Save Sandstone Bouldering

From MCA, PTCM, and Access Fund:

We need your help to raise $30,000 to acquire and improve access to this amazing bouldering area by December 31, 2013!

The Minnesota Climbers Association (MCA) and Access Fund are excited to announce that the bouldering area in Sandstone, MN is about to be acquired and conserved for climbing access. Almost 10 years ago the MCA worked with private landowners to gain access to the high-quality bouldering area. This past fall, the MCA got word that the landowners were looking to sell the property, putting public access at imminent risk. The landowners generously agreed to give local climbers the first opportunity to purchase the land. With support from MCA and Access Fund, the Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota (PTCM) has agreed to purchase the property to be integrated into state park and trails.

However, PTCM needs our help to fundraise for the acquisition costs by December 31, 2013. We also seek your help to fund future trailhead improvements. Please join us in supporting this important acquisition project. See detailed project financials here: accessfund.org/atf/cf/%7B1F…

Donate here: accessfund.org/sandstone

More info here: mnclimbers.org/news/

MCA will soon have Save Sandstone chalk bags and buckets from Organic for sale! All proceeds will be going towards the Sandstone land acquisition project.

GET OUT THE VOTE! We have applied for $8,000 from AF to go towards our Save Sandstone fundraising effort.

Follow this link. Rate the Sandstone project a 5. Rate all others with whatever you feel they should be rated. Use the comment section to express why you want to Save Sandstone, what climbing in MN means to you, how important it is for our community, and press send. It will take you two minutes. THANK YOU!

The deadline for rating projects is August 20th.

accessfund.org/site/c.tmL5K…

We did it! We were awarded $5,000 from Access Fund for the Save Sandstone project. Big thanks to Jeff Engel for all his hard work on the application for the grant.

Coming soon: Oct 19-20, MCA will host a Save Sandstone festival at Robinson Park. New (or previously TR only) routes are being bolted, there will be slackline and yoga events, BBQ, bonfire and more. Event posting coming soon.

Chalk bags and buckets now for sale. Details on mnclimbers.org. Here is the link: mnclimbers.org/news/save-sa…

MCA is planning two events coming up...

October 19-20: Save Sandstone Festival at Robinson Park. Read more here: facebook.com/events/2210359…

November 17: Save Sandstone Climbers Fair at VE-Minneapolis. Read more here: facebook.com/events/1593641…

These are both great opportunities to support our land acquisition effort and to be a part of the greater MN climbing community. Join us at one or both and spread the word!

Save Sandstone slider pads from Organic are now in stock and on sale! Limited quantity - 10 grey, 10 black: $48 each

Buy them here: mnclimbers.org/news/save-sa…

I appreciate your motivation and the time youve taken for this. Im not a MN climber but have witnessed you apply effort to save a bunch of stone (which is only important to us climbers/photographers/nature lovers).

Thank you Sean, youre efforts dont go unnoticed.

Thanks for the note, The Stoned Master. Labor of love.

Adventure MN Films founder and MN climber, Brenda Piekarski, came out to Robinson Park to check in on the Save Sandstone Festival preparations. This is what came of it.

vimeo.com/76287254

Check out Brenda's project at adventuremnfilms.com!

Here is a link to photos from the past month getting Robinson Park ready for the big festival this weekend.

Link to photos

The Save Sandstone Festival was a huge success despite questionable weather! We had over 250 people come out on Saturday. Check out our photo album here (more pictures to come): Facebook photo album

Our next fundraising event will be on Sunday, Nov 17 at Vertical Endeavors Minneapolis. Find the event details here: Facebook event page

FURTHER UPDATE:
On Tuesday, Oct 15, the Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota closed on the purchase of the Johnson's private land that is Sandstone Bouldering!!! Access to this pristine swath of boulders has been preserved. We continue to work towards raising $30,000, so our job is not done yet. Help us reach our goal while knowing that the land has been saved!

Coming up November 17, 6:30-9:30, is the Save Sandstone Climbers Fair at Vertical Endeavors - Minneapolis. $10 admission (regardless of VE membership status), door prize drawing, free rental gear, climbing, vendors, shoe demo, presentations, and more.

Find the event on Facebook here: facebook.com/events/1593641…

Currently, we have raised $25,911 of our $30k goal. Help us get there!

www.accessfund.org/sandstone

Last Thursday, I attended a meeting with MCA, DNR, and PTCM. We toured Robinson Park, a little bit of Banning State Park, and the Johnson's old land (Sandstone Bouldering). We discussed the steps for DNR to purchase the land from PTCM and how to amend Banning's land management plan to open up climbing in designated areas within the state park.

Things are going to move much quicker than we originally anticipated!!

MCA is still working to meet our goal of raising $30K. We are close, but still need about $4,000 to hit the target number.

Donate at our Access Fund fundraising site here: accessfund.org/sandstone

Join us for our next fundraiser at VE Minneapolis on 11/17; details here: facebook.com/events/1593641…

We will have limited edition Save Sandstone Bouldering t-shirts and hoodies available for sale at VE Minneapolis this Sunday. Get 'em while they're hot! ($20/$60)

We had a great fundraiser at VE - Minneapolis last night. Totals aren't in yet, but I think we brought in another $2000-$2500 or so.

We have leftover hoodies (S, M) and t-shirts (S-L) for sale. Email info@mnclimbers.org to order one. We'll have them up on our website sometime soon.

Thanks for the ongoing support. You can still donate at accessfund.org/sandstone to help us hit our goal. We are so very close now!

UMN is hosting an event to benefit the MCA campaign:

Come celebrate the successes of the MCA - Minnesota Climbers Association over the past year, finish off the $30K needed to Save Sandstone Bouldering, and help expand the Ice Park!

The new University of Minnesota Climbing Wall will be open to the public for the first time for the event.

$10 entry ensures a great time of climbing, crate stacking, shoe demos, door prizes, and more!

FB event link: facebook.com/events/1837361…