Every fall for the past three years the kids in Castlegar’s Rotary Youth Interact Group have taken on an outdoor project to learn valuable skills and enjoy hands-on work.
This year the group chose to work with The Association of West Kootenay Rock Climbers on a project at the Kinnaird Bluffs rock climbing area. TAWKROC purchased the property where the bluffs are located in 2016 and although there is still a $9,000 outstanding on the purchase, work has already began to improve the access to the various walls of the area. Last May three directors of the organization started a new trail that leads from the West side of the bluffs near Yellow Sling wall to the impressive Hail Mary wall.
On Saturday October 14th, members of the local Rotary Youth Interact Group continued work on the trail along with TAWKROC directors Ian McDonald, David Lussier and Bob Sawyer. Using spades, pick axes and pulaskis, the youth benched out and widened sections of the trail.
As a bonus for their efforts, the directors treated some of the youth to a guided outdoor climbing experience at the bluffs.
A big thanks goes out to the other partners on this project including the Castlegar Parks and Trails Society (CPTS) for lending tools to support the work and to David Lussier of Summit Mountain Guides for providing gear as well as a free, safe, and fun guided climbing experience for club members.
Parents or Kids wanting to know more about the Castlegar Rotary Youth Interact can send an email to interactcastlegar@gmail.com.
