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Glass Bottles and Alcohol in Scottsdale Preserve

Original Post
ErikF · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 71

Hi folks,

I have been asked by City of Scottsdale staff to remind all hikers and climbers that glass bottles and the drinking of alcohol are prohibited in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. This is the law and our continued enjoyment of rock climbing could depend on adherence to the land owner's policies and procedures. A link to the City Code is included below. Please know that the prohibition of glass bottles and alcohol includes post-climb celebrations in the parking lot at the trail head. And lest you think that the complaints have arisen from up-tight "Scottsdale" types, at least one report and photo of 3 climbers opening champagne on the top of Tom's Thumb was submitted by a fellow climber and member of a local fire department.

Please use your good judgment and follow the rules and let's keep climbing.

Erik

municode.com/library/az/sco…

Manny Rangel · · PAYSON · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 4,788

Sad to see fire tossed into a dry desert. Nice work L.

dahigdon · · phoenix, Az · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 220

Champagne on atop the thumb??? Seems a bit over the top.. If you MUST enjoy a drink, at least try to be subtle about it. I'd hate to see the scottsdale pencil pushers forced to run climbers out of there because we can't keep our booze concealed.

And to the firefighter/climber who took photos and submitted them to the authorities.... Perhaps speaking to the offenders and explaining how they are jeopardizing a killer climbing area would have been more constructive that sending ammo in the form of a photo to the city of Scottsdale. What good does that do the climbing community???

Greg Opland · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2001 · Points: 181

Aside from the whole "tattling" thing...

In the interests of equal treatment of preserve users, can you point me to the hikers forum where someone from the city told all the hikers they could get kicked out of the preserve if they keep throwing dead water bottles and other trash off the side of the trails? It's a lot worse problem out there for damn sure, and I'm pretty sure that's against the "land owner's policies and procedures" as well. And I'm getting sick and tired of picking up after them.

Or the mountain biking forum where they were threatened with expulsion for night riding when the preserve is closed. I know that's happened, and I know someone got caught doing it by the police, so that should be an easy one.

Rules should be followed, but seems like it would be a better (more fair anyway) approach to simply point out an infraction has occurred and has been "noticed" by the land managers, and to remind people of the proper behavior rather than threatening the rule-abiding 99% (which you did twice above) with losing access to the crags every time an individual veers off the tracks.

flynn · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2002 · Points: 25

Note from Captain Obvious: Behave yourself out there, wherever out there may be, whether you climb, mountain bike, hike or do yoga. You know what the yesses and nos are. If you don't, find out. It's your job.

If you're going to misbehave, for everybody's sake (including yours), and the land's, be subtle and clean up after yourself.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Arizona & New Mexico
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