Yosemite Climbing Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting Yosemite's rich climbing heritage and making it available for public viewing and interpretation.

Every year up to 4.0 million people visit Yosemite National Park. Some come to view spectacular waterfalls, others just to get away from busy city life. While the attractions are many, everyone is awestruck by the high, steep cliffs that create Yosemite Valley. Inevitably, someone spots the climbers and wonders what they are doing and how they got there. Despite the rich history of Valley climbing, answers to these questions have been surprisingly difficult to come by.

Yosemite Valley climbing has had a huge impact and worldwide influence on the international climbing community. Many techniques and tools used on remote peaks around the world were first developed in the Valley. For a long time Yosemite has been a training ground for climbers and people have come from all corners of the globe to test their skills. Sadly, most of these visiting climbers have a better understanding of Yosemite Valley climbing history than American climbers do. We would like to change that!

Ken Yager, President of Yosemite Climbing Association, and many other dedicated Valley Climbers have amassed several thousand artifacts that are now ready for public viewing and interpretation. A small fraction of this collection has been on display in the Ahwahnee Hotel – and currently there are exhibits in the Curry Village Mountain Shop. However, rock climbing has yet to be represented as an important part of Park history even though Yosemite is the jewel of world rock climbing. We think a change is long overdue and that we should give Yosemite’s climbing pioneers the recognition that they so justly deserve.

Our goal of establishing a permanent museum in the Valley is on the verge of becoming a reality.

A museum site has been approved and given to the Yosemite Climbing Association by the National Park Service. The site is adjacent to historic Camp IV and is located where the former Yosemite Lodge Gas Station used to be. All compliances and the environmental impact surveys are completed. The next step is to draw up a building design and submit it for NPS approval. Once approved, we can start construction as soon as 2005.

The Yosemite Fund has awarded the Yosemite Climbing Association a $28,000 matching funds grant for the year 2004. Every dollar donated now, will be matched by the Yosemite Fund. All donations are tax deductible and will help to develop and establish a permanent home for Yosemite’s colorful climbing history.

Help preserve Yosemite's climbing history by joining the Yosemite Climbing Association today! Thank you.