Outdoor USA Magazine

The Access Fund, the national advocacy organization that keeps U.S. climbing areas open and conserves climbing environments, announced that the Washington Climbers Coalition (WCC) has paid back its loan to their organization. The loan to the WCC was for $15,000 to secure an 18 month option agreement to protect the Lower Index Town Wall in Washington from a quarrying operation. During the 18 months, the WCC worked to raise $300,000 dollars to purchase and steward the 20 acre tract of land. The WCC is in a great position to purchase the land before the Deadline in December 2010, and are also looking to reassign the land to a climber friendly public owner to secure permanent access for future generations of climbers.