A.A.C., North Central Section

Publication Year: 2002.

AAC, North Central Section. Our Section continues to grow after several inactive years without a chair. The Web site was up and running the entire year and has proven to be valuable in spreading information around the Section. Climbers have used the message board to set up trips, communicate problems, and just discuss climbing generally in our area.

A small but dedicated group of seven attended a clean-up day at Blue Mounds State Park in Luverne, MN. We cleaned the area in the morning, climbed in the afternoon, and barbequed in the evening. This park with some notable climbs is at about the geographic center of our Section, and we will continue meeting there in June. Certainly Taylors Falls, the Black Hills, and the North Shore are more popular climbing areas, but Blue Mounds is fair for everyone.

The Taylors Falls area, which is the closest climbing area to the Twin Cities, suffered a major slide, resulting in closure of the Minnesota side. The Wisconsin side remains open. The chairman has been working with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in an effort to reopen access to this heavily used area.

A number of Section members attended the annual AAC meeting at Snowbird, UT. While there, taking early time out from skiing one day, we discussed ways to promote our Section’s growth. Immediate plans include issuing a Section directory and continuing to upgrade the Web site: http://ncs.alpineclub.org.

Scott Christensen, Chairman