Commission Denies Climbing At Rifle Falls

From a press release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife:

Parks and Wildlife Commission voted to deny a petition that would have allowed rock climbing on property at the Rifle Falls Fish Hatchery. Commissioners based the decision on concerns about an active golden eagle nest in the immediate area and concerns regarding diversion of wildlife funds, safety issues, parking problems and potential damage to sensitive hatchery and water equipment in the area. The Rifle Falls Fish Hatchery was built in 1955 and was the largest trout hatchery in the world at that time. The hatchery raised about 3.7 million fish last year and is responsible for about 40 percent of the catchable trout in the state hatchery system.

Sounds like a lot more then just wildlife issues were the concern:

adventure-journal.com/2012/…

Wow! So does this put to rest the argument of weather bolting where/when ever you want, permadraws and tat endanger climbing access?

Maybe the commissioners should tour some hunter's campsites so that they can get a full perspective of how that particular group operates. I would bet that well camoflauged bolt hangers and nothing else would have left less of an impression on the commission, but that wouldn't have changed their minds on the other items on which they already had their minds made up.

The State Parks and Wildlife Commission is heavily influenced by the anti-climbing ethic from CSU. As long as these assholes are around, no new climbing development on state land will happen AT ALL. This outcome was pre-determined. Nothing to do with fixed anchors, either. They just flat out hate what we do, period. I am actually more worried about them scaling back our access incrementally. Thank God for dwindling budgets.