07/08/2026
The Washington Climbers Coalition supports the recently released draft climbing management guidance from the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service.
Developed under the Protecting America’s Rock Climbing (PARC) Act, this guidance will help shape how climbing is managed on federal lands for decades to come—including many of the crags and climbing areas we love throughout Washington.
ℹ️ Why this matters
The draft guidance recognizes climbing, including the responsible use of fixed anchors, as an appropriate recreational use on federal lands. It replaces earlier proposals that created uncertainty around access, route maintenance, and fixed anchors, and represents a significant step toward practical, science-based climbing management.
This progress didn’t happen by accident. It happened because climbers, local climbing organizations, and partners like Access Fund spoke up.
⚙️Our position
The Washington Climbers Coalition supports the overall direction of the draft guidance. We also support continued improvements that provide clear, consistent definitions of fixed anchors, practical approaches for maintaining and replacing aging hardware, workable guidance for new route development where appropriate, and meaningful involvement of local climbing organizations in land management decisions.
‼️How you can help
The public comment period is now open, and your voice matters. Thoughtful comments from climbers help ensure the final guidance protects climbing access while supporting responsible stewardship of our public lands.
We encourage our community to submit a comment through Access Fund’s Take Action page and help shape the future of climbing across Washington and the country.
Submit your comments about the PARC act to the USFS by July 18 and to the NPS, BLM and FWS by Aug 14. 🔗 More info is at the link in our bio.
Together, we can ensure that climbing remains a valued and sustainable part of our public lands for generations to come. 💙🧗
📸 Photos:
1: Rebolting at Exit 38 in 2024.
2: Trail-work at Vantage in 2014
