Here is an update from Vince Hempsall, one of the directors of the Climber’s Access Society of British Columbia (CASBC), regarding the situation to save the Kinnaird Bluffs in Castlegar, BC.
Kinnaird Bluffs in Castlegar, British Columbia, have been located on private property for the past half century and, although the various owners allowed rock climbing there, access was always tentative. Last November the 17-acre piece of property where the bluffs are located were put on the market and The Association of West Kootenay Rock Climbers, a chapter of CASBC, immediately jumped in with an offer to save the Bluffs from development. The asking price of the property was $57,000.
This area is worth saving because it’s one of the most historically significant crags in the province (people have been rock climbing and practicing their mountaineering skills on them since 1956) and there are currently 70+ trad and sport rock climbing routes there. TAWKROC’s end goal is to buy them and then work with local and provincial bodies to create a park that can be used by hikers, rock climbers and other outdoor aficionados in perpetuity.
TAWKROC has received official registration and is now a legal non-profit association, which means it will be on the title of the property until such time as it can be donated to the City of Castlegar as a park where all hikers and climbers can access it in perpetuity.
The Alpine Club of Canada has just donated $5,000 towards the purchase of Kinnaird Bluffs in Castlegar and the Climbers Access Society of British Columbia has also agreed to donate $3,500.
Fundraising efforts continue in earnest and if you wish to donate to help save this historic rock climbing area, please follow the directions below:
1. Go to www.access-society.ca and press the donate button
2. Enter the amount you wish to donate
3. Click the “Log in” to Paypal button below
4. On the left, underneath “Climbers’ Access Society of BC” you’ll see “Add special instructions to the seller.” Click that.
5. In the field that opens, type “For Kinnaird Bluffs purchase.”
6. Click the “Donate” button at the bottom of the screen.
7. CASBC will issue the tax receipt.
If you would like more information about the Save Kinnaird Project, please email Vince Hempsall, the Kootenay Director of the Climbers’ Access Society of BC at vhempsall@access-society.ca.
Special thanks to Vince Hempsall for keeping us informed. If you would like to donate to this cause or help out in any way, please get in touch with the Climbers Access Society of BC either by clicking the banner to your left of visiting their site directly.
