News Release

Obed Wild & Scenic River Receives an Adaptive Climbing Grant from the National Park Foundation

Rock climbers (and dog) experiencing Obed Wild & Scenic River

NPS

News Release Date: April 12, 2023

Contact: Christopher Derman, 423-569-9778

Obed WSR has received a 2023 grant from the National Park Foundation to support an Adaptive Outdoor Rock Climbing for Amputees program. The grant is part of the Foundation’s ParkVentures Program (ParkVentures (nationalparks.org). ParkVentures supports projects that focus on representation, accessibility, and interpretation. Things that sometimes have been barriers for communities that have been historically excluded from parks and may not feel a sense of belonging in the outdoors.

For the past 11 years the Obed WSR has conducted “Climb-with-a-Ranger” as a monthly rock-climbing program to offer visitors a unique way to experience the lands of the National Park System through participation in an outdoor adventure sport facilitated by national park rangers and volunteers.

Adaptive climbing has found a place at many indoor climbing gyms, where people with physical disabilities have an opportunity to connect, push their limits, and change beliefs about what’s possible with a disability. With this grant, the Obed will conduct a pilot program to offer adaptive climbing in the spectacular outdoor setting of our national park by using specialized equipment and trained facilitators to improve accessibility for visitors with physical disabilities that may prevent them from participating in this outdoor experience. Our goal is to launch this program in October 2023.