Our Legacy

Since 2002, the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance has been the leading force in sustaining Wasatch Front climbing resources. Thanks to the ongoing dedication and support from members, volunteers, the local climbing community and businesses, the SLCA continues to expand its important work to preserve access and encourage stewardship of the environment. Whether restoring climbing areas, building community, protecting access, or providing sustainable climbing infrastructure through trail work and anchor maintenance, the SLCA serves the climbing community in critical arenas.

The SLCA was founded by a small, dedicated group of local climbers volunteering their time to preserve climbing access to some of their favorite Wasatch Front crags. With a volunteer Board of Directors, and a small staff, the SLCA has worked diligently over time to benefit the local climbing community through numerous successful initiatives.

The J. WILLARD MARRIOTT LIBRARY DIGITAL EXHIBIT now hosts the SLCA’s story through the years in a searchable database! A huge thanks to University of Utah Librarian Tallie Casucci and her library colleagues for their dedicated work on this project. It was no small task and is still evolving today as history continues to be made.

The University of Utah’s Marriott Library has robust rock climbing collections. Even if you're not a University of Utah student or employee, you may be eligible to borrow materials!

The Marriott Library accepts climbing-related donations (e.g. photos, manuscripts, films, and magazines). These donations are vital to documenting and preserving the history of rock climbing in the Wasatch. Please consider donating to the collection here.

The Roots of the SLCA

In 2001, a Ranger with the Wasatch-Cache National Forest Salt Lake Ranger District (Carol Majeske) contacted Allen Sanderson, then-Regional Coordinator with the Access Fund, seeking a representative from the local climbers’ organization to discuss a climbing access issue at Storm Mountain Picnic Area in Big Cottonwood Canyon in the Wasatch Mountains.Several local Wasatch Front climbers held an informal public meeting with the U.S. Forest Service to discuss the climbing access issue in Big Cottonwood. With the help from the Forest Service, climbers established a protocol with the concessionaire running the picnic area to establish access through the site to the surrounding crags. Local climbers immediately recognized the need for a climbing organization to address numerous critical issues facing the climbing community. Thus, following numerous public meetings, the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance was incorporated as 501c3 tax-exempt non-profit organization, and the original Board of Directors was elected in early 2002 including:

• Chairman: Steve Downes

• Access: Mike Beck

• Treasurer: Matt Goreham

• Anchors: Merril Bitter

• Secretary: Deanne Pranke

• Communications and Publications: Hillary Silberman

• Projects: Jonathan Knight

• Advisory Emeritus: Ted Wilson

Since 2002, many dedicated individuals have served on the Board as follows. If names have been missed, please reach out!

• Jessica Powell

• Amy Cairn

• Leandra Hernandez

• Cody Kaemmerlen

• Mason Baker

• Bill Ayers

• Nate Furman

• Rick Vance

• Jason Hall

• David Carter

• Melissa Whalen

• Kim Hall

• Aspen Echelmeier

• Jimmy Keithley

• Eli Kerr

• Keith Luscinski

• Heath Christensen

• Victor Copeland

• Tommy Chandler

• Cynthia Levinthal

• Jonathan Thesenga

• Ted Wilson

• Nate Smith

• Justin Roth

• Justin Wood

• Oliver LcLeod

• Jonathan Foster

• Carly Clifton

• Jason Shumaker

• Paul Tusting

• Deric Brown

• Sara Baldwin

• Brad Barlage

• Dustin Buckthal

• Rob Candland

• Matthias Goreham

• Jeff Porucznik

• George Poulton

• Eric Wynn

• Gwendolyn Adams

• Dave Budge

• Zac Robinson

• Mike White