Volunteer Service Project: Santee Boulders Adopt-a-Crag
September 15th 2010

On Wednesday September 15, 2010 ACSD members met at Santee Boulders to pick up trash and trim trails. We picked up bags of garbage, wood debris, and junk from the bouldering area. All volunteers got extra goodies (climbing gym day passes- Thanks Vertical Hold!- and other goodies) We all met at bullethole boulder after the clean-up to eat pizza and enjoy the sunset. Thanks to all our volunteers and thanks to Papa John's for donating pizza!

Photos

Volunteer Service Project: Lake Dixon Adopt-a-Crag
July 10th 2010

We had a over 30 volunteers who helped clean up trash and maintain the trail at Lake Dixon for a few hours on Saturday morning. We woke up with donated coffee and bagels before starting up the trail. Thanks to the San Diego ACTIVE meet-up group and members of ACSD, we were able to clear out enough trash to fill up the back of a pick up truck. After the event, we had a raffle for LG and Evolve Climbing swag. Overall, we logged over 100 volunteer hours throughout the course of the morning. Thanks to everyone who came out and helped!

Climbers Loop Trail, MTRP Adopt-A-Crag
May 29, 2010

ACSD organized an event to perform maintenance in an area of Mission Trails Regional Park. Project goals included providing vertical brushing to deter cutting of switchbacks, collecting and relocate boulders for future trail work events, erecting barrier to protect sensitive habitat area (located to southeast of designated climbing area), and repairing/replacing silt barrier fencing (entire southern leg of trail). The event was hosted by Ranger Melvin Naidas, MTRP Trail Projects Coordinator and sponsored by The Access Fund, VG’s Doughnuts, and Pizza Hut.

Stonewall Peak Adopt-A-Crag
Saturday, August 15th, 2009

ACSD met up with other park volunteers to perform trail maintenance on the Stonewall Peak Trail located in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. Maintenance included mostly cutting back brush along the sides of the trail. The weather was beautiful, and volunteers were able to trim the entire length of the trail from bottom to top. Great work everyone! Some volunteers even stayed to climb in the unseasonably cool weather. Thanks again to everyone who came out and helped make this event a success.

<More Photos>

Joshua Tree Trail Restoration Service Project
Sunday, April 11th, 2009

ACSD had a great turnout for the trail work at Joshua Tree. Thanks to the volunteers (from UCSD, SDSU and park employees), we were able to work on 4 trails around Echo Rock. Using vertical mulching, we restored a number of unneeded social trails and marked the correct trails with signs and rocks so they will be easy to follow. Thanks again to everyone who came out and helped make this event a success.

<More Photos>

Blue Sky Reserve Service Project
Saturday, January 31st, 2009

ACSD gathered up the troops for our first volunteer service event of the year.  The mission was non-native plant removal in Poway’s Blue Sky Reserve.  Members ended up in a jungle of sorts armed with saws and the beta on which plants had to go.  Thousands of unwelcome plants were removed in a few hours’ work.  This will provide the native species less competition and will enable them to flourish.  Ranger Annie was quite pleased with ACSD’s hard work:  “Driving through the Reserve yesterday I could clearly see how much we’d accomplished on Saturday.”  Mission accomplished.

<More Photos>

ACSD Participates in REI's Non-Profit Gift-Wrapping Program
Friday, Dec. 12th, 2008

ACSD members Renee Sisneros and Mark Schlocker set up shop at REI on Copley Dr as part of REI's non-profit gift-wrapping program.  They wrapped gifts, spread holiday cheer, and informed the public about ACSD and its mission.  100% of the funds generated will go toward ACSD.

ACSD Adopt-A-Crag Project Riverside Quarry
Saturday, Dec. 6th, 2008 7am-12noon

On the morning of Saturday, December 6th 45 volunteers showed up at the Riverside Quarry to help ACSD and local climbing developer Louie Anderson collect close to 8 tons of trash. Approximately 3 tons of trash was transported to the local dump, while the remaining was lumped into convenient piles. Louie will be bringing out the big trailers in the near future to transport the rest of the garbage. On the day of the project, Louie recruited the help of the local community and employees from Herbalife. A lot of these participants had never climbed before, and were excited to get a chance to “rope up” after the project. The Quarry has become a favorite sport climbing destination for many San Diego climbers, and ACSD’s support of this crag is a sign that our assistance is not just limited to San Diego’s immediate climbing areas. LA and Orange County climbers were excited to have the assistance of their climbing friends to the south, and we were happy to give them muffins, coffee and some collateral explaining our mission and goals for keeping climbing areas open and clean. .

<More Photos>

El Cajon Mountain Clean-up Project
Saturday, Oct. 25th 2008 7AM-10:30AM

On Saturday, Oct. 25th ACSD, REI and the Cleveland National Forest, with support from the Access Fund, organized a 3 1/2 hour “Adopt-A-Crag” project to help clean the trailhead and surrounding basin of the El Cajon Mountain parking area. Volunteers arrived as early as 7AM, and the last garbage bag was thrown into the dumpsters at 10:30AM. In this short period of time, 30 dedicated volunteers helped remove approx. 5,000 pounds of garbage from the immediate area. This equaled 8 truck loads shuttled to the local dumpster, and included such “high-ticket” items as a full jacuzzi, a toilet/shower combo, and the full frame of a chopped car. After the hard work was over, prizes from the Access Fund and ACSD were rewarded to volunteers. Complimentary coffee from Starbucks and food from ACSD were also on hand to keep everyone motivated. AND, if that wasn’t enough, Chris Hubbard discovered a new “blasted granite” traverse wall above the parking area, on an old dirt road. “CH” aptly named the new bouldering spot “The Clean-Up Wall” and volunteers enjoyed running laps and cleaning up this 35 foot-long addition to the San Diego climbing scene.

<More Photos>

Where: Valley of the Moon Kiosk (In-Ko-Pah Rd. exit off the I-8 East)
When: Saturday, September 27th, 2008 - 9am-3pm
Information: Join the BLM and ACSD on National Public Lands Day to help clean up Valley of the Moon.
<More Information>

Camp Cuyamaca Outdoor School
Wednesday, Sept. 17th 2008

On September 17, 2008 ACSD members Scott Isgitt and Mark Schlocker brought rock climbing to the cause of outdoor education.  The setting was Cuyamaca Outdoor School, a 6th grade camp in San Diego County at the foot of Stonewall Peak. Scott and Mark volunteered on their own as members of the community to assist with the birth of Cuyamaca Outdoor School’s outdoor rock climbing program.  They assessed the climbing potential at the camp and installed fixed toprope anchors on the best lines.  The climbing was just the right level of challenge on mostly short slabs. 

With anchors in place Scott and Mark were ready to train approximately 20 camp staff in proper belay technique.  The staff had a great time learning belay skills and sending the routes.  You can be sure that some of San Diego’s future rock climbers will catch the climbing bug at Camp Cuyamaca thanks in part to Scott and Mark!