WINTER ISSUE: THIRD ROUND GRANTS AWARDED - Access Fund

| The AF Perspective
introduction
Economies are supposed to serve human ends, not the other way round. We forget at our peril that markets make a
good servant, a bad master and a worse religion.
– Amory Lovins
This October, I attended the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) Rendezvous in Boston, Massachusetts, an annual
leadership conference for executives and strategic staff in the outdoor industry. The economy and the election
dominated most of the fl oor. Environmental activist Robert Kennedy Jr. spoke about the connections between the
environment, sustainability and the economy. Economist Clyde Prestowitz explained the causes and context of
our current fi nancial crisis in plain language. And trend spotter Marian Salzman predicted several new trends for
the United States, including the rise of simple camping and “staycations” (staying at home or day tripping to local
attractions during vacations) as families try to minimize travel and equipment costs. I was impressed with the quality
and gravity of these discussions; I came away with a deeper appreciation of the challenges ahead, but also a sense of
cautious optimism that the industry and the Access Fund would pull through unscathed.
This summer, I witnessed an alpine version of the staycation while hiking in to climb the Sabre in Rocky Mountain
National Park (RMNP). I met two climbers coming up the trail with huge packs. They had aborted their trip to the
Bugaboos in Canada because of high gas prices and decided to stay local in RMNP for a week and pretend they were
in the Bugaboos. They were having a blast and recommended that I try it sometime.
RMNP might not be your backyard crag – it certainly wasn’t mine for most of my life. My fi rst top-rope climbs and
leads were at Blue Mounds State Park in Minnesota. I’ll never forget the night my best friend and I rigged lawn chairs
with accessory cord and slept hanging twenty feet below the lip of the cliff line. Those were the experiences that led
to a lifetime of fun and adventure.
Backyard crags are important to climbers, perhaps now more than ever. That’s why we’ve decided to focus on them
in this issue of the Vertical Times. It’s also why the Access Fund works to conserve all climbing areas—large and
small.
With your help, the Access Fund will be here working to keep your climbing areas open long after the fi nancial crisis
has passed. Please consider making an additional donation or giving the gift of access this holiday season. It’s an
investment that will keep you climbing for years to come.
Thanks for all you do and have a great holiday season.
Brady Robinson
Executive Director
››2 vertical times | Winter 2008