Though intentionally celebrating and recognizing the achievements of Black Americans and Black communities goes back much farther, Black History Month was institutionalized by The Association for the Study of African American Life and History, at first as Black History Week in 1924, and has been officially sanctioned by every sitting president of the United States […]
This year’s Color the Crag at Horsepens 40 in Steele, Alabama was bigger than ever. Offering an incredible array of climbing clinics, panels, and breakout sessions ranging from how to project outside to positive masculinity (not to mention some truly powerful events like a keynote delivered by James Mills, a performance by Deqn Sue, and a […]
We are well past the holiday hangovers and into our #NewYearNewYou resolutions, but we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the incredible things that happened in the Touchstone community in 2017. We use the word “community” a lot because it fully encompasses the things we care about most—the people and places that are […]
Cliffs of Id was proud to host the LAPD cadets of the Wilshire Division through the Medicines Global Outdoor Youth Ambassador program. Outdoor stewardship is as near and dear to us as rock climbing—the two are inextricable. So playing a role in both introducing new climbers to the sport and teaching them ways to take care […]
We at MetalMark Climbing are proud to partner with Fresno County Department of Behavioral Health and provide an active and creative outlet for the Transitional Age Youth Program, which serves young adults ages 17-24 with mental health challenges. Climbing is fun and therapeutic, and Dept. of Behavior Health Clinical Supervisor Jeffery C. Avery was […]
We love being a place where our community can come together and learn something new! Our member Rich Tornai recently brought in some of the brightest young minds in Contra Costa County to Diablo Rock Gym to have them try their hands at our favorite sport. Rich was also kind enough to tell us a […]
The notion of community is rather nuanced. For most of us, we tend to think of our community as the people and places in close proximity to where we live and work. Another type of community might include friends and family, or others within our regular social circles. But Avram Pearlman and Marie Schwindler, […]
Aim High is a free summer learning and enrichment program in Northern California who believe that all students deserve the chance to succeed. They work with middle school students in high-need communities who have limited options and have a multi-year program that includes academic and enrichment opportunities to prepare students for the transition to high […]
At Touchstone Climbing we believe that climbing is for EVERYONE. We’re stoked to offer an adaptive program at Berkeley Ironworks in collaboration with Bay Area Outreach & Recreation Program. If you know anyone with an impairment who has always wanted to try climbing but wasn’t sure if they could, send them our way! If you’re […]
Climbing has a long tradition of mentorship. Many climbers can trace back their first time climbing back to a friend who showed them the ropes (figuratively and literally). We know how powerful that kind of relationship can be, so we really get Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the oldest and largest mentoring program in the […]
