Friends of Joshua Tree Announces Changes

PRESS RELEASE: NOVEMBER 14, 2024

Statement from Friends of Joshua Tree to the Climbing Community regarding Climbing Stewards and Climber Coffee Programs in JTNP

Friends of Joshua Tree announces changes to climbing outreach this 2024-25 climbing season. Climber Coffee will be offered on Saturdays only, and the Climbing Stewards program will be paused, with the Hidden Valley Campground Host available for answering climbing related questions.

The Climbing Stewards program has been instrumental in providing advice and education to both new and longtime climbers visiting the Park, helping to mitigate our impact, and to protect the awe-inspiring natural landscape of Joshua Tree. Joshua Tree National Park receives over 3 million visitors per year, including an estimated 600,000 climbers. The Climbing Stewards program was launched by FOJT 10 years ago and has been a model for successful collaboration between NPS and a partner organization.

Friends of Joshua Tree initiated and has actively supported the program by donating more than $50k over 10 years, providing stipends and uniforms to more than 30 stewards. We will work with the Park to resume the Climbing Stewards program next year.

Joshua Tree National Park will provide Climber Coffee each Saturday to continue this important outreach tradition. This program has served the climbing community for over 20 years and provided more than 50,000 cups of coffee to climbers at Hidden Valley Campground on weekends and holidays throughout the climbing season. Together with the Climbing Steward program, Climber Coffee significantly mitigates the impact of climbing in Joshua Tree National Park by educating and informing the climbing public about best practices while climbing in the high desert ecosystem.

Given the importance of this program, Friends of Joshua Tree will continue to work with the Park to add Sundays back to the Climber Coffee program as soon as possible.

We believe that both programs are critical for the climbing community, and we continue our work with JTNP to engage with climbers as an important constituency of park visitors in the future.