Locals on a Mission

We are climbers, guides and friends with a vested interest in climbing in northwest Montana. We work to conserve, improve and protect the cliffs and boulders of our area.

In the spring of 2017, a group of friends gathered to discuss restarting the “Kooc Crank,” an old climbing festival at Lake Koocanusa in the late 80’s. Realizing that there was more to do than just party, the group decided to form a non-profit. For lack of a better name, they settled on the Northwest Montana Climbers’ Coalition, aka the Stewards of the Rock. Highly stoked and motivated, the initial board members secured a bolt-replacement grant from the Access Fund that same year.

Since the Coalition’s founding, it has raised thousands of dollars, using that money to replace dozens of top anchors, buy tools and organize trail building days, and host events to bring climbers together. It has protected access to local crags and continues to build relationships with local land managers on behalf of the local climbing community.

While the Crank is still in the works (hopefully 2023!), the mission and actions of the NWMTCC continues toward better and safer access, with trails and new top anchors.