Rome wasn’t built in a day and the belay platforms at the Gallatin Tower won’t be either!  We did make some good progress however.

We started working below India Ink and were able dig out a foundation and start placing rocks. We’re going to do the platforms using rock work, so it’s going to take some time!

We also added a new step on the trail, shored up two sections of the trail, and stashed some rocks for the platform.

Thank you to everyone who helped out!  And thank you to Mary Sue for the amazing chili and tacos!!

Our next trail day will be July 29th at 5:30 pm. We’ll hit the Tower again and see how far we can get with the platform.

Thanks again to everyone!  We can’t do this without you!! Join us on the 29th for more rock moving, laughs, and food.

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June 20th marks the Summer Solstice, and just a few days later is our next SMCC Wednesday trail work evening! 🌲 While we might not have international fame just yet, we are working hard to build great trails right here at home. 🥾

We would love for you to join us on Wednesday, June 24th. 🗓️ We will meet at 5:30 PM at the Gallatin Tower parking area and work until around 8:00 PM. You can find driving directions and location details at Gallatin Tower. 🗺️

Please remember to bring some work gloves, wear closed-toe shoes and bring along your favorite trail tool if you have one. 🛠️ To celebrate a hard day of work, we will have chili and tacos ready for everyone immediately afterward! 😋

We hope to see you all there! 👋

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The difficulty of pulling old bolts at Allenspur turned out to be similar to the ratings – tough!!  25+ years of corrosion, mixed metals and caulk put up a tough battle, but we persevered!  We were able to replace all the lead bolts on French Connection and Flake Fest and the first two bolts on Yellowstone Poseidon Adventure with new glue-in bolts!  Many thanks to the ASCA  for the hardware and the support of local climbing organization’s re-bolting efforts.

We were also able to share a lot of knowledge about fixed protection and the rebolting process. A huge thanks to all of the volunteers! We can’t do this without you!!

Remember, our next trail work evening will be June 24th at the Gallatin Tower. We’ll be doing another rebolting day this summer. Watch for details. Please come join us! Thank you to everyone!!

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Allenspur Rebolting Day! 🧗‍♂️🔨

The weather is looking better!  So, we’ve rescheduled the Allenspur rebolting day for Saturday, 6/6!!
 
📅 The Details:

• Meet: Carter’s Bridge at 9:00 AM 🚗
• End: Back at the cars around 4:00 PM 🕒
• Perks: Food and drinks at the end of the day! 🍕🍻

🧠 Skills & Learning Opportunities:

• See different types of bolts and hardware common in SW Montana 🛠️
• Learn ways to evaluate the quality of fixed protection 🔍
• Watch a live demonstration of the bolt replacement process on the ground 👀

💪 How You Can Help:

• Hanging ropes for rebolting teams 🧗
• Carrying gear and tools to the crag 🎒
• Ground support during the replacement process (Ground crew can rotate so everyone gets to climb other routes!) 🔄
• Cleaning up and carrying gear back to the trailhead 🌲

🧗‍♀️ Routes Scheduled for Rebolting:

• Commie Bastards ⚡
• French Connection 🗺️
• Flake Fest ❄️
• Yellowstone Poseidon Adventure 🌊
• (If time permits: The Prow & Blood & Bolts) 🩸

📩 Please RSVP if you are joining so we can get an accurate headcount for food and drinks!

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NPS/USFS Fixed Anchor Management Policy Comment Period and PARC (Protecting America’s Rock Climbing Act) Call-To-Action 

Summary:

The National Park Service (NPS) and National Forest Service (NFS) have released draft climbing management directives that would render all fixed anchors in wilderness illegal until each anchor can be individually reviewed by under-resourced land management agencies. The public has until January 16 at 11:59 PM MDT (unless an extension is granted) to comment on the proposals here and here. You can write your congressional representative to support the Protecting America’s Rock Climbing Act here.

National Park Service: Comment period closes January 30, 2024 at 11:59 PM Mountain Time. Comment here: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=132387

National Forest Service: Comment period runs through January 30, 2024

Comment here: https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?project=ORMS-3524

H.R. 1380 – Protecting America’s Rock Climbing Act https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1380

Send message to Representative here: https://www.accessfund.org/action-alerts/protect-wilderness-climbing-national 

Southwest Montana holds a wealth of access to all varieties of climbing. From the endless sea of boulders of the Boulder Batholith, to the alpine peaks of the Absaroka Range, there is more than a lifetime of adventure to be had on rock, ice, and alpine climbs.

The mission of SMCC is to secure, protect, and improve rock, ice, and alpine climbing resources in Southwest Montana.

SMCC is YOU, the climbing community, acting as a member of a coalition of conscientious climbers.

Getting involved is as easy as making a tax-deductible donation through the link below or signing up for our email list to be notified about future opportunities. We encourage community members to organize and lead stewardship projects as needed.