Photo: SLCA Fundraiser Party 2022 – photo: Jon Vickers

SALT LAKE CITY — On June 2, the Salt Lake Climber Alliance (SLCA) celebrated its 20^th Anniversary at the annual SLCA Fundraiser Party. The event, hosted by Black Diamond, was a success, with over 30 vendors and 700 people in attendance. Fundraiser highlights include recognition of the SLCA first board chair Steve Downes, musical performances by Seth Brown and Strange Medicine, opportunities to meet Black Diamond professional athletes, a climbing gear raffle, climbing oriented plus artisan vendors, food from Yoshi’s Japanese Grill, and libations from Moab Brewery.

The Black Diamond Professional Athlete Team – photo: Jon Vickers

The approximate fundraising totals are about $30,000. All monies earned go towards helping the SLCA to achieve its mission to advocate and be a steward for the Wasatch climbing community. The SLCA website includes several examples of how the SLCA will utilize the fundraising funds.

One SLCA project includes collaborating with Salt Lake and Pleasant Grove Ranger Districts to reroute the upper portions of Jacob’s Ladder, an excessively steep and unsustainable part of the trail used to access the Lone Peak Cirque.

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Another ongoing project is the Fixed Anchor Maintenance Program, which assesses the current condition of established anchors, identifies and monitors current and future maintenance needs, and replaces unreliable anchors as necessary.

Finally, funds will go towards the SLCA’s ongoing initiative to prevent UDOT’s proposal to install a gondola or increase bus lanes in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Both UDOT transportation proposals will permanently alter iconic roadside bouldering resources. The SLCA advocates expanding electric busses, tolling, and other traffic mitigation strategies before making permanent landscape changes.

On August 27 and 28, the SLCA will host Its annual Salt Lake Climbing Festival at Solitude Mountain Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon. The weekend festivities include skills-based climbing clinics and a Saturday evening party with games, food, drinks, and music.