By Wyatt Boyle | KOAL News | Photo courtesy of Joe’s Valley Climbing and Community

Raising funds for local youth programs and celebrating trail stewardship, Joe’s Valley Climbing Community is hosting its annual Pump-a-thon May 2 and 3. The two-day event will consist of a Saturday Pump-a-thon and a Sunday Stewardship day.

“[The Pump-a-thon] is a fundraiser for our organization, and it’s basically an endurance climbing competition,” said Julie Janus, executive director of JVCC. “But it’s also mainly just [to get] out there to have fun, and raise some funds for our community and get people outside.”

Saturday’s event will consist of climbing competitions for beginners and more advanced climbers. All climbing levels and genders are welcome and encouraged to attend. 

“The goal isn’t to be the best, it’s to show up,” a press release for the event said. “The competition day wraps up with food trucks, a beach-themed social, awards, raffle drawings, music, and campfire at the Castle Dale Fairgrounds.”

Sunday morning, volunteers will be equipped with coffee, doughnuts, and tools to maintain and clean trails along Joe’s Valley. Cleaning the valley is just one way JVCC builds the community. One of the goals of the Pump-a-thon is to fund youth climbing camps. Janice and Jacie Huntington also emphasized their desire to introduce youth to climbing and get them out into the environment, and the Pump-a-thon’s importance in doing so. 

“Two years ago, we kicked these off,” Janus said. “We had a grant for it, and we were able to offer really low-cost climbing camps to get kids outdoors, get them introduced to climbing. Some of the kids just loved going out and catching lizards. Some just like being outside, but they also get introduced to the world-class bouldering in this area. So that’s a key piece, because we don’t have that grant this year. We’re trying to raise the funds so that we can continue to offer those youth summer camps.”

Registration for the event is open on joesvalley.org. Registration cost varies on age and locality, as JVCC offers discounted tickets for Carbon and Emery locals.

Looking ahead, JVCC will also be hosting its 12th annual bouldering festival in the first week of October. It’s a four-day event full of climbing and local clinics, climber rodeos, live music, and dance party “Joe Downs.” The event is open to both climbers and locals. 

“This is actually our 12th annual event,” said Huntington of the festival. “Everybody is welcome at this event. And it’s just truly a highlight of the October bouldering scene, for sure.”

To register for events and learn more about everything Joe’s Valley Climbing Community, visit joesvalley.org.