You potentially will never be able to climb in some wonderful areas if you do not speak up NOW - it is time for climbers to be heard and you only have until Jan 16, 2024

Is anyone else getting some serious Boy Who Cried Wolf energy from the access fund? I would care, but I’m all cared out. We do make permanent installations in the wilderness, pitons are intentional destruction of natural resources, and tat is litter. 

I’ll be out behind the chemical shed if anyone feels the need. Hole’s already dug.

John Clark wrote:

Is anyone else getting some serious Boy Who Cried Wolf energy from the access fund? I would care, but I’m all cared out.

I’ll be out behind the chemical shed if anyone feels the need. Hole’s already dug.

I thought so too at first, but after doing a ton of reading and listening I think this really is a big one. 

My comments are submitted to both the FS and the NPS. Please do this in the next day or two. 

tenesmus wrote:

My comments are submitted to both the FS and the NPS. Please do this in the next day or two. 

Response deadline extended to 30 January for these.

Sent my letter!

Today is the last day. Please do this!

abandon moderation wrote:

From a quick glance at https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a415bca07f0a4bee9f0e894b0db5c3b6 of the places I climb, the biggest offendor is probably pine creek canyon. I don't know the exact borders, but it would appear that a significant portion of it is in John Muir wilderness. Probably most of the very popular sport crags are just on the border though.

I'm sure there others, considering that almost the entire sierra range is wilderness, but it stands out to me because ethics are pretty lacking in Pine Creek (eg, bolted cracks are not uncommon). I don't think the developers are out there hand drilling.

EDIT: Looks like there's also some sport crags and/or climbs around Tahoe in Desolation Wilderness and Granite Chief. Not to mention Yosemite NP...

I am a Bishop area climber and most of the popular climbing areas in Pine Creek are out of the wilderness boundary.  This includes nearly all of Scheelite Canyon and the climbing areas up canyon from there.  The most popular crag inside the wilderness boundary, perhaps, is the PSOM slabs.  There are a few bolted cracks in Scheelite, outside the wilderness.  Notably, there are also many, many minimally bolted, trad routes following crack systems inside and outside the wilderness boundary.  The proposed directives have nothing to do with climbing ethics, and are an extreme interpretation of the Wilderness Act presented by a small, vocal minority.

Please submit a public comment here https://www.accessfund.org/action-alerts/stop-the-bolt-prohibition or use the Bishop Climber's Coalition recommended talking points here https://bishopclimbers.org/usfs-public-comment.

abandon moderation wrote:

Clearly bolts are what lead to bolt prohibitions. If that's an issue of ethics, climbing popularity, or whatever, the ship has already sailed.

Just to be clear this isn't just a bolt prohibition. This is a blanket ban of any form of installation of climbing equipment. This includes rappelling off a slung boulder, leaving nuts to bail during a rainstorm, or any other type of climbing equipment left in the wilderness. Basically, this isn't a ban on climbing, but it is a ban on safe climbing. If you aren't permitted to leave equipment to rappel in case of an emergency or extenuating circumstances, I don't know what else to call this directive.

Here'a a bit from the Forest Service plan:

"(proposed FSM 2355.32, para. 1); that a Forest Supervisor may authorize the placement or replacement of fixed anchors and fixed equipment in wilderness based on a case-specific determination that they are the minimum necessary for administration of the area for Wilderness Act purposes"

FrankPS wrote:

Repetition is the key to success?

In this case, yes.

Submitted comments, and emailed my congresswoman and senators as well. Commenting here to bump. Last day for comments is tomorrow!