The second day of the Bay Area AF Rock Project Tour started out with a hearty breakfast at Berkeley Ironworks to fuel folks up for the morning of crag clean-up ahead.
Shout out to the providers of the grub! Local and amazing coffee was provided by Artis Coffee whose owner, Alex Lowe (nephew of the THAT Alex Lowe) is a Berkeley Ironworks member and avid climber. We were lucky to receive a donation of five of the best breakfast pizzas ever made from the Cheeseboard and other goodies from Pizzaiolo and Sweet Adeline. We send out a hearty thank you to our local food sponsors!
After sufficient coffee and snack consumption, the Bay Area Climbers Coalition board members, Access Fund staff, pro climbers Joe Kinder, Brittany Griffith, Kate Rutherford, Paul Robinson, Cedar Wright and Chris Schulte, and over 60 local volunteers jumped on the bus transport and headed to the crag! The team divided between Indian Rock, Mortar Rock and Cragmont Rock Park and got down and dirty cleaning up trash, pulling up invasive species and giving climbers a good name with our Parks and Recreation Director, Pam.
“The more climbers show their faces in support of our local parks and climbing areas, the more clout climbers have with decision-makers in the City Parks and Rec department,” said Berkeley Ironworks Manager and Access Fund Board Member Lyn Barraza.
After the stewardship was completed, everyone donned climbing shoes and gave a run up the walls at the respective parks. Brittany Griffith had a good showing on The Ramp at Mortar Rock and insisted that v7 was impossible, but 5.13 was easy easy. Paul Robinson, after fondling holds, decided to keep his skin pristine and not to climb. Chris Schulte got incredibly close to a beta flash of Nat’s Traverse, but pumped out after successfully navigating the bulge.
Local climbers and Touchstone members and staff were out in force, with Jeffrey Kosoff, Jessica Wan and Ben Steel representing from Berkeley Ironworks and Mailee Hung from Dogpatch Boulders. They did their part to provide helpful beta, pads and cheers.
Finally, the party returned to BIW where Tacos El Rey, Lagunitas beer and Kermit Lynch wine greeted the tired, but happy Rock Project Participants. Black Diamond showed up with an exclusive sample sale for Rock Project participants and everyone got to try on awesome climbing duds, fill their bellies and rub shoulders with the pros. After lots of high fives, the weekend finally came to a close.
Huge thanks to the staff, pro’s and joe’s who came out to make this event such a success. Keeping out outdoor areas clean and accessible is a no brainer – but it takes elbow grease to make it happen. Thank you!
If you’d like to donate to the Access Fund, or become a member – we’re matching your donations in March! Follow the link…
