Boulder Climbing Community

Our 2023 Stewardship Season came to an end just before Thanksgiving, the Trail Program finished up the Lower Tiers of Zion project, and the Anchor Replacement Program hosted its last crag rebolting event of the year at North Table Mountain. It's been a big year for BCC and our community! In 2023, we had over 1,100 volunteers and over 7,000 volunteer hours, that's almost $190,000 in volunteer contribution to taking care of our climbing areas!Our staff and community have been a part of some amazing projects this year. Over 360 volunteers helped our Trail Program with our four projects this year.BCC finished the Avalon trail project by shifting the trail into the talus field to create a durable trail.Reconstructed the approach to Dome Rock and Elephant Buttress.Began a multi-year project rerouting the Saddle Rock trail behind the First Flatiron.Gave Lower Tiers of Zion a huge makeover with over 300 square feet of retaining wall built to provide a durable trail and belay pads.BCC was awarded the Blue Grama Award for Outstanding Achievement in Recreation Management for our work on the Castle Rock Overlook project in Boulder Canyon. An estimated 1,700 people use this trail each month during the summer months.288 volunteers replaced over 1,000 bolts (and counting):339 in Clear Creek Canyon232 in Boulder Canyon144 at Shelf Road170 at North Table Mountain21 in the Estes Park Valley10 at Mount Lincoln12 in the South Platte3 in Staunton State Park 2 in the FlatironsTrained over 90 new rebolters via our Anchor Replacement Training. This included the BCC hosting two affinity groups, Latino Outdoors and She Sends Collective.One eagle was fledged at Eagle Rock and there were no infractions in the seasonal closure areas.Over 2,000 wag bags have been distributed to wag bag dispensers and climbing gyms to keep our climbing areas clean. On the advocacy front, the BCC supported some excellent national and local policies to further the interests of all climbers: Protect Americas Climbing Act (PARC and Americas Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA), the BCC partners with, and supports, Access Funds work on the PARC Actthe BCC actively engaged with our local members of Congress to garner support for PARC; and effectively protect existing use of fixed anchors in wilderness. The PARC Act is currently under consideration by the House of Representatives. The BCC in 2023 supported the creation of Fix-CRUS to advocate for important changes to the Colorado Recreation Statue. BCC raptor monitoring volunteers worked tirelessly and ensured closures were lifted sooner at Lumpy Ridge in Rocky Mountain National Park.BCC staff have worked with local land managers to put into place policies for easy bolt replacement at all local crags. BCC advocated with public and private land managers to preserve or improve access in Rocky Mountain National Park, Wild Basin, Button Rock Preserve, St. Vrain area, Boulder Canyon, Flagstaff, the Flatirons, and Clear Creek Canyon.