PETZL ROC TRIP JOINS FORCES WITH RRGCC ROCKTOBERFEST TO PRESERVE CLIMBING ACCESS AT THE RED RIVER GORGE

CLEARFIELD, Utah (May 7th, 2007) – Petzl America, a leading manufacturer of quality climbing gear, today announced that their annual Roc Trip will join forces with Rocktoberfest, an annual fundraising event held by the Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition to preserve climbing access in Eastern Kentucky.  

This year, Petzl Roc Trip will present Rocktoberfest, to be held October 12th – 14th, 2007, drawing an international crowd of climbers gathering for a weekend of clinics, competitions, and celebration, while raising awareness and funds for the RRGCC.  By combining the two events, Petzl hopes to help increase Rocktoberfest’s stature, attendance, and fundraising power in 2007 and for years to come.

“Twenty-five percent of the climbing in the Red is on land that the RRGCC is working hard to protect,” said John Evans, Marketing Director for Petzl America.  “Bringing Petzl Roc Trip to Rocktoberfest is a perfect way to support the RRGCC and help keep this land from being industrialized by big-oil.”

The Red River Gorge Climber’s Coalition is a unified group of climbers advocating responsible climbing and preserving access to climbing in the Gorge and surrounding areas.  Each year, the RRGCC pays an annual mortgage payment totaling nearly $29,000  for ownership of the Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve, a 750-acre plot of undeveloped land purchased by the RRGCC for preservation and climbing access purposes in 2004.  Due to the RRGCC’s efforts and funding, the Pendergrass-Murray Preserve is currently being responsibly and sustainably developed for hiking, mountain biking, and many forms of human-powered recreation.  Without funding for the annual mortgage payments due through year 2013, the Preserve faces potential acquisition by interested oil developers.  The Pendergrass-Murray Preserve is just one of the RRGCC’s conservation and access projects.

“Petzl is thinking of every way possible to help us pay off the mortgage and protect The Pendergrass Murray Preserve,” said Morgain Sprague, Board Member and Fundraising Coordinator for the RRGCC.  “Beyond that, the Preserve and the Red River Gorge are both located in Lee County, one of the most impoverished counties in the US, and climbing is an important source of commerce and revenue.  To have Petzl Roc Trip coming here, drawing an international crowd and showcasing our crags to the global climbing community is really exciting, both in raising awareness for the Preserve and in raising awareness for the Red as a world-class climbing destination”.