About The Access Society

The Access Society represents everyone who supports public access to the cliffs and mountains of B.C., and conservation of them. It was founded in 1995. We encourage anyone who supports our goals, particularly all climbers and mountaineers, to become involved, and support our work.

Become a member, make a donation, learn about the issues, encourage your friends to get involved, and volunteer!

The Access Society works on issues such as:

  1. Management of parks, and of public lands outside parks.
  2. Real and perceived environmental impacts, and their management.
  3. Access to undeveloped private land, and related legal issues.
  4. Conflicting recreational, commercial and industrial users.
  5. Arbitrary or unreasonable use fees.
  6. Ensuring that those supporting public access to our mountains and cliffs are represented by a single, effective, inclusive body - the Access Society.

Access Society Successes

Advocacy & Planning

  • Stawamus Chief – Opposing tourist gondola to second summit (2004).
  • Skaha - Okanagan Land & Resource Management Plan, resulting in recommendation of park status (1995 - 2000).
  • Lower Malamute – Report on access options. Work ongoing.
  • Fleming Beach - Climbing management plan, and seawall widening (1996).
  • Stawamus Chief Provincial Park Master Plan (1995-97).
  • Stawamus Chief Provincial Park Rock Climbing Strategy (1997-99).
  • Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project – Recreation Focus Group (2003 -),and report on alternatives at Murrin Park.
  • Culliton-Cheakamus Highway Project – Impacts (2003 – 04).
  • Rogues Gallery – Geotechnical report, parking (2004).
  • Smoke Bluffs - Various issues, including parking lot (1996), code of conduct (1996-97), Alexis (2001-03), and park development planning process (2004-).
  • Horne Lake – meeting with cottage owners, discussion with governments (1999-).
  • Cougar Canyon (Vernon) – organizing climbers, and meeting with Parks and others (2004).

Projects

  • Skaha – Composting toilet and regular toilet, trail work (2000).
  • Smoke Bluffs – Toilet construction (1996).
  • Smoke Bluffs – Parking lot construction (1996).
  • Papoose (Squamish) – Construction of new trail.
  • Squamish region socioeconomic study (2004 – 05).
  • Gorge (Cheakamus Canyon) – Restoration work (2005).
  • Conroy Creek/Cheak – Road work, and toilet development (2005).
  • Crest Crags – Funding for work tools (1996), construction of parking and toilet (2004 -).
  • Skaha – Toilet construction, trail work, and signage (2003).
  • Crest Crags – Toilet and parking lot construction (2004).
  • Adopt-a-Crags – The total is probably now 50 or more events, involving thousands of volunteer days.
  • Numerous smaller projects throughout B.C.

Organizational

  • Incorporated society (1995), with over 300 members.
  • Registered charity (2004).
  • Directors from all regions of B.C.
  • Solid network of affiliated local climbers' organizations around B.C. – Victoria, Nanaimo, Campbell River, Squamish, Penticton, Vernon and elsewhere.
  • Informative publications – Access News (newsletter), website, broadcast e-mails.
  • Financially sound, with solid support from climbing-related clubs and businesses in Canada and the U.S.
  • Strong links to related organizations, e.g. the Access Fund, as well as through industry networking, e.g. at the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City.

Current Board

© 2010 Climbers' Access Society of British Columbia