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Carolina Climbers Coalition is a tax-exempt nonprofit that runs Amphitheater Trail Work, the Gym Ambassador Program, Lower Ghost Town and the South Carolina Climbers Festival, and reported $318,505 in revenue for tax year 2023.

Walk & Talk: Village Boulders Trail to Ghost Town Cliffline

Build Amphitheater trail at Linville Gorge

Become a Gym Ambassador

Give

Summer Stewardship Report

Help Pay Off Ghost Town - Your Donation Doubled Starting Now

CCC is Hiring!

Jump Off Rock Summer Stewardship Recap

Carolina Climbers Coalition receives 4 year funding from the National Forest Foundation for National Forest work

Amphitheater Trail Project Begins in Linville Gorge

Sauratown Stewardship Summer 2026

Recruiting Gym Ambassadors and Regional Ambassadors

Summer 2026 C4 Report.pdf

National Policy on Fixed Anchors

Cultivate Mosaic Scholarship FAQs

Mike Reardon

Alycia Andrade

Dan Van Brocklin

Dain Canter

Sophia Stouse

Felicity Sekela

Self-rescue skills are essential for climbers at all levels. There’s no time like the present to equip yourself with the knowledge needed to navigate tricky situations on the rock. Join Fox Mountain Guides at Big Rock on November 15 during SC Climbers Festival weekend for a hands-on intro to climbing self rescue. You’ll learn core risk management principles, how to avoid common problems, and efficient techniques for when something goes wrong. These skills also make everyday climbing smoother! This clinic is for climbers of all levels, and instruction will be tailored to meet you where you’re at. Registering for the clinic also registers you for SC Climbers Fest. Your clinic price includes Fest registration and a CCC annual membership, and proceeds support the CCC’s access and stewardship work across the Carolinas. Register through Fox Mountain Guides: link in bio or https://tinyurl.com/SCFestRescue

Our Peregrine Falcon work continues! Yesterday we worked with NC Wildlife Resource Commission to install game cams on a peregrine eyrie. These cameras have helped biologists infer reasons for nest success and failure over the last six years. They have also produced many incredible photos of peregrines in action. We look forward to this year’s fuzzy family portraits! This work is conducted prior to the nesting season so that we do not disturb the a nesting pair. Big thanks to CCC Board Rep Tom Caldwell for his great lead of a 150’ 5.11+R in order to access the ledge. CCC Executive Director Mike then got to crawl through the peregrine feeding room and bathroom to reinstall the cameras. Also big thanks to the National Forests of North Carolina and National Forest Foundation for supporting this great conservation work. @clemsonscooby @nationalforests @ncwildlife

Today we are kicking off our FULL month with the Access Fund Conservation Team at the Amphitheater in Linvile Gorge! This new trail project is supported by NC Recreational Trails Program and the National Forests of North Carolina, and National Forest Foundation. We couldn’t ask for better partners! @nationalforests @accessfund

CCC members: thank you!!! We began working with Rocky Fork State Park in 2019, working to open Whitehouse Cliffs to climbing. It was such a great partnership that we were then able to work with them to open Black Stacks in 2024. We now serve both areas. It’s incredible to now see how these areas have become climbing destinations. We are able to do this access and stewardship work thanks to CCC members and volunteers. Thank you CCC members and thank you Rocky Fork State Park. @rockyforkstatepark Reminders for visiting: please fill out a permit on Rocky Fork’s website. For climbing beta, visit our website under “climbing areas”> Rocky Fork State Park.

Women’s Outdoor Anchor Clinic is coming to SC Fest weekend Nov 14th in Pickens, SC ⛓️‍💥 ⚙️ 🔗 We’re partnering with Appalachian Climbing School to offer this opportunity for learning and connection. Emily Aspell and Brittany Parham, both AMGA Single Pitch Instructors and Wilderness First Responders, will teach you how to build top-rope anchors, use tether systems, and clean sport anchors. No outdoor experience is needed, just basic indoor climbing experience and top-rope belay proficiency. Trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer climbers who feel aligned with this space are welcome. Registering for a clinic also registers you for SC Climbers Fest. The clinic price includes Fest registration, CCC annual membership and clinic proceeds support the CCC. Good stuff, y’all. 😎 Register at https://tinyurl.com/SCFestAnchor 🔗 link in bio

We’re partnering with Fox Mountain Guides to offer the Big Rock Classics Clinic in Pickens, SC as part of SC Climbers Fest weekend, November 13-15. Fox Mountain Guides will take you up some of Big Rock’s standout routes with personalized instruction and feedback. This clinic is good fit for both newer outdoor climbers, or those wanting to refine their technique. Registering for a clinic also registers you for SC Climbers Fest. The clinic price includes Fest registration and annual CCC membership, and clinic proceeds support the CCC. 🔗 Register at https://tinyurl.com/BRClassics (link in bio) Tag someone in the comments who would love this clinic! 📸 Zach McKinley

Multi-Pitch Skills: 2-Day Trad & Follower Clinic with @appalachian_climbing_school is going down SC Fest weekend Nov 14-15, and there are only a few spots left! AMGA-certified guides Wes Calkins and Peter Dickson will cover rope management, gear cleaning, belaying, and rappelling at Big Rock on Day 1. On Day 2, you’ll put those skills to work on a multi-pitch route at Pumpkintown. You should be comfortable top-roping 5.8 outdoors and know basic knots. Spots are limited and this clinic will sell out! Registering for a clinic also registers you for SC Climbers Fest. The clinic price includes Fest registration AND annual CCC membership, and clinic proceeds support the CCC. Win win win! 🔗 Register at tinyurl.com/SCFestMultiPitch (link in bio too!)

Ghost Town update: we’re only $14K from our Ghost Town Pay Off goal. Y’all are truly incredible! Hitting our $35k goal unlocks the full dollar-for-dollar match by RHI Legacy Foundation and settles the $70,000 we need to pay off our Access Fund conservation loan for Lower Ghost Town. Let’s do this! We’re this close in large part because of Ground Up Sales. Representing Petzl, Rab, Scarpa, and Deuter, they put together epic gear packages for our major donors, and those babies sold out fast! Thank you to Ground Up and its brands for backing Ghost Town and conservation in Hickory Nut Gorge. Help us raise the final $14,000 before 12/31 👉🏾Donate at https://tinyurl.com/PayOffGT (link in bio)

We’re partnering with Rock Dimension to offer a full-day Intro to Outdoor Climbing clinic at Rocky Face Mountain Park on October 25th. The clinic is guided by Adrian Hurst of Rock Dimension, an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor and Apprentice Rock Guide. He’ll cover the skills that you need to get outside including partner checks, communication, fitting a harness and helmet, and rope management, including belaying with a variety of devices. Indoor climbing experience is helpful but not required, and basic gear can be provided or you can bring your own. This is a great opportunity for newer climbers who want to practice outdoor climbing skills in a high quality learning environment while supporting the CCC! Your registration fee is a donation to the Ghost Town Pay Off Fund, and the RHI Legacy Foundation will match it dollar for dollar. Only five spots are available! 🔗 Register at https://tinyurl.com/OutdoorClimb26 (link in bio)

South Carolina Climbers Festival is coming to Pickens Nov 13-15 and y’all need to know about this clinic lineup! 🔥 🔥 Fox Mountain Guides 🪨 Big Rock Classics Clinic: climb the best BR routes with instruction and personal feedback, for new and experienced climbers. 🔗 https://tinyurl.com/BRClassics ⛑️Climber Self-Rescue Clinic: hands-on intro to risk management and self-rescue for sport and trad. Instruction will be tailored to meet you at your skill level. 🔗 https://tinyurl.com/SCFestRescue Appalachian Climbing School 🪢Multi Pitch Skills - 2 Day Trad & Follower Clinic: Day 1 work on rope management, gear cleaning, belaying, and rappelling at Big Rock. Day 2: climb a multi-pitch route at Pumpkintown and put your skills to practice. You should be comfortable top-roping 5.8 outdoors. 🔗 https://tinyurl.com/SCFestMultiPitch ⚙️⛓️‍💥Women’s Outdoor Anchor Clinic: AMGA Single Pitch Instructors Emily Aspell and Brittany Parham teach top-rope anchors, tether systems, and cleaning sport anchors. No outdoor experience needed. Trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer climbers who feel aligned with the space are welcome. 🔗 https://tinyurl.com/SCFestAnchor Spots are limited. Book clinics through the links in our bio. Festival registration is included with your clinic, and proceeds benefit the CCC. We wanna see you SC Fest weekend! T-shirt registration deadline is 10/25. Sign up see and we’ll see ya in SC ✌🏽 🔗 tinyurl.com/SCFest2026 South Carolina Climbers Festival is presented by our 2026 Anchor Partner, Fox Mountain Guides, with support from @pickenscountysc Huge thanks to our 2026 events partners supporting SC Fest @blochaven @foxcabins @bluewaterropes @appalachian_climbing_school

Public trail days are happening now at the Amphitheater trail in Linville Gorge! C4 is on site Tuesday through Thursday, 9 AM to 5 PM through October 29. Expect a tough hike in, bench cutting, and corridor clearing work. CCC supplies tools and PPE. Please bring sturdy footwear, water, food for the day and layers. Meet at the gate on Table Rock Road (please don’t block it) and a C4 team member will meet you. ‼️ Very important ‼️ Before coming out, email Felicity at fsekela@carolinaclimbers.org first to confirm meetup. Big thanks to the National Forest Foundation @nationalforests, National Forests in NC, and the Access Fund @accessfund for making this work possible.

Join us in celebrating Great Trails State Day this weekend! Two opportunities to get out on trails with the CCC. Saturday, Oct 17: Walk & Talk at Ghost Town, part of @greattrailsnc Great Trails NC State Day. Hike the Village Boulders Trail up to the cliffline above downtown Chimney Rock with the C4 crew members and volunteers who built the trail. RSVP at tinyurl.com/CCCGreatTrailsDay (link in bio) Saturday, Oct 17: Crowders Trail Day. Help give Charlotte’s closest climbing crag some love with trail maintenance, trash pickup, and social trail cut-offs. Learn more and sign up at carolinaclimbers.org/events

On October 31 we’re celebrating the Maibauer Boulders, a Piedmont gem. CCC ambassadors will lead a walk and talk through the boulder field, followed by self guided community climb time. Costumes are encouraged if you’re in the Halloween spirit. It’s gonna be spooky and sendy! 👻 See details and sign up at tinyurl.com/MaibauerAC

UPDATE: $1500 packages SOLD OUT!! Progress update: we’ve raised over $15K toward our Ghost Town loan payoff final push, and RHI Legacy Foundation is matching every dollar, up to $35,000, through 12/31. If we hit $35k, the @accessfund Conservation Loan is PAID OFF! 👏🏽 The first major donors will also walk away with epic gear. Ground Up Sales, representing Petzl, Rab, Scarpa, and Deuter, has put together stacked packages for our top givers, but they’re selling out quick. $1500 donation = $1,500 gear package for the first five donors at this level. Four packages are already claimed, only one left y’all! $1,000 donation = $1,000 gear package for the first five donors at this level. Two packages are already claimed, three are left for the next donors at this level! If you’ve been thinking about a major gift, now is the time. Gifts of any size help us get there, and every dollar is doubled by RHI Legacy Foundation. Donate: https://tinyurl.com/PayOffGT 🔗 link in bio too Let’s do this! Thank you to Ground Up Sales and RHI Legacy Foundation for making this possible.

Logo reveal time! Swipe to see the official 2026 South Carolina Climbers Festival design by SC climber Lizzie Chambers @lizzybellc_316 ! 🪢⚙️ Let’s celebrate climbing in the Upstate Nov 14-15, y’all! What to expect: 🧗🏾‍♀️ Community climbing, clinics, and guided experiences at Big Rock and Table Rock State Park 🏕️ Camping and a festival celebration at Hagood Mill Historic Site 🥾 A vendor village with your favorite outdoor brands 🍲 Food from @wegotthebeetsfoodtruck food truck 🍻 Beer from @doublestampbrewery 🍿 Climbing Film Tour screening 🏆 Stacked raffle ✌🏽 Great folks Sign up for SC Fest by 10/10 and save 20% with code SEND26. Code expires after 10/10! The t-shirt registration deadline has been extended to 10/25. Register at tinyurl.com/SCFest2026 or through the link in our bio. South Carolina Climbers Festival is presented by our 2026 Anchor Partner, Fox Mountain Guides, with support from Pickens County. Huge thanks to our 2026 events partners: BlocHaven, Fox Cabins New Zealand, BlueWater Ropes, and Appalachian Climbing School.

Our National Forest work is all encompassing. From trail work to bolt replacement to rare species protections, it takes so many dedicated stewards to take care of our beloved public lands. Last week, CCc members Jacob, Andrew, Erika, Max, and Mike served over 10 bad bolts at North Face of Looking Glass Rock, swapping rusted fixed anchors for stainless steel. Big thanks to USFS and National Forest Foundation for helping us serve these areas! @nationalforests @supertukt @thatvegantradclimber @grounduppublishing

Join us for a Walk & Talk at Ghost Town on Saturday, October 17, as part of Great Trails State Day! We’ll be hiking the Village Boulders Trail up to the Ghost Town cliffline overlooking downtown Chimney Rock, led by the C4 crew members who built the trail. Along the way we’ll stop at a few key features, including Grandview Boulder, the original end of the trail before CCC purchased the property in November 2025, and talk through the history of climbing here, what went into building this trail, how it fits into the larger Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail system, and the property’s history with the town of Chimney Rock. This event is open to everyone, not just climbers. Come curious about trails, conservation, or local history. Heads up: this is a strenuous hike with significant elevation gain. Plan for at least 1 mile up to the cliffline on a completed trail, with dramatic views at the top. From there, you can opt into another mile along the cliffline through sections still under construction. 🔗 RSVP at tinyurl.com/CCCGreatTrailsDay (link in bio)

‼️ Parking PSA ‼️ The Moore’s Wall Climber Parking Lot gets very full on nice fall weekends. Let’s continue to be respectful patrons and park conscientiously to avoid getting parking tickets and stay in the good graces of our wonderful friends at NC State Parks. Last weekend, we saw an overcrowded lot and cars that parked illegally received tickets. A couple important tips: • parking is only allowed on the left side of the lot (no parallel parking allowed on the right side of the lot) • best practice is to take the closest spot to the entrance • please park as close as possible to your neighbor (this maximizes space) • consider carpooling and parking down at overflow parking at Tory’s Den if the main lot is full • make sure to complete a climbing permit with vehicle details • Parking on the right side is allowed, but don’t block the gate and don’t park in front of the no parking signs on the right side No-No’s: • parking along the gravel drive heading up to the lot • parking on the main paved road before turning into the climbers lot • leaving too much space between vehicles when parking Happy Fall! 🍂 📸 @juliannaomalley

We’re building the Amphitheater trail in Linville Gorge this fall and want your help. Join C4 on site Tuesday - Thursdays, 9 AM - 5 PM, September 29 - October 29. Expect a challenging hike in, bench cutting, and corridor clearing. Tools and PPE are provided. Bring sturdy footwear, water, and layers. Meet at the gate on Table Rock Road (don’t block it) and a C4 team member will meet you there. Individuals and groups should email Felicity at fsekela@carolinaclimbers.org before coming out. Thanks to the National Forest Foundation @nationalforests , National Forests in NC, and all our partners supporting this work!

Forest Service staff are some of our most dedicated advocates. They work diligently in both the field and in the office to help serve our public lands. For our Amphitheater project at Linville Gorge, we are working with several folks from the Grandfather Ranger District, @wildernessstewards biologists, @americanconservationexperience , and Conservation Corps of North Carolina @ccnorthcarolina, building a resilient trail that avoids trampling rare species. For our South Side of Looking Glass project, we are working closely with Mary Evelyn Smith from the Pisgah Ranger District and with the great folks at Pisgah Conservancy to help restore the Slick Rock Falls Trail. It is our local Forest Service staff that help all nonprofit partners move these projects forward, helping to build resilience in our National Forest areas. Thank you to the Forest Service and all these organizations for helping us steward the places we love to climb and explore. Thank you to National Forest Foundation @nationalforests and National Forests in North Carolina for supporting this work! 📸 Amphitheater trail alignment, biological survey, and initial trail building work with Lisa Jennings of Grandfather District, and work crews from ACE, SAWS and Conservation Corps of NC.

Celebrate National Public Lands Day with the CCC! Two workdays this weekend: 📍 Slick Rock Falls, Pisgah Ranger District – Sat, Sept 26 Join The Pisgah Conservancy’s multi-project workday. C4 crew members Felicity & Sophia will lead work at Slick Rock Falls, near the south side of Looking Glass Rock. Pre-registration required. When signing up, select “yes” to working with specific individuals and mention Carolina Climbers Coalition. Sign up: link in bio 📍 Moore’s Wall Sentinel Buttress – Sun, Sept 27 Trail day repairing erosion at the base of Sentinel Buttress. Bring sunscreen, food, water, and work gloves. Tools provided. Sign up: link in bio 📸 @realnaturedudes

UPDATE: this meeting has been postponed. More details on the reschedule date coming soon. Want to join the conversation about climbing access in the Carolinas? Come out to Banner Elk on October 2nd. The CCC Annual Public Meeting is the night before the @triplecrownbouldering Hound Ears bouldering comp, and everyone is welcome, registered for the comp or not. CCC Board, staff, and volunteers will be there, and we want to hear from you. The evening will include: - Project and program updates from the past year - A look at what’s coming in 2027 - Kayah Gaydish Stewardship Awards presentation - Topic stations where you can talk one-on-one with CCC reps - A map board for dropping questions, ideas, praise, or complaints about specific climbing areas It’s free, and there will be beer, food trucks, and Mellow Mushroom pizza available at the campground. October 2nd, 2026, 7:00 to 8:30 PM Foscoe Community Center at Grandfather Campground 233 Park Rd, Banner Elk, NC 28604 Details and sign-up: carolinaclimbers.org/events Photo: The Rumble 2026 photo by @fosseauxlions___

Since launching our Ghost Town Pay Off matching campaign on Thursday, the community has raised almost $10K toward our $35K goal. Y’all are amazing! Let’s keep the momentum rolling! RHI Legacy Foundation will match every dollar we raise by 12/31/26, dollar for dollar, up to $35,000. Together that gets us to the full $70K needed to pay off the conservation land loan to @accessfund. We can make this happen! 👻 🤠 Did we mention that there’s epic gear on the line for major donors? Ground Up Sales, representing Petzl, Rab, Scarpa, Organic Climbing, Big Agnes, and more put together stacked gear packages for the first five donors to give $1K and the first five to give $1.5K. And y’all have come through! 🔥 4 of the 5 $1.5K packages are already claimed. 🔥 2 of the 5 $1K packages are gone. Donate big now if you want to score one of these gear bundles from Ground Up Sales! They’re almost gone! Every dollar you give now gets matched. Let’s finish this. Donate at https://tinyurl.com/PayOffGT or at the link in our bio. Thank you to RHI Legacy Foundation for matching this campaign, and to Ground Up Sales for supporting our donors. Thank you to Great Trails NC, OnX Maps, Access Fund and Ghost Town donors who have gotten us this far in making Ghost Town climber-owned! 📸 Chris Pruitt video of the first day climbing at Lower Ghost Town in Fall 2025

Our C4 Trail program is expanding and we are looking for skilled trail workers! Applications due September 24th! See our hiring link in our bio or visit carolinaclimbers.org to apply.

Our acquisition story of Ghost Town is featured in this year’s American Climbing Journal! Thank you for the inclusion @americanalpine !!! Are YOU interested in helping this acquisition? If so, please consider a donation to help us pay off the land. Every donation will be matched by RHI Legacy Foundation! Donation link in bio or at tinyurl.com/PayOffGT

The September 20th Grayson County Recreation Park Access Celebration is postponed with a reschedule date TBA. Weather forecast is not looking great, and we want to make sure this area gets the spotlight it deserves. The plan is to hold out for better weather at a future date. Stay tuned for a reschedule details! 📸 Zeke Phipps on the Blue Devil Boulder

Listen up, y’all: it’s time to pay down the rest of the @accessfund Climbing Conservation loan for Lower Ghost Town! RHI Legacy Foundation has agreed to match every dollar donated to this campaign, up to $35,000. That means if we raise $35,000 by December 31, RHI will match it dollar for dollar, and the remaining $70,000 land loan on Lower Ghost Town will be completely paid off! Over the past year, we’ve worked to open Lower Ghost Town by building the Ghost Town Trail and stewarding the area for sustainable climbing access. Our acquisition was kicked off by a $260,000 grant from the Great Trails State Program and a $25,000 grant from OnX Maps. Since then, our community has helped us raise an additional $38,000 for the Ghost Town fund. Now, this campaign is the final push to secure the land for good by raising a final $35,000 that will be matched dollar for dollar by RHI. Did we mention you get an epic gear bundle for making a major donation? We’re partnering with Ground Up Sales, representing Petzl, Rab, Scarpa, Organic Climbing, and Big Agnes, for something special for our major donors. The first 5 people to give $1,000, and the first 5 to give $1,500, will receive a gear package with an in-kind value matching their donation. More details coming soon. Help us hit $35,000 by December 31 and lock in the full match. 👻 🤠 🔗 Donate at https://tinyurl.com/PayOffGT or at the link in our bio Thank you to RHI Legacy Foundation for matching this campaign, and to Ground Up Sales @groundup_collective for supporting our donors. Thank you to @greattrailsnc @onx_maps @accessfund and Ghost Town donors who have made this dream into a reality!

UPDATE: this meeting has been postponed. More details on the reschedule date coming soon. Save the date: the CCC's Annual Public Meeting is happening October 2nd in Banner Elk, NC. Join the CCC Board, staff, and volunteers for our annual public meeting on Friday October 2nd, the evening before the Hound Ears bouldering comp. This meeting is open to everyone, no comp registration needed. We want to see your face and hear what's on your mind. We'll cover project updates and program wins from the last few months, look ahead at what's coming, and award this year's Kayah Gaydish Stewardship Awards. Then we'll open things up with topic-based breakout stations where you can talk directly with CCC reps about the issues you care about most, plus an interactive map board where you can drop questions, suggestions, praise, or grievances about climbing areas on our radar. Free to attend, beer, food trucks, and Mellow Mushroom pizza will be available! When: October 2nd, 2026, 7:00–8:30 PM Where: Foscoe Community Center at Grandfather Campground, 233 Park Rd, Banner Elk, NC 28604 Learn more and sign up: carolinaclimbers.org/events 📸 Lower Ghost Town Access Celebration April 2026

Join us for National Public Lands Day! 🌲 On September 26, The Pisgah Conservancy is bringing folks together for a multi-project workday across the Pisgah Ranger District, and the CCC will be there! C4 crew members Felicity and Sophia will be leading a group working on a project at Slick Rock Falls near the South Side of Looking Glass Rock. Come spend the day giving back to the public lands we love in Pisgah. All volunteers must pre-register. When signing up, select that you want to work with specific individuals and mention the Carolina Climbers Coalition in response to: “Do you want to work with specific individuals, e.g. family members or friends?” Sign up here: https://pisgahconservancy.org/event/national-public-lands-day-with-tpc/ 🔗 or at the link in our bio. 📸 C4 drain clearing work at Slick Rock Falls, plus a slithering friend sighting from just off the trail! 🐍

September 20 we’re gathering at Grayson County Recreation Park in Independence, VA to celebrate access at this great little boulder field! This access celebration will include a walk and talk covering our stewardship work at the area. After the walk and talk, stay and climb with the community. This is a non-guided climbing session, so bring your own gear. Sliding scale registration options available, and proceeds from the event support the Ghost Town Fund. Learn more and sign up tinyurl.com/GCRPBoulders or at the link in our bio.

The CCC is hiring! We’re growing our Carolina Climbers Conservation Corps (C4) team. Looking for skilled trail workers who are also experienced climbers in the Carolinas to help build and maintain climbing access trails across Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. Requirements: > A personal desire to serve the climbing community, public access and recreational use needs. > Reliable vehicle and willingness to drive 1-2 hours to work sites, 2-3 days a week > Comfort with hand tools, PPE, and physical trail work in rough terrain and all weather > Able to work independently and with a crew, following safety protocols > WFA/WFR or similar first aid cert (or willingness to get one) > Chainsaw cert a plus, or willingness to train Details: > 20-24 hrs/week, 6-month position with potential to extend. > $20-24/hr based on experience and certifications. > Based out of the Asheville area, with most sites within a 2-hour radius. Learn more about this position and application requirements at www.carolinaclimbers.org/alert/ccc-hiring (link in our bio) To apply: send a one-page cover letter and resume to info@carolinaclimbers.org. Thanks to the US Forest Service - National Forests in North Carolina and the National Forest Foundation for helping make this position possible. @nationalforests @u.s.forestservice 📸 @fosseauxlions___

Ship Rock update… thank you to the great folks at the Blue Ridge Parkway!!! @blueridgenps

Registration is open for the 2026 South Carolina Climbers Festival, presented by Fox Mountain Guides. Come out to Pickens Nov 14 -15 for a weekend of climbing, stewardship, education and celebration of the lands and people that make SC an incredible place to climb. Expect: community climbing, clinics & guided experiences at Big Rock and Table Rock, camping and festival celebration at Hagood Mill Historic Site including vendor village with your fav outdoor brands, good food, Climbing Film Tour screening, a stacked raffle and more! Register by 10/10 to guarantee your SC Fest t-shirt and save 20% with code SEND26 (clinics and guided experiences not eligible for discount). Clinics and guided experiences are hosted by Fox Mountain Guides and Appalachian Climbing School and the topics this year are 🔥 🔥 ! 🔗 Link in bio for details and clinic registration signups. Registering for a clinic automatically registers you for SC Fest too! 🔗 Register for SC Fest at tinyurl.com/SCFest2026 or at the link in our bio. South Carolina Climbers Festival is presented by our 2026 Anchor Partner - Fox Mountain Guides. SC Fest is made possible with support from Pickens County @pickenscountysc . HUGE thanks to our 2026 events partners who are supporting SC Climbers Festival this year BlocHaven Fox Cabins New Zealand BlueWater Ropes Appalachian Climbing School 📸 Kyle Ren and Zack McKinley

REPOST from @trustforpublicland We believe healthy communities start with great outdoor spaces. We’re excited to share that The Trust for Public Land is helping communities across Appalachia unlock the power of outdoor recreation. Whether you're a municipality, nonprofit, county, or Tribal community, Trust for Public Land is offering FREE virtual learning opportunities and future one-on-one project support to help turn your ideas for the outdoors into reality. Registration for the fall workshop series is now open til September 8. Learn more and sign up today: https://www.tpl.org/our-work/appalachia-united-outdoors-program 📸 photo from Laurel Knob Trail Daze of Summer event. Big thanks to TPL for their support of our stewardship work at Laurel Knob! A bit about our work with Trust for Public Land: “This work is part of the Appalachia United Outdoors project, which is supported by a federally funded $10M grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to the Trust for Public Land. Federal funding for the project represents 55% of the total project cost of $18M.”

Areas that were designated under the Roadless Rule were done so to protect watersheds, scenic value, and ecological integrity. Big Lost Cove (pictured) is a great example of an isolated cove here in NC protected by the Roadless Rule. If you would like to submit a comment to your lawmakers asking them not to rescind this rule, you have just a few more weeks to do so. Swing over to our bio to submit your comment and please personalize it! Also swing over to the websites of @outdooralliance and @accessfund to read more about how the Roadless Rule protects many areas like Big Lost Cove across the US.

Once we build a trail to a new climbing area, our long term work to maintain an area is just beginning. Overgrowth, downed trees, invasive species, rare species, natural disasters, and human use and trends, are all factors in the long term sustainability of an area. Big thanks to our C4 Team of Dain, Dan, Felicity, and Sophia for braving the heat and helping to start to clear the trail at Ghost Town this week in preparation for public access. We found some surprises, like this tree that fell this week from far above. Big thanks to the Great Trails State Program and @conservingcarolina for supporting our continued trail building work out here! @greattrailsnc

Last weekend, we celebrated the culmination of Trail Daze of Summer 2026 with a BIG day in the High Country! Over 60 folks showed up for two trail days happening simultaneously at The Knob Boulders & Nature Preserve and Buckeye Knob. This crew was ready to work hard AND play hard, making loads of meaningful progress at both climbing areas before heading into downtown Boone for our End of Daze party. With Black Diamond and On the Road and Off at Footsloggers and Rock Dimensions, we celebrated the incredible accomplishments of our stewardship community throughout the summer of 2026. And WOW, y’all look at what this community accomplished: ⚒️ 17 volunteers attended at least 3 trail days this summer ⚒️ 100+ volunteers engaged in stewardship ⚒️ 10 different lands stewarded by C4 and volunteers ⚒️ 1,000+ volunteer hours logged Wow wow wow. This community continues to amaze us. A huge THANK YOU to Black Diamond and On the Road and Off for being incredible partners and making Trail Daze of Summer possible. And another big thank you to Footsloggers and Rock Dimensions for hosting our End of Daze party! Show some love to your local outdoor retailers, they are the heart and soul of the outdoor industry. ♥️ 🥾 🌲 Finally, thank you to Blue Ridge Conservancy for protecting The Knob (formerly Howard Knob) and partnering with us for this trail day, and to @booneshinebrew and @baldguybrew for supporting the End of Daze party. We’re already looking ahead to more stewardship opportunities this fall. Stay tuned and thank you for being awesome. Shout out to our amazing photographers for these shots 📸 @fosseauxlions___ 📸 @realnaturedudes 📸 @lynnwillis_photography

Halloween plans ✔️ 🎃 We know it’s a million degrees outside right now, but crispy fall climbing weather is coming! Come out to Maibauer Boulders on October 31st for an access celebration, spooky season style. 👻 This event will feature a walk and talk through the boulder field, then climb with the community after. Bring your own gear and your best costume. This is not a guided experience, just good folks gathering to climb and celebrate this Alexander county gem. 🔗 Learn more and sign up at tinyurl.com/MaibauerAC or at the link in our bio Sliding scale registration available. All proceeds from this event support the Ghost Town Fund. 📸 @alyciaaphotography

Want to see what some of the bad bolts look like when we take them out? Take a look. Big thanks to @asca_bolt_replacement for the hardware support and big thanks to all bolt replacing volunteers out there!

Grayson County Recreation Park in Independence, VA is a hidden bouldering gem, and we’re gathering to celebrate it on September 20! This access celebration will include a walk and talk covering our stewardship work at the area. After the walk and talk, stay and climb with the community. This is a non-guided climbing session, so bring your own gear. Just under an hour north of Winston-Salem, this spot has potential for 100+ problems and short approaches to every area. 🤩 The CCC began working with the Grayson County Recreation Park in late 2024 to start stewardship work, building on the stellar groundwork laid by Gary Butler and Sean Barb and early development by Zeke Phipps and Aaron Parlier. 60+ problems have been established, but of course there is more to discover! Park in the gravel lot near the playground; overflow parking is available across the street at the pool. Proceeds from the event support the Ghost Town Fund. Learn more and sign up tinyurl.com/GCRPBoulders or at the link in our bio.

Thanks to the National Forest Foundation, the CCC has been awarded critical funding to support long term recovery efforts serving climbing access areas within Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. These funds will last for four years and will help us implement public access and stewardship projects at several areas across the National Forests. Currently we are making plans to serve Looking Glass Rock, Linville Gorge, Cedar Rock, and more! We are honored to be one of several partners of the National Forest Foundation serving the National Forests of North Carolina, and we are lucky to have such an all star community of leaders, volunteers, and stewards. This funding will enhance our collaborative work with the National Forests. Want to get involved? Stay tuned to our website at carolinaclimbers.org/events to join volunteer opportunities. More details on the work ahead coming soon. If you have questions or comments on our future work within the National Forests, please email info@carolinaclimbers.org. Thank you to The National Forest Foundation and the U.S. Forest Service for this incredible support! The National Forest Foundation is the official nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service and transforms America’s love of nature into action for our forests. Working across 193 million acres of National Forests and Grasslands, the NFF leads collaborative efforts that restore land and water, strengthen wildfire resilience, and expand recreation access. The NFF’s work is national in scale, local in practice, and generational in impact. Learn more at nationalforests.org @nationalforests

The latest from Ship Rock closures. The repaving project on the Blue Ridge Parkway was much needed, but causing these intermittent closures.

1997! Carolina Climbers’ work with Forest Service has been going for a while now. Here’s to the climbers in 1997 that started/ continued a precedent of collaboration and service that continues to grow today! We are proud to serve Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests! Thank you @pisgahnationalforest

⛏️ ⛏️Two trail days this weekend! WNC Folks: Join the C4 crew at Chimney Rock Village Boulders this Sunday in Chimney Rock. Piedmont Folks: Come out to Moore’s Wall for a trail day at Sentinel Buttress on Sunday. Next weekend, our Trail Daze of Summer stewardship series with Black Diamond and On the Road and Off wraps up with two more trail days on August 29th at The Knob Boulders and Nature Preserve, and Buckeye Knob. Spots are still open for Buckeye Knob. Sign up at the link in our bio! After the trail work wraps, it’s time to celebrate at the End of Daze party! If you showed up for 3+ trail days this summer, then you’re automatically entered to win prizes from Black Diamond. We’ll have food from Willy B’s Grill Foodtruck, brews from Booneshine, Bald Guy Brewing, and Fiddlin’ Fish Brewery, plus climbing-themed games and activations from Black Diamond and the C4 crew. Good times guaranteed. Courtyard between Footsloggers and Rock Dimensions 139 Depot St, Boone, NC 28607 Thank you to Footsloggers and Rock Dimensions for hosting, and to On the Road and Off and Black Diamond for making it all happen. 🔗 Sign up for trail days and the End of Daze party at carolinaclimbers.org/events or at the link in our bio

The Roadless Rule protects 45 million acres of our country’s National Forests. Roadless areas are open to a wide range of outdoor recreation activities, and they protect clean water, wildlife habitat, and support local economies across the country. Right now, those protections are at risk. A proposed rollback by the USDA could remove protections for 25,121 miles of hiking trails, 10,794 miles of mountain biking trails, hundreds of miles of rivers, and 10,000 climbing routes. Here in the Carolinas, The Roadless Rule protects roughly 144,000 acres in North Carolina alone, a large portion of it within the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests. That includes beloved areas like parts of Linville Gorge, along with the crags, approach trails, and backcountry access that NC and SC climbers depend on every season. If the rule is rolled back, some of our favorite places could be opened to road building and logging, which would fundamentally change the outdoor recreation experience. Public comment is open now through September 21, 2026. Learn more about what’s at stake and how to take action. Outdoor Alliance makes it easy with their action alert tool available at the link in our bio or at: https://bit.ly/45FRw8y Write your lawmakers and let the agency know you want to see roadless forests protected. It takes less than 5 minutes and could make all the difference. 📸 Hawksbill climbing. Photo by Mike Reardon.

Peregrine Falcon closures are lifted. Huge thanks to all climbers following the closures! Additional thanks to USFS, @ncwildlife for the collaboration on protecting this great species!

HOUND EARS REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! The wait is over! Registration for this year’s Hound Ears Bouldering Competition taking place on Saturday October 3rd is officially open. Grab your spot now, it will fill up fast! Head to https://www.triplecrownbouldering.org/ or the link in our bio.

We are flying rocks here in Table Rock State Park, SC in prep for a new staircase! This week and next, we will be working to rehabilitate the Pumpkintown Wall Trail. This trail saw one of our largest wild fires and one of the largest landslides following Hurricane Helene, all in the last few years. Big thanks to SC State Parks for helping us with rigging yesterday and for Pickens County Parks, Rec, and Tourism for the grant support to help us rebuild the trail! The Pumpkintown Trail leads to South Carolina’s finest multi pitch rock climbs, but you’re best to wait for the cooler months. Yesterday’s trail work included highs in the mid 90’s. Sweaty fun! @pickenscountysc @scstateparks @explorepickenscountysc

Join us in welcoming three new members to the CCC Board of Directors! Chris Braund, Southern Piedmont Area Rep: a 30-year Southeast climber based in Charlotte, who helped establish the first bouldering comp at Rumbling Bald and has long worked on access and preservation. Elizabeth Stavish, Treasurer: co-owner of Fox Mountain Guides and Climbing School in Asheville, bringing an MBA and a background in nonprofit finance and management. Jamie Broday, Community Engagement Coordinator: a private climbing instructor and co-founder of Branded AF Marketing, focused on helping others find the same community climbing gave her. Welcome, Chris, Elizabeth, and Jamie! 👏🏽 Learn more about these folks and the rest of our Board of Directors at carolinaclimbers.org/about-ccc/board

Y’all, these before and after graffiti removal shots from last weekend’s trail day at Jump Off Rock are wild! Huge shout out to this crew for putting in some serious work scrubbing those beautiful boulders clean 🧼 and removing trash from the trails. We’ve got a few more August trail days coming up! 🪏 August 15: Buffalo Creek 🪏 August 23: Moore’s Wall 🪏 August 23: Chimney Rock Village Boulders/Ghost Town Trail 🪏 August 29: Buckeye Knob Celebrate a summer of stewardship at our End of Daze Party August 29th in downtown Boone from 5-8pm in the courtyard between @footsloggersoutdoors and @rock_dimensions All who attended 3 of more trail days this summer will be entered into an epic prize drawing from @blackdiamond and @ontheroadandoff at our End of Daze Party. We’ll have beer from @booneshinebrew @appalachianmountainbrewery @baldguybrew and @fiddlinfishbrewing and @willybgrill foot truck on site! Don’t miss this party! More info about all trial days and the End of Daze party at carolinaclimbers.org/events or at the link in our bio. Huge thanks to organizers and thanks to Trust for Public Land for support to CCC for serving Jump Off Rock. —- A bit about our work with Trust for Public Lands: “This work is part of the Appalachia United Outdoors project, which is supported by a federally funded $10M grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to the Trust for Public Land. Federal funding for the project represents 55% of the total project cost of $18M.” @trustforpublicland

What a community of trail and access advocates we have in North Carolina! At the CCC, we are honored to be members of the Great Trails State Coalition and a part of the growing network of folks who value trails, land conservation, and access to recreation in NC. Thank you for a great conference and gathering of so many advocates @greattrailsnc and @ncstateparks

Partial opening for Ship Rock as of 8/10/26. Thank you @blueridgenps !!!

So thrilled to spread the word about Buffalo Creek’s reopening! REPOST from @townoflakelure The Town of Lake Lure, NC is pleased to announce that the Buffalo Creek Park Loop is now open for visitors. After extensive trail work and improvements, this section of the park is now ready for public use. We sincerely thank the many volunteers who contributed countless hours of strenuous effort to help make this reopening possible. Your dedication and hard work are deeply appreciated. • SORBA • Conserving Carolina/Volunteers • Carolina Climbers Coalition/Volunteers • Rutherford Outdoor Coalition/Volunteers • Chris “Shrimper” Khare • Town of Lake Lure Public Works Team Now Open: 1) Right fork of the Buffalo Creek Park Trail up to its connection with the Weed Patch Mountain Trail 2) Weed Patch Mountain Trail from the Buffalo Creek Park loop to the Gray Rock overlook 3) Upper Boulders Trail 4) Buffalo Creek Park Loop Please note that Weed Patch Mountain Trail remains closed as work continues. Please stay tuned for updates on this portion of the trail as restoration work continues. #trailstewardship #hiking #hikelife #westernnc #rutherfordcountytda

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Carolina Climbers Coalition staff