Recent Success

The UIAA Access and Conservation Commission assists our member associations to challenge restrictions of access. 

 

In 2006 The Peruvian Mountaineering Federation contacted us after their government had made it compulsory for visitors to the Huascaran National Park of the Cordillera Blanca to employ a guide. Mountaineering associations from other countries agreed that this was unnecessary, and the UIAA sent a delegation to meet representatives from the Peruvian government. We expressed on behalf of the world-wide mountaineering community why we thought the regulations were unnecessary. Our arguments were heard and the rules now say that any mountaineer who is a member of the UIAA is free to climb without a guide. Trekking in the Cordillera Blanca is also no longer classified as a “risk sport”, and hikers can therefore also enter the National Park without a guide.  

 

In 2007, the Slovakian and Czech Mountaineering Federations experienced problems with access to the national parks of the border area of the High Tatra Mountains. The national parks authorities had asked for letters from the UIAA, confirming that the national federations were members, and that the UIAA as an international sports federation strongly supports protection of the environment as well as full freedom of access. This confirmation helped the associations to secure all climbers and hikers continued access to the High Tatra.