(This post is submitted by Lizzy Scully, one of the organizers of the HomoClimbtastic 2012 Climber Charity Auction, being held during the HomoClimbtastic convention on July 28, 7:00pm, Cantrell’s Pub, Fayetteville, West Virginia.)

The American Alpine Club recently announced that it’s giving a few lucky HomoClimbtastic bidders first dibs at naming rights for campsites at the beautiful, new climbers’ campground at the New River Gorge.

“We are offering a few initial bidders the chance to pick the campsite of their choice and to have that campsite named after them or, even better, to get to make up an appropriate name for that site,” says architect, climber, and American Alpine Club board member Jim “Jamie” Logan, one of the presenters at the event. “This opportunity comes once in a lifetime.”

The settings for these campsites are just gorgeous. They’re set along the access road, across from the Community Building, and nestled into a wooded hillside against a backdrop of rhododendrons. Wouldn’t you just love to have your name in perpetuity on a plaque at the East Coast’s finest AAC campground? Yes, me me! Oooo fun!

In addition to naming rights, you’ll get the chance to bid on a bunch of sweet, donated swag from a host of great outdoor companies. Take a minute to check out our list of awesome donors below.

Hood River Coffee provides freshly roasted coffee and Mighty Leaf teas to retail and wholesale businesses, including local shops in Hood River, OR. Check out Hood River’s beans at www.hoodrivercoffeeco.com. (Mark Hudon—legendary Yosemite free climber—promises to put shirtless photos of himself climbing on the label. Woohoo!)

Evolv designs and sells U.S. made, top-of-the-line rock climbing shoes, helping climbers reach new heights since 2003. Try out Evolv gear at www.evolvsports.com

Trango has sold first-class climbing gear since 1991, including brands like Splitter Cams, Alpine Equalizer, Squid, BallNutz, RackTags, and BigBro. Visit Trango online at http://www.trango.com/

Stonewear Designs develops stylish and functional women’s active wear. The Colorado-based company’s clothes are designed to fit every body, and are all Made in the U.S.A. Visit www.stoneweardesigns.com for the latest styles.

Keith Ladzinski has been a sports and environmental portrait photographer since 1995. His work has appeared in The New York Times, National Geographic Adventure, Discover Magazine, Men’s Journal, Outside Magazine, Runner’s World, and ESPN. Check out his stuff at www.ladzinski.com

Outdoor Research creates a variety of functional equipment and clothes for today’s outdoor enthusiasts. Their gear can be found at their store in Seattle, WA and online at www.outdoorresearch.com. OR also sponsors Madaleine Sorkin, so if you want to be as rad a climber (or as hot as she is), you’ll want to bid on this stuff.

Water Stone Outdoors outfits Fayetteville, WV rock climbers and adventurers with the best gear for their outdoor pursuits. Learn more about the shop and the New River Gorge area on their website www.waterstoneoutdoors.com/. We LOVE Maura and Gene. They are so supportive of HomoClimbtastic.

MountainGear.com (and their store) distributes quality active wear, gear, and footwear, while also sharing their outdoor expertise through events and classes throughout the United States. Learn more about the company and browse their products online at www.mountaingear.com. Thanks to owner Paul Fish (and his family) for being long-time supporters of the LGBTQ community.

More donors to be announced soon…