About
Friends who became family, building a legacy that climbs
Liz Rocks is 100% volunteer-run non-profit powered by friendship, family, with a shared love for Liz Daley and the city that raised us. Our board and campaign committee are made up of Liz’s closest friends and loved ones — people who grew up with her here in Tacoma, each bringing their own skills, careers, and perspectives to the table. We’re teachers, principles, marketing consultants, managers, technicians, small business owners, and public servants — all united by one mission: to keep Liz’s adventurous spirit alive and open doors for the next generation.
When Liz passed away in 2014, we made a promise to honor her legacy with something lasting. Twelve years later, that promise stands tall, literally — in the form of the Liz Rocks Climbing Wall memorial and scholarships. It’s a dream built through countless volunteer hours, community support, and sheer determination, so that our kids and Tacoma’s youth can experience the joy, confidence, and belonging that outdoor adventure brings. We may come from different paths, but together we’ve climbed the same mountain. This isn’t just our project — it’s our way of keeping Liz’s light alive, one climb at a time.
Our Journey
2014 – A Dream Born from Loss
When Tacoma mountaineer Liz Daley passed away, her friends refused to let her spirit fade. Together with Greater Metro Parks Foundation, they launched the Liz Rocks Campaign — and the community showed up big, raising $150,000 in just two years to build a climbing wall in her honor.
2018 – The Foundation Takes Shape
What began as a tribute became a movement. The Liz Rocks Foundation was created to carry Liz’s legacy forward by empowering underrepresented youth to climb higher through scholarships, mentorship, and outdoor adventure.
2020 – A New Route Forward
COVID put the original Point Defiance project on hold, but climbers know: when one route closes, you find another. That’s when we discovered the Pearl Street Family YMCA was planning construction for a new facility with plans for a two-story climbing wall that would introduce thousands of kids to the sport Liz loved.
2021 – Today – Building Liz Rocks at the Y
We teamed up with the Pearl Street Family YMCA to bring the Liz Rocks Climbing Wall to life, a wall infused with Liz’s photos, spirit, and energy. Backed by Metro Parks Tacoma, this partnership ensures that every kid, no matter their background, can learn to “climb like Liz”: fearless, joyful, and bold.