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  • 04 Jul 2017 10:43 AM | Deleted user

    On Saturday, June 24, 2017 about 20 volunteers arrived at the Slocan Bluffs in Slocan City to take part in the Adopt-A-Crag day co-sponsored by TAWKROC and CASBC.

    The day started with a thorough brushing of the weeds at the bases of all the routes from the parking lot to the tunnel. Two weed eaters were used to trim back the undergrowth and once that was done people selected various climbs to scrub. One volunteer even brought a pressure washer with 100 feet of hose, which was used to scour the dirt of four different climbs.

    Here's a list of all the things done at Slocan Bluffs during the Adopt-a-Crag day:

    1. Cleared brush at the base of all routes from parking lot to the tunnel.

    2. Rebuilt the trail to “Under The Big Top” and reinforced one section of side trail with lumber.

    3. Built a platform with retaining wall at the base of “Under The Big Top.”

    4. Cleared and flagged a trail to Cheddar Wall.

    5. Cleaned a dozen routes and pressure washed four of them.

    6. Replaced rusted hardware on seven routes.

    The following routes were cleaned:

    • Don’t Pull Too Hard Baby
    • Funky Earth Mother Chick
    • Sahara (+ pressure washed)
    • Industrial Disease (+ pressure washed)
    • Booms ‘n Busts
    • It’s a Mirekle
    • Pi
    • The Big Easy
    • Path of The Body
    • Virgins in Peril
    • Noise Pollution (+ pressure washed)
    • Chronic Fatigue (+ pressure washed)

    Rusted hardware was replaced on the following routes:

    • Chronic Fatigue: replaced anchor
    • Noise pollution: replaced 2 old bolts
    • Virgins in Peril: added 1st bolt to avoid run-out off the deck
    • Path of the Body: replaced anchor
    • Big Easy: replaced all SMC hangers & 2 studs
    • It’s a Mirekle: replaced all SMC hangers
    • Booms ‘n Busts: replaced all SMC hangers


  • 01 Sep 2016 8:09 AM | Deleted user

    After a few narrow misses involving items lobbed from the top of Pulpit Rock in Nelson, the Climbers Access Society of BC and the Association of West Kootenay Rock Climbers recently funded new caution signs that have been placed at the top of the popular lookout spot.

    Two signs have also been placed atop the Goat Dam Wall in Creston where people have been known to stand and watch the rock climbers below them. No mishaps have occurred there yet but the organization wanted to be proactive.

    The 12″ x 9″ signs read, “Caution: Rock Climbers Below. Please do not throw objects” and are made of an aluminum composite material that will withstand the weather for years to come.

  • 04 Aug 2016 6:37 PM | Anonymous

    Hello climbing enthusiasts,

    On behalf of Parks Canada I would like to bring to attention a group sizing restriction that will be in place in Glacier National Park of Canada as of August 6, 2016. Your help distributing this information to climbers within your community would be greatly appreciated. Specifically, this restriction affects anyone planning to climb Mount Sir Donald located Glacier National Park, British Columbia, Canada.

    The Superintendent of Mount Revelstoke and Glacier national parks has enacted a mandatory restriction on the majority of trails in the Illecillewaet and Asulkan valleys, including the access trail to Mount Sir Donald. This restriction means that by law, visitors may access the trails only if they are in a group of four or more adults (adult defined as 12 years old and over), and remain within 3 metres of each other.  Non-compliance is subject to a fine. Group of four restrictions allow for bears and hikers to coexist in key habitat areas while reducing the chance of human-wildlife conflict.

    Grizzly bears, including a female with cubs and two juveniles, use the Asulkan and Illecillewaet valleys as their home range. The summer of 2016 has seen a tremendous berry crop. When bears are focused on feeding on berries they can easily be surprised by hikers at close range. On at least two occasions, this family group of bears was surprised by hikers at close range resulting in defensive displays by the female. The group of four restriction reduces the likelihood of surprising the bears and thereby protects both the park visitors and the bears.


    We appreciate any help you can provide to share this message with your climbing community as part of a collective effort to keep park visitors and wildlife safe. If you have social media feeds where this information could be distributed please feel free to post it there as well. If you would like us to post these types of messages directly on your Facebook page in the future, please let me know in a reply to this email. (We anticipate no more than 3-4 messages each year.)

    Thank you in advance. If you have any additional questions please feel free to contact me.


    Sincerely,

    Marta Savill

    Partnering & Engagement Officer | Partenariats et Engagement

    Mount Revelstoke & Glacier National Parks of Canada | Parcs nationaux du Mont Revelstoke et des Glaciers
    301 B, West 3rd St., Revelstoke, BC, V0E 2S0/301 B, Ouest 3ième rue, Revelstoke, CB, V0E 2S0
  • 07 Jul 2016 12:23 PM | Anonymous

    After a few narrow misses involving items lobbed from the top of Pulpit Rock, the Climbers Access Society of BC and the Association of West Kootenay Rock Climbers recently funded new caution signs that have been placed at the top of the popular lookout spot in Nelson.

  • 20 May 2016 12:15 PM | Anonymous

    The Mountain Culture Group has just learned that the Kinnaird Bluffs rock climbing area in Castlegar, British Columbia, has been saved from development.

    In the most recent issue of Kootenay Mountain Culture magazine an article described the plight of the Association of West Kootenay Rock Climbers and how its directors were raising funds to purchase the private land upon which the bluffs are located. (See the full story below.) Today, TAWKROC director Craig Stowell announced the deal has gone through and the association is now on title for the 17-acre plot of land located beside the Emerald Green Subdivision.

    “This is a dream come true,” Craig says from his home in Nelson. “Rock climbers have wanted to ensure access to this area for over two decades and to receive confirmation from the lawyers that TAWKROC now owns it is amazing.”

    Craig says the non-profit association raised $35,000 towards the cost of the property and then received a private loan to cover the remaining amount, which will need to be paid back over the next two years.

    “We can’t express enough just how grateful we are to the rock climbing community,” Craig continues. “This wouldn’t have happened without private citizens stepping forward to help ensure rock climbers, hikers and other outdoor aficionados continue to have access to this historic site.”

    Craig says the next step is to begin talks with the City of Castlegar and start the process to donate the property as a park. He also says the fundraising campaign will continue so the association can pay back the private loan that helped cover the remaining amount of the property cost.

Climbers' Access Society of British Columbia began in 1996 and is a registered charity. 

Direct general inquiries to: info@access-society.ca

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