Press Release: National Climbing Organization Honors Gunks' Climber
The Access Fund, a national, non-profit organization that represents
over 1.6 million climbers nationwide, has named Rosendale resident and
Gunks Climbers' Coalition (GCC) Board member Christopher Spatz as one
of five recipients of its 2006 Sharp End Award. As an organization
dedicated to the dual goals of preserving climbing access and the
climbing environment, the Access Fund's Sharp End Award "recognizes
individuals and businesses that volunteer their efforts and shine
above the rest in their commitment and work on behalf of the American
climbing community..."
The GCC is a local affiliate of the Access Fund.
Spatz's first foray into climbing activism was in the early 1990's
working to save Princeton, New Jersey's Cradle Rock from a land
development threat. He has since served on the first steering
committee for the GCC and is currently a director-at-large. In his
role as director, Spatz has acted as liaison for the GCC with
Minnewaska State Park, the Open Space Institute, the NYS
Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Town of Rosendale.
Most recently, he has initiated negotiations to open the Rosendale
Water Works bouldering area and has worked on drafting a Memorandum
of Understanding between the Mohonk Preserve and the GCC.
Established in the fall of 2002, the Gunks Climbers' Coalition
is an advocacy group committed to maintaining responsible
climbing opportunities along the Shawangunk Ridge and surrounding
areas. The GCC has organized chalk and trash clean-ups at the
Mohonk Preserve and Minnewaska State Park, done trail maintenance
at Minnewaska's Peterskill Area, and gathered more than half a
ton of refuse from the Open Space Institute's entrance to
Shevchenko (now part of Minnewaska). Through targeted events
and a slideshow series featuring many of the Gunks' climbing
pioneers, the GCC has established a dedicated rescue fund to
offset the Mohonk Preserve's rescue expenses and have fundraised
for the Gardiner Rescue Squad. As they enter the winter, the
GCC is reviewing data gleaned from hundreds of volunteer hours
for a study at Minnewaska State Park measuring the environmental
impact of ten years of climbing at Peterskill, which was opened
to rock climbing in 1996
To see the announcement and all the award recipients
on the Access Fund website,
click here.
It was a busy October for the Gunks Climbers' Coalition.
The month kicked off on October 7th with a benefit slideshow organized by
Rock & Snow featuring Jason Kehl. Jason's eye-popping phantasms raised
$1006 (and five Euros!) for the GCC's Waterworks Bouldering Project.
On October 14, the GCC did its publicity bit for the New Paltz Climbing
Film Festival by hosting a bagel breakfast at the Trapps' Steel Bridge.
Proceeds are going to the Mohonk Preserve's dedicated Rescue Fund.
Our big day of the season, October 21, drew twenty five volunteers
together with the GCC Board of Directors for Adopt-a-Crag trail
maintenance and microtrash removal at Minnewaska State Park's
Peterskill Area. A late, potluck lunch followed the clean-up,
where everyone grab-bagged for booty donated by Rock & Snow and the
Access Fund in appreciation for their efforts.
In the evening, the GCC BoD convened to adopt new bylaws, before hosting
a slideshow by renowned training expert and author, Eric Hörst.
The training overview for climbing was highlighted with pics from
the Gunks to Thailand. A raffle followed the show, with three
Cilogear packs as the trophy schwag. Eric generously donated his
fee, raising another $300 for the GCC.
As the season closes, GCC Director-at-Large Bob O'Brien is gleaning
data from the GCC's ten-year follow-up study accessing climbing impact
at Peterskill. Following the protocols used in the initial study
that opened Peterskill in 1996, Bob is comparing surveys on everything
from a small mammal census to trail erosion and vegetation disturbance
on the cliffs. The results from the hundreds of volunteer hours that
went into the study will be used to review mitigation measures at the
crag and for consideration in expanding climbing opportunities at Minnewaska.
Finally, the GCC and the Mohonk Preserve are together drafting a
Memorandum of Agreement outlined by the Access Fund as the Waterworks
Bouldering Project moves into its primary fundraising phase.
Many thanks go out to the town of Rosendale, to the Mohonk
Preserve and Minnewaska State Park, to Rock & Snow, Big Up Productions,
Urban Climber, and Cilogear, to the Access Fund and the American Alpine
Club, to those who gave generously at the fundraisers, and especially
to the individuals who sacrificed time on the horizontals volunteering
this year with the GCC.
After a busy day doing trail maintenance and micro-trash pick-up at our
annual Adopt-A-Crag day, the Gunks Climbers' Coalition hosted a slide
show by Eric Hörst, renowned training expert and author. First Chris Spatz
and Bob O'Brien gave a quick update on the exciting projects the GCC is
actively working on trying
to gain access to, including opening more cliff areas to
climbing in Minnewaska and a world-class bouldering area in Rosendale.
Then Eric took the stage, first with a slide show of his climbing
adventures around the world, from the Gunks to Thailand, and then a
primer on "Training for Climbing",
his area of expertise and subject of books that he's authored.
Afterwards, the GCC had a terrific raffle for everyone who attended,
giving away 3 Cilogear backpacks, books and CDs from Eric, and other
climbing gear and tshirts.
Our big day of the season, October 21, drew twenty five volunteers
together with the GCC Board of Directors for Adopt-a-Crag trail
maintenance and microtrash removal at Minnewaska State Park's
Peterskill Area. A late, potluck lunch followed the clean-up,
where everyone grab-bagged for booty donated by Rock & Snow and the
Access Fund in appreciation for their efforts.
On October 7th, Rock & Snow organized a benefit slideshow featuring Jason Kehl.
Jason presented some fantastic climbing pictures and videos as well as fascinating
videos covering more than climbing - from being abducted in Hueco to the adventures
of a little doll named Billy. Many thanks to Jason for raising $1006 (and five Euros!)
for the GCC's Waterworks Bouldering Project.
August 2006
Adopt-A-Crag Day & Eric Hörst Show Scheduled
|
The Adopt-A-Crag day has been scheduled for Saturday,
October 21st in the Peters' Kill
area of Minnewaska State Park. It will be another busy but fun filled day,
helping to maintain the trails and climbing areas, making friends,
climbing free for the day, and collecting some great give-a-ways!
To end the day, meet us in the Mohonk Preserve Visitor's Center at 7pm
for a slide show by well known climber and author, Eric Hörst.
Eric will present a rock tour of his travels climbing around the world,
as well as a primer on Training for Climbing.
See the Events section
for more details.
October 2006
October GCC News Bulletin
|
In order to keep the general public aware of what the GCC is doing, we have
created our first regularly released News Bulletin. You can read it
here (pdf format).
August 26, 2006
Search and Rescue Team
|
Marty Molitoris, of guide service Alpine Endeavors, has started to organize a
local search and rescue team along with other local climbers.
The name of the group is Hudson Valley Mountain Rescue.
In the next month Marty will be working on the new website and applying
for not-for-profit status.
The GCC remains in discussion with Minnewaska State Park officials
to expand climbing opportunities in the Park. Any expansion will require
establishing a backcountry Search & Rescue team.
This will be its own stand alone organization.
If anyone is interested in volunteering, please
contact Marty Molitoris at and check out their website,
www.hvmr.org.
July 7, 2006
Peregrine closure lifted
|
The Peregrine Falcon closure effecting Broken Hammer to the
Blue Skink has been lifted as of Friday, July 7th.
The cooperation of all climbers in this arena has been fantastic
and the GCC would like to thank the climbing community for their
excellent help. The fact that sections of cliffs have to be closed is,
of course, unfortunate for those of us who have these as our favorite
climbs or have them on our hit list. It is critical that we restrain
ourselves as we have done to maintain our excellent relationship
with the Mohonk Preserve and also to help maintain the future
of the magnificent Peregrine Falcon.
The birds, and the mountain, thank us.
On May 27, the GCC held its Rosendale Rocks fundraiser in the
Widow Jane Mine. The GCC is working to try to get legal access to the
Water Works bouldering area. The parcel, discovered and developed
by boulderers last year, exists on Rosendale Water District property,
where a no trespassing ordinance exists.
Once famous for providing the cement in the Broooklyn Bridge and the
base of the Statue of Liberty, the Widow Jane Mine is now one of the
Hudson Valley's most unique performance venues. Featuring sneak preview
Doses from Josh and Brett Lowell's next Big Up release (the brothers have
been intimately involved with the Waterworks project), the crowd of 200
watched Tommy Caldwell become the first person since Lynn Hill to free
El Cap's Nose; Chris Sharma and Dave Graham established new bouldering
test-pieces at Hueco. Preceded by the evocative trip-hop of musician
Alex Schein, and Gunks bouldering clips from Urban Climber editor
Joe Iterato's Fuse video production, the GCC's biggest event to
date raised nearly $1500. Half of the proceeds went to the
Century House Historical Society for providing the extraordinary
space of the Widow Jane Mine. The rest, originally intended for
the Rosendale Water District (declined by the Water Board because
purchasing discussions have been initiated),
will now be used to seed a dedicated Waterworks bridge fund.
On May 13 2006 the Gunks Climbers' Coalition hosted
Susan EB Schwartz
in presenting a show about her book
Into the Unknown a slideshow and
story telling event that was enjoyed by an enthusiastic crowd at the
Mohonk Preserve Visitor Center. The show was preceded by a general
meeting of the GCC, where new members got the opportunity to find out
what we have been working on including the Rescue Team and Rescue Fund,
the follow-on biological studies of climber impact at Peter's Kill
and plans to open new areas at Minnewaska, and update about opening
negotiations with Sam's Point, and last but not least our project
with the Town of Rosendale on the Water Works bouldering area.
Susan set up her equipment while we were wrapping up the meeting,
and got started by telling the story of Hans' early boyhood in
Trieste and his shipping tycoon father. Hans was born into a
comfortably middle class family in Trieste just after the end
of the 19th century. It was a different world then. Trieste at
the time was part of the old Austro-Hungarian Habsburg Empire
and was the main port for this empire, its naval base and shipping
hub. For various reasons the Kraus family moved from Trieste when
Hans was young to live in Vienna. Hans was attracted to the mountains
at an early age as was his father and also his brother.
The story of Markus, an early climbing partner of Hans was told
and how Markus' death in the mountains led Hans to the decision
to become a doctor instead of taking over the family business as
his father wanted. Rather than abandon climbing as a result of
this, he embraced it with all the more intensity. One of his
climbing partners in the Dolomites was Emilio Comici. Hans later
recalled of Emilio that he had the most elegant movements of any
climber he had ever witnessed.
Hans' family was part Jewish so due to the annexation of Austria by
Hitler the Kraus family moved to Switzerland and then later Hans
left old Europe behind for a new life in the USA. His early climbing
in the Dolomites came in handy later when he discovered the
Shawangunks along with fellow Euro-expatriate Fritz Wiessner.
The Dolomites are very steep and committing, which had formed
Hans' habit of always looking for the boldest possible line and
improbable looking overhangs. He took to the new rock of the
Shawangunks with a tiger – like intensity and pioneered many
of the earliest, boldest lines with very primitive equipment,
often with almost no protection.
Susan told the story movingly and listeners were aware that she knew Hans
personally and worked with him in writing down all the pertinent
details of his life. One felt a kind of connection with Hans by
the mere presence of his biographer. Susan knows many intimate
details of Hans’ life and told them in an engaging manner including
how Hans' English tutor happened to be the young James Joyce.
These stories were brought to life by many never before seen
slides of a young, then older Hans and finally just before he
passed away at his home in Gardiner. He continued to enjoy the
mountains long after he could not climb anymore in his late
seventies, and also continued his amazing and pioneering medical
practice in Manhattan well into his later years. He treated many
patients for free (including one member of the audience, as well
as Ms. Schwartz - he would always make it a point of pride to treat
climbers for free!) but also he had many celebrity patients
including President Kennedy, who he essentially cured of a very
bad back problem he had had all his life. What was this amazing
cure? Exercise!
The general public in the 1950's had to be made aware of the benefits of
exercise and this struggle is still going on today. Hans’ efforts
in this area led to the formation of the President's Council on Physical
Fitness. There were some amusing slides in this part of the show including
a leading expert on health who is smoking, while touting the benefits
thereof in curing cancer as many then actually were gullible enough to believe.
This show was not so soon over, as the audience lingered over questions,
observations and anecdotes well into the evening. This writer
also has an anecdote about a brief encounter with Hans, who sadly
I never formally met. During the early 90's Hans was seen by me
on what must have been one of his last perambulations of the
Undercliff carriage road. His original stature of 5 foot 6 inches
(a true giant of a man at 5 foot 6) had by then shrunk to what looked
like a Yoda – esque figure, as Hans suffered from spinal compression
later in life and his body became stiff - which was what finally led
him to abandon climbing. As stiff as his body became, the movement of
climbing sadly was not fun any more. This Yoda figure walked the
carriage road, unaided by accompanying friends and family who were
with him but supporting himself on two ski poles. It was obvious
to the initiated who this man was and that he bestrode the Gunks
like a colossus, happy and assured, even though his steps were small.
We miss you, Hans.
Chris Moratz
Thanks to the Mohonk Preserve for providing the venue for this event.
Notice from the Mohonk Preserve:
The Mohonk Preserve has instituted a temporary climbing closure on the
section of the Trapps Cliff from the climbs Broken Hammer (5.4) to
The Blue Stink (5.3) effective April 17, 2006.
A pair of peregrine falcons is currently engaging in nest selection
behavior along this section of the Trapps Cliff. The closure will
prevent climbing activity from disturbing the falcons at this sensitive
stage of their life cycle.
Closing this section ensures that climbing activity along adjacent
sections of the cliff will be outside of the line-of-sight of
peregrines nesting within this area.
Since the peregrines have not yet begun nesting, they may move to a
different territory. The Preserve will change the closure area accordingly.
Climbers should look for change notices regarding this
closure - both at the Uberfall kiosk and on this web site and the
Mohonk Preserve web site.
The Access Fund and the GCC are excited to announce that there is a
new cooperative affiliate membership program for climbers involved
in the Gunks Climbers' Coalition who are Access Fund members. We
urge new and renewing members to try this method of signing up. If
you have any problems with it you can sign up for membership in
the old way, via PayPal, on our web site.
We are currently revamping our bylaws, in order to streamline
our membership process since we have become an affiliate of
the Access Fund. By involving members and potential members of
the Access Fund in our mailing list and communications we hope
to strengthen our mission and goals.
As part of our on-going commitment to a strengthened and unified
climbing community, the Access Fund is continually striving
to support our efforts at the local level. Through the end of
April, for every climber associated with the Gunks Climbers'
Coalition who renews or joins the Access Fund, a portion of
his or her donation is given directly to the Gunks Climbers' Coalition.
How it works:
Anyone involved with the Gunks Climbers' Coalition can go
to this special URL to join the Access Fund:
http://www.accessfund.org/join/aff.php
Through the end of April, current Access Fund members can renew
their membership or contribute an additional donation. For
climbers new to the Access Fund, we are offering a special
introductory rate of $10.00 only available during the membership
drive through the end of April.
The Gunks Climbers' Coalition will receive $5 for every person who
signs up through this membership drive and selects the Gunks
Climbers' Coalition as their LCO giving an immediate local benefit.
In the long run, the more members the Access Fund has the
more support we can offer at the local level.
Together, we are making a difference in keeping climbing areas open
and conserving the climbing environment on the national,
regional, and local level. Please join us in this effort to
further strengthen the climbing community and the collective voice of
climbers across the United States.
Please don't hesitate to contact either
or the national Access Fund membership
director Kerry Cowan (
or 303-545-6772 x106)
with any questions about this offer.
