WHO ARE WE

Save Chandler Mountain is a 501c3 non-profit organization in Alabama. Our purpose is to preserve and protect Chandler Mountain and the surrounding area, so that future generations can enjoy this community as we do. We believe this place, the people in it, and our way of life is worthy of preservation. Our mission is “Preservation Through Planning”. Here is how we accomplish those goals:

1.) We recruit the help of experts such as archaeologists, historians, botanists, and biologists to research and write reports on our area in their respective fields of study.

2.) We document and tell the stories of this place and its people so that others understand its importance.

3.) We collaborate with other like-minded groups, such as Alabama Rivers Alliance, Coosa Riverkeeper, and Friends of Big Canoe Creek (and others) to create a united front against the powerful forces that seek to take our land, harm our environment, and destroy our communities in the name of “progress”.

4.) We hold events that foster a sense of shared community all around the mountain.

We do these things so that when these forces inevitably come back to try again, we are ready. We are vigilant. We are united. Because together, we will Save Chandler Mountain.

WHAT’S AT RISK? (WHY WE EXIST)

WHAT’S AT RISK? (WHY WE EXIST)

The areas in and around Steele, Chandler Mountain, Rocky Hollow, and Gallant, Alabama are filled with unique beauty and life: from our geologic natural wonders and archaeological sites dating back thousands of years, to an ecological system that is both diverse and critically endangered. 

Pure mountain and valley springs provide water for the area. Vast networks of caverns extend for miles beneath the mountain. Jake and Gulf Creeks flow off the mountain in spectacular fashion, while the slower moving Little Canoe Creek meanders around its Northern base, carving its way through solid rock to create the second longest natural bridge in Alabama. These creeks are home to numerous species of critically endangered mollusks and endangered fish. Their banks are lined with rare and beautiful plants, such as fire pink, trillium, and Alabama leather flower. 

Thousands of acres of virgin forest cover the steep mountainsides. Hawks and eagles soar above the tree lines and the forests are filled with wildlife, including the occasional black bear. Honeybees make their hives in the trunks of ancient cedar trees. 

Walking through these woods, one can feel the special nature of the place. Native Americans felt it, too. This was a sacred mountain for the tribes that called this place home. The evidence for their communities can be found nearly everywhere here in the form of ceremonial stone features, including hand-built rock walls, cairns, and stone structures that point the way towards the solar equinoxes and solstices. There are also more recent historical sites, which include old grist mills, sawmills, wagon roads, cabin ruins, and cemeteries.

Socioeconomically and culturally, the area is home to many farms, including those famous for their delicious Chandler Mountain tomatoes, and there are numerous small businesses that support the local economy. The area’s boulder fields and escarpments at the crown of the mountain are renowned in the climbing community for being among the best in the nation. Horse Pens 40 and Camp Sumatanga attract thousands of visitors each year. Churches abound, crime is low, and the neighbors generally love each other.

AREA OPPORTUNITIES


  • Rock Climbing

  • Camp Sumatanga

  • Farming

  • Horse Pens 40

  • Gallant Road Scenic Drive

  • Scenic Views

AREA OPPORTUNITIES
HOW TO HELP

HOW TO HELP

  • Membership & Benefits

  • Donations

  • Pro-bono Skills

  • Committee Membership