"Clean Climbing" in Fontainebleau was the third time Black Diamond launched the 'Chasin' the rubbish' initiative. The Black Diamond Team, Black Diamond athletes and numerous boulderers got together over the Easter weekend to make visitors of the bouldering areas aware of a more responsible way of spending time in nature and on the rocks.

Every year over the Easter holidays, about 10,000 boulderers and climbers visit what is probably the biggest and best known bouldering area in the world, Fontainebleau in France. Climbers from all over Europe make the pilgrimage to Bleau to take advantage of the good friction and to recreate in the forest.It was Black Diamond's goal to inform the many visitors at the bouldering areas around Fontainebleau about best practices for the environmental and conservation issues that arise in the climbing areas.

During the four days of Easter holidays, the BD team and athletes Nalle Huakkataival, Dorothea Karalus and Rachel Kernen assembled in the parking areas of the best bouldering areas of Fontainebleau every morning to build awareness with climbers through conversations and personal contacts about responsible behavior on the rocks. Among the topics: properly clean climbing shoes off (sandy shoes polish the rock), use only as much chalk as necessary and don't leave tick marks, stay on the trails due to the risk of erosion, don't leave any garbage in the areas (especially toilet paper) and, most of all, don't make open fires in the forest.

Armed with this information and compostable plastic bags, the visitors to the bouldering areas set off to collect garbage. On Easter Monday, the BD team itself got busy and removed garbage from the popular 'Elephant' climbing area. Over the four days, a total of 300 kg of garbage amassed and was then taken to the regional forestry office for disposal by Black Diamond.

Black Diamond would like to give a big 'thank you!' to all the busy boulderers and helpers! Black Diamond wanted to contribute to preserving this unique climbing area and ensure that it can be visited in the future.

The concept of 'clean climbing' has been at the forefront for Black Diamond from the beginning. It means leaving as little trace as possible on the rock and in nature, while at the same time enjoying what nature has to offer. Black Diamond strives to pass their enthusiasm for this concept on to climbers and boulderers worldwide in order to preserve climbing areas for the next generation.

Black Diamond would like to enhance this initiative by announcing now that the next Clean Climbing Days could take place in Fontainebleau, Siurana, Kalymnos, Frankenjura, Ceuse or at YOUR home climbing area.

Here's a film made about the event:

Pictures: Scott Noy, Christian Lehmann