Two years after launching, The Teton Climbers’ Coalition has received its non-profit 501c3 status from the IRS.
The designation marks an important milestone in the local climbing organization’s development.
The Teton Climbers’ Coalition held its first in-person meeting on March 11, 2020—the day the World Health Organization declared COVID a pandemic. Since then, the organization’s board has met two dozen times, often virtually, while working on matters of importance to the community.
While the inability to meet in person proved challenging, the TCC nonetheless achieved a number of important accomplishments in its first two years. These include:
- Collaborated with The Teton Backcountry Alliance, Access Fund, American Alpine Club and Winter Wildlands Alliance on a coordinated approach to management of Teton bighorn sheep and winter recreation
- Restored the Teton Boulder Park to its full potential
- Successfully advocated for the expansion of the Teton County Rec Center climbing gym from 5,750 to 8,500 square feet
- Organized two cleanups of the Boulder Park
- Hosted the Boulderdash community bouldering series
- Led two Rodeo Wall Adopt-A-Crag Stewardship Projects
- Hosted three virtual Winter Speaker Series events during the pandemic
- Organized a letter-writing campaign that resulted in more than 100 letters to elected officials in support of a larger climbing gym
- Successfully advocated for the retention of an independent climbing gym consultant for the Teton County Rec Center climbing gym
- Completed more than 70 hours of research on climbing facilities around the country to help inform the development of the Teton County Rec Center climbing gym
- Published climbing gym survey with >300 responses
- Organized a petition in support of the climbing gym that resulted in more than 600 signatures
Receiving 501c3 status allows us to continue to build on this work while providing tax-deductibility to donors. We look forward to advocating, stewarding and engaging on behalf of Teton climbers for this and future generations.