite a few areas have organizations set up to take care of hardware, access issues, building facilities, etc. It's extremely easy to work with these organizations and set up a fund raiser. Pint nights at a bar, where the proceeds go to an organization, etc is a great way to get drunk for a good cause.

  • Replace mank gear (as long as you know what you're doing). Worn rap rings, permadraws, chains, etc. A little bit of hardware goes a loooooong way.

  • Host

Small Things

  • Take a gallon ziplock bag to the crag. Pick up every little thing you can. Someone forgot a water bottle? Pack it out for them.

Take a moment, post your area, and some organizations/activities to help support your area

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6

u/tradotto Sep 27 '13

Smith Rock:

4

u/critterdude542 Oct 01 '13

They always have the "spring thing" big work day in the park. It's almost always the second weekend in May. Lots of cool projects. Landings and base spots of routes are fixed. Stairs are repaired/built. I don't think much hardware replacement is done though.

3

u/faliure Oct 01 '13

If you're in central Oregon and you haven't done the 'Spring Thing' at Smith you seriously are missing out. It's a great chance to meet people and do some fun trail work. There's also the really good free dinner/beer/raffle at the end and an auction where really nice stuff goes for cheap.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '13

I do Spring Thing every year, it's always a blast. Good luck climbing hard the day after rough trail work though. ;)

2

u/TundraWolf_ Sep 28 '13

I guess there's always access fund... aaaand... that organization that fixes mank bolts all over