Trip Report: Climb Smart at Joshua Tree National Park
Image from Steve Messer, Joshua Tree National Park
In early December, Outdoor Alliance California attended and sponsored the Climb Smart event at Joshua Tree National Park. This annual gathering, hosted by Friends of Joshua Tree, celebrates climbing and educates the climbing community on the evolving challenges facing climbers over the past few years. Participants had the unique opportunity to learn from pro climbers and professional guides. The attendees ranged from gym climbers experiencing their first taste of outdoor climbing to seasoned veterans reconnecting and sharing their wealth of knowledge.
The event was set against the stunning backdrop of Joshua Tree National Park, a place known for its majestic landscapes and iconic rock formations. The park's unique geology features towering monzogranite formations that rise dramatically from the desert floor, as well as the park's namesake, the Joshua trees, with their gnarled branches reaching skyward, all of which add to the allure of this desert wonderland.
Climb Smart participants gather in Joshua Tree National Park
Led by former board member of the Access Fund, Kenji Haroutunian, Climb Smart has a 30-year history as a fundraiser for Friends of Joshua Tree. The organization supports local search and rescue teams, replaces aging climbing bolts, and promotes low-impact practices and safe climbing within Joshua Tree National Park and the climbing community at large. The event also featured presentations by climbing legends Hans Florine and Lynn Hill, who shared inspiring slide shows and discussions featuring their record-setting careers.
During Climb Smart, Outdoor Alliance California members Steve Messer, from the California Mountain Biking Coalition, and Katie Goodwin, from the Access Fund, collaborated with Maricella Rosales, from the Conservation Lands Foundation, to give a presentation on the EXPLORE Act and the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument. EXPLORE includes crucial provisions like the Protecting America's Rock Climbing (PARC) Act and the Simplifying Access to Outdoor Recreation (SOAR) Act, both of which have broad bipartisan support in Congress. The presentation also highlighted the Chuckwalla and Kwatsáan National Monuments.
The conference was held in early December, when participants wrote postcards urging California Senators to pass the EXPLORE Act. Two weeks later the EXPLORE Act passed by unanimous consent after impassioned speeches by Senators Manchin and Barrasso. On January 4th, President Biden signed the EXPLORE Act into law. Simultaneously, climbers also notched another win with the National Park Service, who rescinded proposed guidance on Wilderness climbing that would have undermined sustainable Wilderness climbing access by classifying fixed anchors as prohibited “installations.”
Additionally, many Climb Smart attendees signed a petition advocating for the Chuckwalla National Monument, which would permanently protect approximately 660,000 acres of pristine desert landscape near Joshua Tree National Park.
Joining forces with Access Fund and Conservation Lands Foundation
Climbers face increasing challenges on public lands as outdoor recreation grows in popularity. The EXPLORE Act addresses some of these issues by expanding access and management on our public lands. Meanwhile, national monument campaigns aim to contribute to natural climate solutions by conserving land and water.
The climbing community and the outdoor recreation community in California support improving, enhancing, and protecting outdoor recreation opportunities across the state and country. The recent land protections and bipartisan passage of EXPLORE are both wins for the outdoor community, and we hope to continue the momentum over the next Congress and administration.
A special thank you to our partners at Sierra Nevada Brewery for their continued support of Outdoor Alliance California. Thank you to Friends of Joshua Tree for inviting us to participate in the Climb Smart event. We look forward to partnering and promoting sustainable climbing and outdoor recreation in the deserts of California for years to come.