$20,000 Raised by Rock/Creek and Triple Crown Bouldering Series for Climbing Access
Chattanooga retailer Rock/Creek, with Triple Crown Bouldering Series organizers, announce that $20,000 in funds have been raised in 2007 for various causes benefiting climbing access; $65,000 raised over the five-year history of the Triple Crown. Over 1000 climbers and spectators enjoy a three-part climbing competition taking place in AL, TN, and NC.
December 4, 2007, Chattanooga, TN– By the end of the third and final comp in the Triple Crown Bouldering Series, the climbers and sponsors supporting the event- Rock/Creek, Marmot, Chaco, and others- had raised over $20,000 to help secure access to the best climbing areas and to fund hiking trail maintenance in the Southeast. “$20,000 in a single year is an incredible achievement, and it’s hard to understate the value of this money to the outdoor community,” said Scott Howell, SCC representative. The 5th annual event ended in Chattanooga, Tennessee with a slide show at the new Rock/Creek location on the North Shore on Friday, the final bouldering comp at the Stone Fort Saturday, and a subsequent awards ceremony that night at the Coolidge Park Pavilion. The Triple Crown consists of three climbing events: Hound Ears, Horse Pens, and The Stone Fort, taking place on the first weekend of October, November, and December, respectively. Around 200 competitors signed up for all three events, and another 200 climbers competed at each event, making for a total of around 400 competitors at each weekend.
$10,000 of the money raised came from the very popular limited edition Triple Crown sandals, a collaboration between Rock/Creek and Chaco where $20 of each sandal purchase goes directly to access. This money will go to the Southeastern Climbers Coalition (SCC). Raffles and auctions taking place at the events accounted for another $5,000 that will go to the Access Fund and the SCC. Earlier in the year, the Series raised $2,000 for the Carolina Climbers Coalition to cover a year of the lease that the Triple Crown has committed to paying each year for access to the Ashboro Boulders. Event organizer Chad Wykle describes this area as “a beautiful boulder field that had been closed to climbers for years and now will be open for outdoor recreation.” The North Face also partnered with The Triple Crown to help raise another $1,000 this year for the Access Fund at the Outdoor Retailer trade show. Kate McGinness gave her entire winnings ($2,400) directly back to the SCC. She won Horse Pens and placed second at Hound Ears and Stone Fort. “This is a wonderful example of an athlete going above and beyond to do the right thing for access, and we’re all very proud to be associated with competitors and friends like her. Kate sets a wonderful example for a younger generation of climbers,” Wykle explained.
Rock/Creek, Chaco, and Marmot have a long history of raising money for climbing access in the region through the Triple Crown Bouldering Series. “We see events as a great way to involve the core users of an area with the fundraising process. If you want to climb in the Southeast, where the vast majority of climbing resources are located on private land, then you have to be involved in the discussions with landowners, the fundraising for purchasing new areas, and the administration of clubs like the SCC that are making the decisions and providing the leadership to organize trail days and secure access,” said Dawson Wheeler, Rock/Creek owner and long-time advocate for access.
“If you account for all the money we’ve raised through the Triple Crown, you’re looking back at over $65,000 that’s gone to direct action causes, non-profit donations to the SCC, CCC, and Access Fund as well as Habitat for Humanity.”
Jim Horton, event co-founder and director, summed up the appreciation felt by the climbing community as a whole: “We thank all of our sponsors for making such a great event happen and for their considerable financial and time commitment. The sponsor list reads like a who’s who of the outdoor industry.” Rock/Creek, Marmot, and Chaco are presenting sponsors. The North Face, Rock & Ice, Mammut, prAna, Crumpler, and ClifBar made a serious commitment as well, and many others contributed: Five Ten, LaSportiva, Metolius, Mountain Hardwear, Powersox, BlueWater Ropes, Sterling Rope, Black Diamond, Mountain High Outfitters, Footsloggers, Misty Mountain, Oakley, Scarpa, and Evolv. “We’d also like to thank Chad and Jim, the organizers, volunteers, the Montlake Golf Club, Hound Ears Country Club, the Mike Shultz Family, Adam Henry, and Chattanooga Parks & Recreation,” added Wheeler.
About Rock/Creek:
Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, and adventure racing. Rock/Creek is committed to making a positive impact on the environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers’ Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association.
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