The Access Fund Climbing Conservation Loan Program—the program that provides local communities with fast cash and transaction expertise to purchase at-risk climbing areas—hit a big milestone this month. Over $1 Million has revolved since the program's inception in 2009. That is one million dollars that has been loaned out to protect climbing areas and repaid by local communities to be reinvested into other at-risk climbing areas. By providing bridge financing, Access Fund gives locals time to raise money for long-term protection and stewardship.

"The combination of strong, effective local climbing organizations and the Access Fund Climbing Conservation Loan Program have significantly changed the game of protecting private climbing areas across the country," says Access Fund's Access Director Joe Sambataro. "With the right ingredients of dedicated volunteers, willing landowners, transaction support, and financing, once-threatened climbing areas become cherished resources for future generations."



To date, the Climbing Conservation Loan Program has helped protect 19 climbing areas across 15 states using $1,492,000 in short-term capital.

2016: Northwest Crags, Rumney, New Hampshire | Rumney Climbers Association | Loan status: Active - fundraising in progress

2015: The Homestead, Arizona | Access Fund with support from Arizona climbing organizations | Loan status: Active - fundraising in progress

2014: Unaweep Canyon, Colorado | Western Colorado Climbers’ Coalition | Loan status: Active - fundraising in progress

2014: Hidden Valley, Virginia | Access Fund and Carolina Climbers Coalition | Loan status - Paid in full

2014: Eagle Bluff, Maine | Access Fund and Clifton Climbers Alliance | Loan status - Paid in Full

2013: Castle Crags, California | Wilderness Land Trust | Loan status: Active - fundraising in progress

2013: Miller Fork Recreational Preserve, Red River Gorge, Kentucky | Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition | Loan status: Active - fundraising in progress

2012: Hospital Boulders, Alabama | Southeastern Climbers Coalition | Loan status - Paid in full

2012: Holy Boulders, Illinois | Access Fund with local climbing community | Loan status: Active - fundraising in progress

2012: Hueco Rock Ranch, Texas | Access Fund and American Alpine Club | Loan status - Paid in full

2012: Bubba City Access Easement, New River Gorge, West Virginia | New River Alliance of Climbers | Loan status - No loan required

2011: Bolton Quarry Emergency Access Road Stewardship, Vermont | CRAG-VT | Loan status - Paid in full

2010: New River Gorge Climbers Campground, West Virginia | American Alpine Club | Loan status - Paid in full

2010: Jailhouse Rock, Sonora, California | Access Fund with local climbing community | Loan status - Paid in full

2010: Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve, Red River Gorge, Kentucky | Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition | Loan status - Paid in full

2009: Farley Ledge Refinance, Massachusetts | Western Massachusetts Climbers’ Coalition | Loan status - Paid in full

2009: Rumbling Bald West Side Boulders, North Carolina | Carolina Climbers Coalition | Loan status - Paid in full

2009: Steele Cliff, Alabama | Southeastern Climbers Coalition | Loan status - Paid in full

2009: Lower Index Town Wall, Washington | Washington Climbers Coalition | Loan status - Paid in full

Today, $1,032,000 has revolved back into the fund, $459,000 is currently out on loan to local communities, and $556,000 is available for new and pending projects. We are continuously working with local climbing communities across the country to identify additional areas to protect.

A huge thanks to the many sponsors and donors who helped build this fund, including Dan Nordstrom, Beaver Theodasakis, Doug and Maggie Walker, Craig and Sarah Merner, Paul Fish, The North Face, Cascade Designs, Black Diamond, Mammut, Kyle Lefkoff, Petzl, and many more. Their visionary support helped to turn this fund into the powerful conservation tool it is today—those dollars will be used over and over again to save threatened climbing areas well into the future