From May 7 through August 15, 2011, the American Alpine Club will be accepting applications for their new Cornerstone Conservation Grant. The AAC is providing $25,000 to put towards enhancing local climbing areas. Grants will range from $1,000 to $15,000 depending on the size of the project. Funds will be dedicated to projects like the improvement of fixed anchors, trail maintenance and human waste-management solutions. The AAC, founded in 1902, traditionally focused on mountaineering and alpine issues. But, more recently it has started to expand its support to all aspects of climbing from restoring damaged, high-altitude ecosystems in Patagonia, to youth-climbing programs in the favelas (slums) of Rio De Janerio.

According to the AAC, successful application proposals will contain aspects such as local community involvement and support, definitive sustainability plans, realistic timelines, and a landowner partner. The projects must be completed within 18 months after the grant is approved and support from the regional AAC section is required.

The Cornerstone Conservation Grant is a great opportunity for climbers to improve their local crags. Not only will the grant help to make climbs safer and more accessible it also emphasizes the importance of sustainability and conservation at climbing areas.

To ...

This week, I want to give a shout out to all our crags/woodies/bouldering areas that are our local zones, but are—let’s face it—total piles.

Not everyone gets to live near paradises of perfect rock with actually fun climbing—places like Yosemite or … all of Europe. And the people who do are usually unhappy. Just like more money leads to less happiness, having access to world-class climbing all the time seems to make most of the people I know in this situation a little discontent. The “dream” they are living isn’t fulfilling, but they are too scared to leave the dream life because everyone around them insists that they are the ones living the dream! It's a vicious cycle.

The happiest, most appreciative people are those who aren’t spoiled all the time, and then you get to sample life’s luxuries. Workin’ stiffs, like you, me and Ben Affleck in all of the movies he's in.

Winter in Colorado was hard and went on for way too long, like the upper slabs of the Virgin River Gorge. We skipped spring entirely, ...

My new climb, The Monster, is a three-pitch granite route at the top of a 250-foot slot canyon exactly 18 minutes from my house. The canyon is so narrow at the start of the route that you can lie down and touch both sides. The left wall leans over the right wall, maybe 10 degrees over vertical. The second pitch is a beauty—steep, pumpy climbing with good trad gear. What’s not to love?

A couple of things.

Though short, the approach is steep and loose, with some random rock fall. Stones kicked free by raven, elk and errant Jack Russell terriers on the rim occasionally zip past your head like bullets. Little rocks, usually. There is a car-sized chockstone wedged up high and if it ever shook loose it would instantly reduce any being in the canyon to a bloody smear. Of course, you’re always under a metaphorical chockstone but there’s nothing like belaying under a real one to remind you of your impending death. Therefore there’s a certain melancholy clinging to existence—wabi sabi—that lends greater beauty to the experience of climbing ...