Taking a circuitous route to respect

The sport of bouldering, in which climbers pick a lateral path around very large rocks, is getting some respect.

It comes in the form of an initiative by the nonprofit Access Fund to improve relations between bouldering enthusiasts and land-use managers who control access to some of the best climbing sites in the country.

Steve Matous, the fund’s executive director, said another goal was to present a voice for participants in the fast-growing sport.

The Access Fund cited the Boulder Clean project in Joshua Tree as a model because it sponsors discussions between boulderers and park officials and it provides information to increase environmental awareness.

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-- J. Michael Kennedy