Written by Hailey McFelia & Anneka Peterson | Edited by Alexandra Erdman
As we dive into another month of climbing, meetups and events, we reflect on how nature affects us; not only as climbers and outdoor enthusiasts, but also as living things sharing the space with our natural environment. This month we celebrate Keep America Beautiful Month, as April is a constant reminder of change and growth. As a community, we do our best to give back to nature, as it does so much for us!
Interested in how you can get outside and do your part? Join us April 28th (It was the 14th, but we needed to reschedule due to rain) for our Stoney Point Crag Cleanup! Stoney Point is a historic climbing crag. The land itself was inhabited by the Tongva, Chumash, and Tataviam tribes for [an estimated] 8,000 years. It was a trading site known as the Tongva village of Momanga. Climbs began being developed in the 1930’s. Climbing legends like Royal Robbins and Yvon Chouinard would learn to climb at Stoney Point. Let’s do our part to give this historic climbing site with some much needed love! We will have trash pickers and reusable bags but supplies are limited, so feel free to bring your own if you can. Afterwards, we can enjoy the beauty and climb. Don’t forget to snag a Sender One day pass as a thank you.
If you are interested in getting outside safely and respectfully here are some helpful tips to follow:
- Respect Access Rules: Before heading out to any climbing area, be sure to check their regulations/ restrictions. More often than not, you might have to book a spot in advance or obtain a pass. Some areas may also have closures or restrictions due to wildlife, weather, loose rock, or maintenance.
- Be Mindful of Noise: Many climbing areas are located in natural settings or near residential areas. It is best to keep noise down in order to respect residence and wildlife. This includes speakers and shouting down to your belayer. Some ways to mitigate this are to create a communication plan ahead of time. Otherwise you might be shouting “ WHAT?” “WHAT DiD yOu SAy?!” 80 feet in the air.
- Communicate With Your Group: Use clear and concise communication with your climbing partners, whether it's discussing beta, or safety checks. Respect others' need for concentration while they climb.
- Leave No Trace: This goes without saying, but please keep the natural environment better than you found it. If you pack it in, pack it out. Helpful Beta: Keep a small trash bag in your climbing bag to pick up trash you might find out there.
- Stay on the Path: Not only could you find yourself getting lost while out on an approach, but you could also end up disturbing or destroying the wildlife and foliage.
- Minimize Collateral Damage: Place gear and packs away from climbing routes to avoid creating hazards for climbers below. Be cautious of dislodging rocks or debris while climbing or belaying (and be sure to announce it for others to hear).
-Do Not Climb on Wet Rock: Porous rock is very fragile when wet. Not only is it dangerous to climb on when it’s wet, it’s possibly ruining the climb for generations to come. Holds may come loose and change the climb completely. Even if you traveled far to the crag, you are not the exception to the rule. If the ground around the climb is wet stay off the rock. If you aren’t sure, best to use caution and stay on the ground.
- Respect Our Fuzzy Friends and Creepy Crawlies: They may be friend-shaped, but they are, indeed, not friend. Although they are cute, curious, and may even seem calm around humans, please do not feed the wildlife. They could become dependent on human interaction and lose their ability to forage and hunt on their own.
- If You See Something, Say Something: Follow safety protocols such as double-checking knots, anchors, and belay setups. If you notice unsafe practices, kindly offer assistance or advice.
- Share Routes & Be Kind: Be courteous to other climbers by sharing popular routes. If someone is waiting to climb a route you're on, offer to let them go ahead or coordinate alternating attempts. Sharing is caring, and we don’t gatekeep!
Not able to get outside? That’s okay! We’ll bring the Earth Day celebrations inside to you. Our Playa Vista location will be hosting Rock n’ Regrow: Climbing into Sustainability on Sunday April 21st. The event will focus on education on how we can give back to the outdoors. Take part in activities such as creating seed packets with indigenous wildflower seeds for our local pollinators, learn to upcycle your overloved clothing with a mending clinic, or drop off/swap your gently used clothing and gear during our gear exchange. There will also be outdoor inspired routes from local SoCal crags. Get a taste of what it’s like to climb outside! There’s all that and more during the Rock n; Regrow Sunday Funday event! LAX will be hosting an Earth Day event on Monday, April 22nd. Sender One LAX is partnering with Articles in Common to kickoff our Athletes for Earth campaign to promote secondhand gear in the world of outdoor sports.
If you’re unable to attend these events don’t worry. You can still show your love for the outdoors with our new Joshua Tree Merch.
If you have an interest in getting outside to climb, but are unsure of where to start, ask a Sender One staff member. We are more than happy to share the stoke on how to get outside safely and respectfully. Like the Sender One Cares program states, “Our passion for climbing expands beyond our walls and out into our parks and local climbing crags. Sender One one is committed to sharing our knowledge of outdoor climbing etiquette and doing hands-on work at outdoor climbing areas so that they remain available for years and future generations to come.” We thank you for taking the time to educate yourself and to do your part to leave the outdoors better than you found it.
