“Heart of Stone” Climbing Access Film (Watch the Full Version!)

This is the full, high-def version of Andrew Kornylak & Josh Fowler‘s new movie. As Climbing magazine noted, “Heart of Stone debuted at Rock/Creek in Chattanooga, TN, during the Triple Crown – Stone Fort Finale on December 5th and 6th, 2008 to crowd of close to four hundred and the crowd response was nothing short of amazing.” Word has it the film will also be picked up by a rock climbing film series, so it might show on the big screen in a town near you soon. We’ll post details here as we have them.

Heart of Stone – HD from Andrew Kornylak on Vimeo.
It’s no secret that the Southeastern US has some of the best rock climbing in the country. Grassroots organizations like the Southeastern Climbers Coalition and the Carolina Climbers Coalition are gaining and preserving access to this treasure in a unique way – by buying it. the annual Triple Crown Bouldering Competition – the largest outdoor climbing competition in the world – is at the center of this access revolution. This new film celebrates what many are calling a Golden Age of discovery and stewardship in the South. It’s a look at the miraculous mix of activism, generosity and respect for tradition, in the Heart of Stone.

“Heart of Stone is the first film that takes the focus away from superstars, grades and the glory and puts it back where it belongs, on the local community, retailers and climbers that work tirelessly to keep the crags open and open the ones closed. Rock/Creek needs to take some of the credit here even though they won’t ask for it; because it’s the local businesses that make it happen in each of these SE communities.
Jim Horton and Chad Wykle have created a competition series that is the pride of the industry and one that needs to be taken to the rest of the nation so that others may carry the torch in their region. It blows me away at each of these comps, just how many people will open their wallets in order to open more crags and protect the ones we have here in the SE. I had a 10 year old boy empty his piggy bank at this last comp to buy raffle tickets for Yellow Bluff. The rest of the nation needs to learn what is happening here and how to duplicate the banding together of community, local business and land managers/private land owners for the sake of preserving our open spaces for all to use.
Access is the holy grail of climbing and the SCC, CCC, NRAC and Access Fund have done a tremendous job over the last 10 years to secure more new climbing here in the SE than anywhere in the US.”
–Kurt Smith