The only thing weirder than seeing a reality TV star in the White House is seeing a famous rock climber wearing a pantsuit, or a suit and tie. But these are strange times, and today both are in the nation’s capital.
The assault on public lands President Donald Trump has mounted is one of the few things that could lure climbers to Washington, D.C. And the climbing community is responding in kind with a two-day event called Climb the Hill — with the accompanying social media hashtag #Climbthehill — sponsored by the American Alpine Club and the Access Fund.
Top climbers including Conrad Anker, Tommy Caldwell, Sasha DiGiulian, Alex Honnold, Kai Lightner and Libby Sauter, are spending Thursday and Friday on Capitol Hill. They’re meeting with congressional leaders like Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, Colorado Sen. Michael Bennett and top officials in public lands agencies, trying to convince them of the economic value of climbing, its reliance on public lands and of the need to protect national parks and monuments.
“It’s kind of a trip going around, talking about climbing to senators and being on Capitol Hill,” Caldwell said in a video on the American Alpine Club’s Facebook page. “I think I realized we have a voice. There’re a lot of fans here. Climbing is a legitimate force that can be used for change for the better.”
“Your lawmakers are listening, they want to hear your stories,” says climber Katie Boue, in the same Facebook video.
In the U.S., 60 percent of climbing areas are on federal public lands. Trump’s stated desire to turn federal lands over to states or open them to private industries jeopardizes the places climbers hold dear.
“It is awesome to know that we have a few great congressmen like Senator @timkaine that understand the importance of protecting our national parks and monuments,” Lightner said in an Instagram post.
Speaking in the Facebook video Caldwell told viewers the most valuable thing he’s learned on the hill: “Write letters to your senators.”
Packed room as climbers speak during the #ClimbTheHill congressional brief. Powerful. pic.twitter.com/VRMtNVNAOf
— American Alpine Club (@americanalpine) May 11, 2017
