Rock climbers volunteer to remove litter from Mt. Washington's hillside
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Rock climbers rappelled down Mt. Washington's steep slope to help collect litter on Saturday.
Local leaders joined the Explorers Club of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy at Emerald View Park for the annual clean-up event.
Volunteers have been removing litter like old car parts, traffic cones, Spin scooters and even furniture like couches and mattresses from the hillside for more than three decades. The Parks Conservancy has partnered with the club on the volunteer initiative since 2016.
"We're gonna find things like shopping carts. We're gonna find just regular old garbage like cups and water bottles. We're gonna find a bunch of cones, we found a mattress once," said Lindsey Waugaman, the Explorers Club of Pittsburgh's environmental chair.
Leaders said the event helps remove the trash that clutters the scenic view from the top of Mt. Washington.
"The views from Mount Washington are among the most beautiful in America, and it is critical that we remove litter and protect the hillsides from dangerous erosion and landslides," said Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith in a news release.
Kail-Smith said she's proud to support the annual hillside clean-up and applauded those involved "for their efforts to ensure that Mount Washington remains beautiful and scenic for everyone."