Remembering Armando Menocal, Pioneering Advocate for Climbing Access
Armando Menocal, a Cuban-American civil rights lawyer and passionate climber who played a pivotal role in securing and preserving climbing access across the United States and Latin America, passed away on October 20, 2024, after a battle with lung cancer. He was 83.
A tireless advocate for climbers, he dedicated decades of his life to ensuring the sport remained accessible and minimally regulated. He is survived by his wife, Laura Rodriguez; his three sons, Matt, Diego, and Luis Manuel; his grandchildren, Alejandro, Ariel, Sierra, Wyatt, and Amelia; and his beloved dog, Wasabi. His son Marshall predeceased him in 2023.
Early Life and Career
Born in Miami, Florida, on March 31, 1941, Menocal was a third-generation Cuban-American whose great-great-grandfather immigrated to the US to escape the Cuban War for Independence. After graduating from the University of Florida and the George Washington Law School, Menocal moved to San Francisco and became deeply involved in the social and political movements of the 1960s, including the anti-war movement and poverty law. For 25 years, he worked as a civil rights lawyer, championing the rights of marginalized communities.
One of his most notable victories came in the landmark case Larry P. vs. Riles, where he successfully challenged the use of IQ tests in California schools, which disproportionately disadvantaged minority students. Menocal also taught law at Stanford University and contributed to the California Bar Exam as an examiner and question writer. In the 1990s, he served as an advisor to the Nepali government while living in Nepal for two years. After retiring from law, he became a climbing guide for Exum Mountain Guides in the Tetons, where he worked from 1997 to 2009.
Climbing Advocacy and the Access Fund
Menocal began climbing in 1969 after a trip to Colorado sparked his love for the outdoors. He quickly became an active member of the climbing community, joining the American Alpine Club (AAC) and enjoying frequent climbing trips to Yosemite and Tuolumne Meadows. However, the rise of sport climbing in the 1980s brought a wave of climbing area closures as land managers grappled with the sport’s growing popularity. The increasing closures drew Menocal into advocacy work.
In 1986, the American Alpine Club (AAC) asked him to lead its newly formed Access Committee. Menocal and his committee took the controversial stance of defending all forms of climbing, including sport climbing and the use of bolts. This position sparked intense debate within the climbing community, particularly with traditional climbers who viewed sport climbing techniques as unethical and detrimental to the sport. As the debate raged, Menocal recognized the existential threat posed by government agencies seeking to prohibit bolting on public lands. He understood that climbing access could be lost if climbers were not united.
Ultimately, the Access Committee’s position proved too divisive for the AAC. In August 1990, the committee voted to form the Access Fund, a non-profit organization that protects climbing access and conserves climbing areas. Though the organization faced financial difficulties and resistance from parts of the climbing community in its early years, Menocal’s legal acumen and strategic leadership helped solidify its future. Under his guidance, the Access Fund successfully defended climbers’ ability to use fixed anchors and worked to influence federal policies, leading to the widespread acceptance of climbing on public lands. In his later years, Menocal found it rewarding to see new generations of leaders take charge at the Access Fund, ultimately growing the organization in new directions.
Cuban Climbing and Acceso PanAm
Driven to reconnect with his Cuban heritage, Menocal traveled to Cuba in 1998 and discovered the incredible climbing potential of the Viñales Valley. He began developing routes and fostering a climbing community despite resistance from the Cuban government. In 2005, Menocal was banned from entering Cuba, possibly due to his climbing advocacy and the government’s unease with a foreigner promoting an independent sport. After a five-year struggle, he was finally able to bring his wife, Laura, to the US, and they were married in 2010.
Menocal continued to promote Cuban climbing through his website, cubaclimbing.com, and in 2009, he founded Acceso PanAm, an organization dedicated to preserving climbing access in Latin America. Modeled on the Access Fund, Acceso PanAm continues to work towards protecting climbing areas throughout the region.
In recognition of his contributions, the American Alpine Club awarded Menocal an Honorary Membership in 2020 for his instrumental work in launching the Access Fund and his lasting impact on the climbing community. The Access Fund’s highest honor, the Menocal Lifetime Achievement Award, is named in his honor.
Legacy
Armando Menocal’s tireless efforts to defend climbing access have shaped the landscape of climbing in the US and Latin America, enabling countless climbers to enjoy the sport. He is remembered as a passionate advocate, a visionary leader, and a champion for climbers’ freedom. Anyone who knew him can never forget his incisive curiosity, easy laugh and beaming, gap-toothed smile.
To honor his legacy, the Access Fund has established the Armando Menocal Climbing Advocacy Fund, supporting the continued fight to protect climbing access on public lands—work to which Menocal dedicated his life. More information can be found at accessfund.org/armando-fund.
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