Dedication at Stimson Bullitt Climbing Reserve, September 19, 2010.
Looking at the cliff on this rainy day.
Climbers celebrating the purchase of the Lower Town Wall, September 19, 2010.
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On September 19, 2010, the Washington Climbers Coalition (WCC) celebrated the purchase of the Lower Town Wall and surrounding crags
at Index, Washington. Representatives of several national climbers' groups attended, the former private property owners were honored for their
50 years of supporting climbing at Index, the Superintendent of Washington State Parks offered their commitment to support climbing at Index,
and over 150 donors to the 2010 Index Fund showed up to partcipate in celebrating the success of this remarkable campaign.
Seattle Times article about event
We had hoped to provide an opportunity for members of the public to join us for some climbing on the Lower Town Wall. Two local guide services, the
Northwest Mountain School and Mountain Madness, volunteered their guides to set up and supervise climbing activities that would coincide with our event
but this activity was discouraged by heavy rainfall the day of the event. Link to Northwest Mountain School. Link to Mountain Madness. We should have held our celebration in August. At the last minute, we arranged to
hold the dinner celebration inside the building that formerly housed the Index Tavern. Our hosts at Wave Trek worked very hard to make sure everybody
had a good time. Link to Wave Trek.
This celebration follows an eighteen-month fund raising effort. The Washington Climbers Coalition purchased the area on August 23, 2010, and
the September 19, 2010, event at Index recognized this incredible milestone for Washington climbing. Over 400 individual donors, 15 businesses, and
four or five local climbing clubs supported this venture. As of the night of September 19, 2010, the Washington Climbers Coalition had raised over
$260,000 toward the $300,00 project goal, and "no trespassing" had turned into "owned and operated by climbers."
Link to Fundraising Page. While we still need to raise a little bit more money, and
there is much yet to do in order to reach our eventual goal of having the area to become a permanent climbing park, climbers had much to celebrate.
The event was attended by climbers who were among those who first explored the cliffs and crags around Index in the 1960's as well as those who climb there
several times a week today. The mayor of Index was there. The author of the first Index guidebook was there, Fred Beckey. Jeff Smoot, author of Washington Rock Climbing, and Darryl Cramer, author of the current guidebook were there. Beginners and experts attended, oldtimers and many new to the sport. Index rocks and we are excited to have been able to take this giant leap
forward in terms of public access and open space preservation at a place so dear to our hearts.
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