Mission and Vision
CASA’s primary mission is to advocate for climbing access with government agencies at all levels, leaseholders, and private landowners. CASA also supports and encourages smaller, local climbing organizations in Alberta by providing expertise, resources, and collaboration as needed. It facilitates a platform for these groups to exchange information, share experiences, and work together. Additionally, CASA acts as a hub of knowledge for the climbing community, disseminating information about current and ongoing access issues, along with best practices that help preserve and enhance climbing access in the province.
CASA advocates for climbing at a
provincial level, supports local
climbing organizations, and
provides information to
climbers about how to preserve
access to climbing.
Our History
Since the arrival of the Swiss Guides at Lake Louise, we have enjoyed excellent access to climbing in Alberta. Initially, this access relied on the cooperation of the government, industry, and climbers. Both industry and government encouraged climbing, and when there were access issues, climbers would resolve them by discussing the matter with the appropriate officials. Over time, as the government expanded, it often meant that individuals developing crags or routes engaged with government trail managers, builders, or conservation officers, reaching agreements about access as needed. That tradition of collaboration, in various forms, continues to this day.
CASA was founded in 2008, driven by a collaborative spirit, after rumours emerged about possible threats to access rock and ice climbing in the Ghost River area. Individual climbers and representatives from the Calgary Mountain Club, the Alpine Club of Canada, and MEC founded the organization to work together with the provincial government to secure access to the Ghost. CASA later engaged in advocating for climbing and promoting the integration of recreational activities into various land use planning processes within the climbing community. Since then, CASA has represented the climbing community in numerous ways while engaging with the government. Access initiatives have occasionally involved providing feedback on land use and policy matters, consulting as stakeholders on specific projects (e.g., Yamnuska trail upgrades, Grassi Lakes upgrades), and occasionally tackling local issues such as trailhead parking at Echo Canyon or rerouting a trail for Bataan.
Our Future
The ongoing increase in the number of climbers has necessitated that land managers and parks actively manage all recreational activities in Alberta. CASA has been adapting accordingly. We have encouraged forming local climbing groups and improved outreach to the climbing community. Simultaneously, CASA is developing the tools, resources, and expertise needed to advocate and collaborate effectively with the government and industry. Nevertheless, our core values and actions remain unchanged: climbers engaging with one another and working alongside the government or industry to preserve or enhance climbing access. We truly are all in this together.
