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General Climbing Discussion

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Grampians Access 2019 8-Mar-2019 At 5:53:41 AM jacksonclimbs

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I read a lot on the Access Fund, and have listened to a few podcasts with them, which have a lot of insights into access in the US. They do have more resources and more numbers than us - that's for sure. It does strike me though, that a lot is achieved there through just persistent, grass root activism.

Whilst climbers may be a small user group, we can pack a lot of weight on a per capita basis. Who else gives up the prospects of a career, or retires early, and moves to a regional town in order to pursue their interest in full? What other interest group has people who have been in the game for decades on end? What other interest group has a sport within it that is in the next Olympic games? What other group attracts people who will throw themselves unrelentingly at a seemingly arbitrary challenge, for years at a time?

We will be stronger together though. That was the struggle during the bolt wars in Yosemite, which you can read about on the Access Fund history page.

I recommend listening to the Enormocast episode 93, with Armando Menocal, the founder of the Access Fund, and episode 74, with Brady Robinson, recent AF ED.

Sure, we are not the US, but the issues and struggles share a lot in common.