Mid-Atlantic Section

Author: Barry Rusnock, Chair. Climb Year: 2014. Publication Year: 2015.

This year we organized regular social events, including the Reel Rock Film Tour, Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, and Send & Socials. Our joint section events—the Delaware Water Gap Multi-Pitch Summer Sufferfest, the New River Gorge Craggin’ Classic, the Joint DC and Mid-Atlantic Ice Craggin’ Day, and our unique Oktoberfest Top Rope Social and Dinner—are now regular annual gatherings. We hosted two climbing competency clinics: Silas Rossi’s “How to Train for Big Objectives” and Karsten Delap’s session on rappelling. We also sponsored bouldering competitions in central Pennsylvania and New Jersey. These efforts at outreach and education have helped to build our community, recruit ambassadors and members, and increase climbing experience and competence. Live Your Dream grantees Anthony Nguyen and Ben Beck-Coon were forced to postpone their aid ascent of Zion’s Moonlight Buttress until the spring due to injury, but have communicated with us throughout the process, including this note from Ben: “We set out to do something that was truly a dream for us, but facing down challenges, dealing effectively with frustration, and adjusting course when necessary are, I think, what will ultimately become the strongest foundations for our progress as people and as climbers.” In 2015 the section embarks on a pilot program to reorganize into chapters, using 15 section ambassadors to organize and deliver local programming and events. Additionally, we are actively partnering with local climbing gyms as a means to build, maintain, and increase membership.