Outdoor Ethics and Stewardship

As the number of climbers visiting national parks has increased through the years, the impacts of climbing have become much more obvious. Some of those impacts may include soil compaction, erosion, and vegetation loss in parking areas, at the base of climbs, and on approach and descent trails; damage to trees, cliffside vegetation and lichen; disturbance of cliff-dwelling animals; damage to cultural resources; litter, water pollution and sanitation issues from improper human waste disposal; and visual impacts associated with chalk marks, pin scars, bolts, rappel slings, and fixed ropes.

The impacts of your actions may seem insignificant, but when multiplied by the thousands of people who climb every year they can have a significant, long lasting effect. Remember, every climber represents the climbing community, so let's make a good impression!

Last updated: June 7, 2021