Rock Climbers Volunteer to Clean Up Mount Woodson

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A group of volunteer rock climbers with the Allied Climbers of San Diego organization make regular trips to Mount Woodson to pick up trash, remove graffiti, and maintain the area for outdoor recreation. The climbers have been doing this for over a decade, collecting thousands of pounds of waste, but were recently prevented from accessing the site to remove graffiti after the city stopped unlocking a gate they used to haul their equipment.

Why it matters

The clean-up efforts by the Allied Climbers of San Diego help preserve the natural beauty and accessibility of popular outdoor recreation areas like Mount Woodson, which is renowned for its rock climbing and bouldering. Their work promotes environmental stewardship and ensures these spaces remain enjoyable for the local community and visitors.

The details

The volunteer group makes at least one trip per year to Mount Woodson to pick up trash, which mostly consists of water bottles, dog waste, and other random litter. On a recent clean-up day in February, they collected about 20 bags of waste. The plastic is recycled and the non-recyclables are discarded. The group also used to bring equipment to remove graffiti from the rocks and boulders, but they lost access to the road they used to haul the gear after the city stopped unlocking a gate about two years ago.

• The Allied Climbers of San Diego make clean-up trips to Mount Woodson at least once a year.
• Their most recent clean-up effort was on February 28, 2026, about a month before the new trail parking lot at Mount Woodson officially opened.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The Allied Climbers of San Diego hope to regain access to the road at Mount Woodson so they can resume their efforts to remove graffiti from the rocks and boulders in the area. They had previously been able to do this for about a decade, but lost access when the city stopped unlocking the gate they used to bring in their equipment.