Protect our wilderness areas from bolting

[Pivo]

Argument against Protect America’s Rock Climbing Act.

https://www.vaildaily.com/opinion/brown ... m-bolting/

[RedRoxx44]

A more important law would be protect wilderness from idiots. But so far no law can cover that it seems.

[hikeaz]

@RedRoxx44
With the advent of SPOT/Cell svc. & Heli's, even Darwin's Law seems to have been rescinded.

[toddak]

I won't pretend I've read the actual bill but there's almost always two (or more) sides to every issue, so the link provides another perspective. Everything we humans do in the wilderness exacts a toll on the land, and I tend to view putting up new rock climbing routes as similar to constructing new hiking trails. Bolting has been allowed for decades in wilderness areas and while there will always be knuckleheads, rock climbers have a pretty good history and ethic of working with land managers, self-policing and trying to minimize damage to the rock (for example, moving from pitons to nuts and cams). It is also typically a requirement that holes for bolts be hand-drilled, no power tools allowed, which is VERY effective at limiting their numbers. And since they are mainly placed on otherwise inaccessible walls in hard-to-get-to places, rock climbing bolts are pretty much invisible to the average hiker or tourist.

https://www.accessfund.org/latest-news/ ... o-congress

[sidhayes]

@toddak
No bolts, no cams, no nothing

[chumley]

@sidhayes human visitors should also be nude. no shoes. no food or water bottles. pure wilderness. no exceptions.

[pseudalpine]

@sidhayes @chumley
No nothing literally means something!
Compromise is to keep it as hand-drilled only.

[sidhayes]

@chumley Absurdity is not funny. There should be zero protection used. No rurps, no ropes. If one can not handle that, get better or stop climbing.

[pseudalpine]

Just a heads up...
The comment periods have been extended until Jan.30th
Below is a link to the climber's perspective.
https://www.accessfund.org/latest-news/ ... rohibition

I'm actually inclined to support the new NPS and USFS policies, which may be surprising since I'm a climber also, but still neutral.

[Pivo]

At midnight Mountain Time on January 30, the public comment period closed for two proposals from the National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) that would ban fixed anchors (bolts, pitons, snow pickets, slings) in America’s Designated Wilderness areas.

https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-a ... %2Foutdoor

[toddak]

Prediction: the ban will be enacted, it will be litigated for years (maybe decades), ultimately it won't matter much because enforcement will be nearly impossible.

[Pivo]

Mountain West senators urge feds to protect wilderness rock climbing.

https://www.ksut.org/2024-09-17/mountai ... k-climbing

[chumley]

if fixed anchors go, so could other types of recreation, like backcountry skiing.

That's a jump I'm having a hard time making.

[nonot]

if fixed anchors go, so could other types of recreation, like backcountry skiing.

That's a jump I'm having a hard time making.

I had the same initial thought.

My guess is that they are referring to potential expansion of regulations prohibiting travel on tundra. In winter, backcountry skiing is typically allowed because the tundra is protected under many feet of snow, but it is somewhat understood that a tiny patch of tundra here or there could be damaged by a skier due to a localized area scoured of snow by the wind. Thus, if you overprotect the tundra from minor marring from skiers, like you overprotect the rock faces from minor marring by bolting, the logical conclusion is you end up with a ban backcountry skiing. Maybe... ...Bueller?

[Pivo]

The National Park Service is killing a controversial plan that would have allowed local land managers to ban climbing anchors in wilderness areas.

https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/ ... ess-areas/

[toddak]

Prediction: the ban will be enacted, it will be litigated for years (maybe decades), ultimately it won't matter much because enforcement will be nearly impossible.

Happy to be proven wrong. Climb on!

[adysoft]

I haven't read that specific article, but generally speaking, the arguments against bills like that often center around access and tradition. Some climbers feel it restricts their ability to explore and develop new areas, and that responsible climbers already self-regulate. Plus, there's the whole debate about who gets to decide what's "protected" and how.

[Pivo]

The Vernal Field Office-Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is asking the public's assistance in identifying anyone involved in the installation of climbing bolts on the Pregnant Sheep Petroglyph Panel located between Bourdette Draw and Highway 40 near the Musket Shot Springs Overlook. On November 10th, 2024, it was discovered that climbing bolts had been installed on the petroglyph panel. BLM law enforcement is asking the public to report any information they may have identifying the person(s) responsible for this incident. Information can be relayed to BLM law enforcement at (800) 722-3998 or (801) 539-4099.