At the Santee Boulders and Mission Gorge in California, over 70 San Diego climbers removed grafitti and picked up more than 60 Hefty bags of trash from climbing areas. Volunteers scrubbed the blighted boulders until the wire bristles on their brushes wore out. When they finished, over 90% of the grafitti had been removed and all the trash picked up. A hearty barbecue and raffle capped the day.
The cleanup was organized by the Access Fund and the San Diego Climbers' Club, in conjunction with the American Hiking Society (AHS). Access Fund contributions included $750 for materials and on-site facilities. The Santee Boulders are the centerpiece of a proposed residential development, and the Access Fund has been working with the SDCC to preserve access to the area.
Thanks to all volunteers and sponsors, especially Home Depot and Adventure 16. Home Depot supplied over $500 worth of tools, paint and materials, while Adventure 16 provided publicity, music, equipment and many raffle prizes. Special thanks to David MacDonald of the AHS for his many, many hours of organizing, and Mike Brown, regional coordinator for the Access Fund.
At Eldorado Canyon State Park in Colorado, over 175 volunteers came out on June 4 and 5 for Celebrate Eldorado, an annual weekend of work and fun. Saturday's activities included trail maintenance, chalk cleanup at the Roof routes area and fixed hardware replacement. Sunday's happenings featured a trail run/hike, Climb-a-thon and an all-you-can-eat feast complete with gear raffle, auction and slide show.
The event raised more than $3,500; all proceeds benefited Action Committee for Eldorado (ACE), a non-profit group that works with park officials on climbing-related issues. ACE is comprised of representatives of various groups within the climbing community, including an Access Fund representative. The Access Fund organized the Climb-a-thon and helped with pre-event planning.
The support of major sponsors Sierra Designs, Eastern Mountain Sports and Merrell Boots was greatly appreciated as well as the work of the many volunteers. Special thanks to seven-year-old Mason Daly, who won the Climb-a-thon by raising $256 in pledges; chef Bob d'Antonio and son Adam; the ACE Steering Committee; event coordinator John Ruple; and Mic Fairchild for his enthusiasm.