Access
Fund E-News #62
December 2005
The
Beta
Climbing Advocacy
Groups Help Stop Sell-Off of Public Lands Climbing Areas
ROCK IS FINITE KEEP ACCESS INFINITE
Devils Tower Climbing Management Plan Update
Adopt-A-Crag Wrap-Ups And Awards
Climbing In Red Rocks: Late Exit System
Climbing in New Jersey State Parks
Yonah Mountain Georgia Reopens to Public Access
CRAG-VT Annual Meeting and Community Slideshow!
Over the
last few weeks we asked you to contact Congress and urge them to remove
damaging mining reform language from H.R. 4241 [http://accessfund.org/display/page/AA/30]
that could have resulted in the widespread loss of public lands climbing
access. Thanks to the help of the
Access Fund, our affiliates, and members of the Outdoor Alliance, US Congressman
Jim Gibbons pulled his mining reform provisions from the Budget Reconciliation
Act (H.R. 4241) on December 13th. The
provisions would have impacted climbing areas on millions of acres of public
lands across the country.
For more
background information, check out http:
Together, we
helped stop what could have been the largest sell-off of public lands since the
Homestead Acts by joining forces. See http://www.accessfund.com/pdf/HR4241RecSignon.pdf for a copy of the Senate letter
which over 20 Access Fund affiliated Local Climbing Organizations signed
demanding that our public lands remain public.
This mining
ÒreformÓ legislation will likely reemerge next year and weÕll be calling on you
again to help preserve climbing resources on your public lands. Thanks to the
many of you that stepped up and made your voices heard—you made a
difference now and can again in the future!
You only
have until the end of December to DOUBLE the power of your membership by
having it matched with a combination of corporate sponsors and current AF
supporters.
On a
national level the Access Fund affects policy that touches climbers across the
country. On a local level, we support climbers with grants for projects and
provide resources for local climbing organizations in their work to keep your
local crag open. But what we can do is only as strong as our members.
SUPPORT
IS HOW SUCCESS IS ACCOMPLISHED
We depend on
you to help build our resources. The number one reason people arenÕt members is
that Òthey havenÕt gotten around to itÓ. Please get around to it now so that we
can all keep climbing.
WE
CHALLENGE YOU TO BECOME A MEMBER
Become a
member of the Access Fund today. ItÕs quick and painless and the future of
climbing depends on you. If you are already a member, consider stepping up your
support with an additional donation and talk to others about becoming a member.
You can
Pledge your support at any level with a one time annual contribution or become
a monthly donor for as little as $5/month.
ItÕs easy to
give:
Piggy
Bank Pledge — $7/month
Save or find
one quarter a day. 25 cents x 7 x 4 x 12 = $91
Latte
Promise — $10/month
Skip your
morning latte once per week. $2.50 x 4 x 12 = $120
Brown Bag
Commitment — $20/month
Take your
lunch to work once per week. $5 x 4 x 12 = $240
One Tank
Difference — $40/month
Donate the
equivalent of one tank of gas per month. $40 x 12 = $480
EVERYTHING
HELPSÉ
Since 1990,
the Access Fund has been the only national advocacy organization that keeps
climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. The Access Fund
supports and represents over 1.6 million climbers nationwide in ALL forms of
climbing; Rock Climbing, Ice Climbing, Mountaineering, and Bouldering.
In the works for the
past few years, the Devils Tower National Monument climbing management plan
(CMP) will soon be reissued. The CMP will continue the policies of the
ground-breaking 1995 CMP (http://www.nps.gov/deto/deto_climbing/detosumm.html). The CMP update, which did not go out for public
comment because its changes are minor and categorically excluded from the NEPA
process, will require some slight changes to the climber registration process
(new location and a redesigned permit), and implement some new controls on
trail erosion and impacts to vegetation. The new climber orientation video will
be voluntary and not mandatory as originally planned. The voluntary closure for
the month of June will remain intact as will the ban on new fixed anchor
placements. In addition, the proposal to add a "Bear Lodge National Historic
Landmark" designation to Devils Tower National Monument has been scrapped
for the foreseeable future. For more information on the CMP update look for an
upcoming NPS press release or contact Devils Tower Chief Ranger Scott Brown at Scott_Brown@nps.gov.
The Access Fund
recognizes everyone who contributed to the success of the 6th Annual
Adopt-a-Crag as climbers across the country gathered at their favorite crags
and boulders for trail construction, litter clean-ups, and visual impact
mitigation. To view wrap-ups of some of the individual Adopt-a-Crags,
visit: http://www.accessfund.org/cons/wraps.php. Adopt-a-Crag 2005 was once again a banner year,
we logged over an estimated 20,000 volunteer hours from over 3,800 individuals
at 111 scheduled events in 35 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico. For
Adopt-a-Crag 2005, the climbing community contributed over $300,000.00* of
volunteer time to conserve our valuable climbing areas.
Adopt-a-Crag
is a national commitment by the climbing community to natural resource
stewardship and volunteerism, and would not be possible without the generous
support of its sponsors. Title Sponsor Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI),
Presenting Sponsor GORE-TEX¨ Products, and Contributing Sponsor CLIF Bar
provided key financial backing, allowing the Access Fund to provide each
Adopt-a-Crag event with volunteer gifts and clean-up materials, and to present
three awards for exemplary events.
The Access Fund
and REI are proud to present the
Adopt-a-Crag of the Year Award to Greg Sievers, the
American Alpine Club (AAC)- Central Rockies Section, and all the Lumpy Trail
Day volunteers. This
is the 5th consecutive year the AAC hosted the Lumpy Trail Days at
Lumpy Ridge, in Rocky Mountain National Park. On October 15th, 63 volunteers including Park
Service employees collaborated in the spirit of activism and stewardship to
improve the popular climbersÕ access trail to the Twin Owls. The result of the day-long project was
a complete Òface liftÓ of over 500 vertical feet of extremely rugged
mountainous trail. Over 133 wood and rock steps and seven drains
were installed to help check storm runoff and control erosion. Sievers sums up the spirit of the
event:
ÒWhen
we met for our lunch break, I wondered if our volunteers knew that the person
they were working next to might have been an Everest Summiteer, 5.13 climber,
former VP of the American Alpine Club, or Park Ranger. But for 8 hours, we are
all trail crew volunteers giving back to our favorite crag, Lumpy Ridge.
Projects like these afford us the interaction of all ages of climbers and help
the local communities to get involved, realize our 'user group' exists, and that
we are willing to maintain a positive image and relationship with our land use
managers.
ÒAnother
huge part of this particular project is the growth in the affiliation of the
Access Fund and the American Alpine Club. The most important values of
these 2 organizations are: we really need to maintain access to our climbing
areas, as well as maintain a historic record of our predecessors, current
events and still setting precedent for the future.Ó
We,
at the Access Fund, couldnÕt agree more!
The
Access Fund and GORE-TEX¨ Products present the Adopt-a-Crag Stewardship Award to the Western
Massachusetts ClimbersÕ Coalition (WMCC) for their efforts in two successful Adopt-a-Crag
initiatives this fall. Kicking off
the fall work schedule was some impressive effort by 20 volunteers at Chapel Ledge on September 24th. The WMCC coordinated with the property
owners, the Trustees of Reservations, and offered materials and the work
force to move rocks and logs, haul gravel, and accomplish 4 trail improvement
projects at this heavily used area.
The WMCC then turned around the next weekend and joined with the Friends
of East Mountain to construct and install a new kiosk near the trailhead, pull
several bags of litter from the forested hillside and complete some additional
trail improvement projects.
According to Jedd Hall of the Friends of East Mountain, Òmany landowners
who abut the property volunteered in the clean-up and trail work. This is an
excellent avenue for establishing a good dialogue with the town and neighbors!Ó
The Access Fund
and CLIF Bar present the Adopt-a-Crag
Conservation Award to Lincoln
Else, Ken Yager, Yosemite Climbing Association, Yosemite National Park, and the
over 600 Yosemite Facelift volunteers
for displaying tremendous levels of activism and stewardship. The second annual
ÒYosemite FaceliftÓ event, on September 22-25th saw participants of
all ages and of varied backgrounds. ÒWe cleaned roadways, campgrounds, lodging
areas, parking lots, former construction areas, and river corridors. By the end
of the fourth day we had gathered 7,655 lbs. of garbage!Ó stated Facelift
organizer Yager, ÒWe look forward to the Yosemite Facelift growing every year.Ó
*The Independent Sector www.independetsector.org in 2004 cites $17.55
per hour as the monetary value of volunteer time
Larry DeAngelo, Las
Vegas Climbers Liaison Council (lvclc.org)
On these short winter
days it is very easy to be late returning to your car, and the tickets are
EXPENSIVE. The BLM has a "Late Exit" system in place to allow
climbers extra time before they must exit the scenic loop road.
Note that passes can be issued only
for the Angel Food Wall, Ice Box Canyon, Pine Creek, Juniper Canyon, and Oak
Creek. Furthermore, passes are issued only for multi-pitch routes, not single
pitch or sport climbs. Climbers doing the biggest walls on Rainbow, Wilson, and
Bridge Mountain can even get an overnight pass (details on the recorded
information at 702-515-5050).
Here's what to do:
Call the LATE EXIT RECORDING at
702-515-5050.
You can call up to seven days prior
to your climb. If you can get a cell phone signal (but don't count on this),
you can call as late as 4:20 p.m. on the day of your climb. Be prepared to
recite the following information to the answering machine:
1. Your name and address
2. Vehicle license number and
description
3. Type of pass (late exit or
overnight)
4. Intended date of climb
5. Route name
6. Parking area
7. Your phone number
All climbers should take advantage
of this excellent resource. Any number of unexpected things can cause you to
run late on a climb. Don't let your trip get ruined with an expensive, but
avoidable, parking ticket.
John Anderson
In March 2004, the NJ Division of Parks &
Forestry adopted a policy that allows rock climbing without the permittee
having to obtain liability insurance, but subject to the climber's signing of a
waiver of liability. This change, in effect allows climbing where it previously
has been prohibited. Please be aware that all climbers in New Jersey State
Parks must sign a seasonal waiver, available at any NJ State Park Office. This
is the only requirement for climbing in NJ State Parks and rumors of a $50.00 a
year access fee to NJ State Parks are false.
Michael Crowder,
Southeastern Climbers Coalition
After approximately
eight years in limbo, public access to Yonah Mountain has been restored. Yonah
Mountain is located in White County off of Hwy 75 between Cleveland and Helen.
It has long been a major tourist attraction for the area, drawing scores of
rock climbers, hikers, campers and other user groups. The Southeastern Climbers
Coalition, the Access Fund and the Land for Public Trust launched an initiative
to purchase land for legal access. A tract of land was bought off of Chambers
Road, which connected the land locked Forest Service tract with a public road.
This land, funded by
private donations, was then deeded to the Forest Service with the promise of a
road being built forthright. The approved plan called for a 1.2 mile road that
would have placed the parking area about half the way up the mountain. This
plan was modified slightly one more time and released for public comment and
approved.
Unfortunately, what has
been built does not represent any of the plans which were released to the
public and organizations that helped pay for the property to build it on. We
now have a gravel road that is approximately 500 yards long which is much
shorter than the publicly proposed and approved plans. The Forest Service said
that budget concerns and visual impact were the main influences in the change
of plans. They do have the budget to still keep the private road maintained
though.
From the new parking lot
a fairly well constructed trail winds up the mountain to the top. This new
trail is moderately strenuous and the hiking time to the top of the mountain is
about an hour for fit individuals. This trail features a bridge over the only
drainage it crosses and nice views of the area.
The grade of the trail
has been well planned and it is only steep in a couple of places. Because of
the winding nature of this trail many people will be tempted to short cut it in
places. Please try to avoid shortcutting the trail as it will lead to
detrimental impact on the ecology and cause additional erosion problems.
While the new road and trail is not
optimally done to make access as quick and easy as originally planned it is
still very exciting for users of Yonah Mountain. Over the past few weeks I have
seen many people using this access for adventures on the mountain. The majority
are rock climbers. A good number of rapellers, hikers and campers are using
this access also.
The only camping is
primitive and no regulations have been posted as of this time. If some are not
implemented the same problems that forced the landowners to close the
traditional access will begin to reoccur. No water is available but modernized
ÒouthousesÓ do at least provide restroom facilities.
The number one user
group on Yonah Mountain is rock climbers. Climbers come from all over the
Southeast and sometimes even further to enjoy its beautiful granite climbing.
The main wall provides close to a hundred climbs that vary from very easy to
extremely difficult.
Often times the Army has
large groups of Ranger trainees from Camp Frank D. Merrill on the mountain so
be flexible with your climbing plans if they are on the mountain. At present
they are only using a small fraction of the overall climbing resource so there
is still plenty of climbing to be done when they are training.
I have been climbing on Yonah for
over 25 years and still find new climbs to challenge me on a regular basis. In
the winter Yonah even offers several ice climbs for those who are inclined to
climb it. The North Face offers very consistent ice and there is even one ice
climb that forms occasionally on the predominate Southwest Face.
Many of the permanent
climbing anchors on Yonah are very old or not optimally placed so be sure and
use good judgment when using fixed anchors. Some of the Petzl ÒlifetimeÓ bolts
that have been placed by the army are 12mm bolts placed in ½Ó holes.
Make sure and aggressively test these type bolts before trusting them. I have
pulled all that I have found improperly placed but may have missed a few.
The only trail map that
exists at present is crude but useable. It can be found at
www.coolclimbing.com. Follow the rock climbing link then look under the topos
tab. Rock climbing route information can also be found on this site. Chris
WatfordÕs climbing guides contain an overview of the available climbing on
Yonah but are by no means complete. The available topos at http://www.coolclimbing.com augment this
information well.
To reach the new access
take Hwy 75 north from Cleveland, GA towards Helen. Turn right on Tom Bell Rd
at the West Family Restaurant. Then take an immediate left on Chambers Rd.
looking for the second gravel road on your left. The new trail will be obvious
from the parking lot.
Michael Lanza, President,
Boise Climbers Alliance
ÒI'm surprised and honored to receive an Access
Fund Sharp End Award, and I think the Access Fund's efforts to give local
climbing activists recognition is terrific. I accept the award on behalf of the
core activists involved in the Boise Climbers Alliance since its inception in
1999, all of whom have played vital roles in the BCA's accomplishments and in
simply keeping this small organization together. They include the other four
current board members, Sandy Epeldi, Brian Fedigan, John Lavey, and Tracy
Wilson, and our outreach coordinator, Jesse Edmundson; and BCA founders and
past board members Doug Colwell, Amy Kleiner, Bob Moseley, Rob Sterling, and
Derek Stone.
And I think it's
important to note that the BCA would not have accomplished any of our major
projects without the continued, critical financial and other support of the
Access Fund. Thanks for your good work and help over the years.Ó
Nicole
Ballinger, CRAG-VT
CRAG-VT
(Climbing Resource Access Group-Vermont) is hosting its annual meeting on
January 12th 2006 at the Bolton Valley Nordic Center. Come hear about the
latest projects, news, and accomplishments and voice your concerns about the
future of climbing in Vermont. ALL climbers are welcome and you don't need
to be a CRAG-VT member to come. Cash bar and snacks will be available. We
are also hosting our first Community Slidehow at the
meeting. Show off your best shots of the awesome bouldering, rock and ice
climbing in New England and New York! Prizes for best photo in
rock/ice/boulder categories! Meeting details and submission guidelines
for the slideshow are available at www.cragvt.org or email info@cragvt.org.
Special thanks to Sarah
Conroy, a Portland Chiropractor who donated a days worth of work to the Access
Fund. Need an adjustment?
Sarah Conroy
West Hills Chiropractic
1070 N.W. Murray Blvd. Suite A
Portland, OR 97229
(503) 644-5100
We get a lot of
questions and comments regarding the work the Access Fund does across the
country. The question that comes up time and again is what has the Access Fund
done for my local crag. This question is sometimes more complex than it seems,
but track with us here:
The Access Fund
advocates on a national level for all climbers. Whether itÕs a climbing
management plan BLM or USFS or lobbying congress to block a rider on a bill
that would allow the sale of public lands holding your climbing resources, the
Access Fund works on a broad national level. ThereÕs another side as well. The
Access Fund has a nation-wide grassroots support program. 55 local climbing
organizations have teamed up with the AF to create a strong unified voice for
American climbing. This direct action support provides grants (over $100,000
awarded in 2005) for projects from trail maintenance, to start up costs for a
local climbing group, or to purchase a crag outright. Additionally, local
climbers can call on the resources and expertise of the AFÕs huge volunteer
network for help on nearly any access issue under the sun. The Access Fund is not a staff of 9 ½ people in
Boulder, CO. The Access Fund is you. Local climbers joining together to form a
common voice that keeps climbing areas open and conserves the climbing
environment. Questions? Let us know: media@accessfund.org
To
streamline the events process, the AF has created a new page on the website
under the EVENTS tab where interested people or groups can complete a webform
for their event. If your event qualifies, membership materials and goodies may
be sent. All events the AF is involved with will be included on the event
schedule. The deadline for event registration is one month prior to event. To
register an event, visit:http://www.accessfund.org/events/index.php
01/11—01/15
Ouray, CO. Ouray Ice Festival, www.ourayicefestival.com/
01/13—01/15
Keene Valley, NY. Adirondack International Mountainfest, 518-576-2281, www.mountaineer.com/mountainfest/mountainfest10.htm
01/26—01/26
Lucky Labrador Public House- Multnomah Village, Portland, OR. Wayne Wallace's
Northern Picketts Traverse Slideshow- 7PM
02/02—02/05
Munising, MI. Michigan Ice Fest '06, www.downwindsports.com
02/10—02/11
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX. Vertical Plains Adventure Festival, www.recsports.ttu.edu/outdoor/vertplains.php
02/11—02/11
Upper Limits Rock Climbing Gym, St. Louis, MO. Gateway Bouldering Bash and
Access Fund Membership Drive, www.upperlimits.com
02/17—02/19
The Ohio State University Outdoor Adventure Center, Columbus, OH. 2nd Annual
Outdoor Adventure Center Intercollegiate Climbing Competition, ohiostaterecsports.org
03/04—03/04
TAMU Climbing Wall, College Station, TX. Pumpfest, recsports.tamu.edu
03/24—03/26
Las Vegas, NV.
The Third Annual ÒMountain Gear Presents:Red
Rock RendezvousÓ
The Red Rocks Rendezvous climbing festival will
return to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area near Las Vegas to
benefit the Access Fund.
For the first time in the eventÕs history, this
yearÕs festival will offer a Friday ÒIntro to ClimbingÓ clinic day for less
experienced climbers and climbers who have never experienced the difficulty
levels of the Red Rock Canyon. The goal of the ÒIntroÓ day is to introduce 50-100 people to the great sport of rock climbing. There will also be an optional gear package that will include a harness, helmet, shoes, belay device, carabiner, chalk bag and a membership to the Access Fund.
ParticipantÕs can get this great gear package,
plus the Friday ÒIntroÓ day and the rest of the weekend for only $299.00. http://www.mgear.com/RR06/
04/15—04/17
Boulder Theater and Central Park, Boulder, CO. Boulder Adventure Film Festival,
www.boulderadventurefilm.com
Are you a
federal employee? Did you know you can donate to The Access Fund through the
federal governmentÕs Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)?
Federal employees,
including federal civilians, military personnel, and U.S. Postal Service
workers, can now donate to AF through the federal government's Combined Federal
Campaign (CFC). The CFC is a charitable fundraising program where you give to
the Access Fund through automatic payroll deductions.
If you are a federal
employee, please look for the Access Fund (agency # 2361) in the official CFC
listing of eligible donors. You can also make your contribution on-line by
going to: www.conservenow.org, click on Search for a Charity, type in the
Access Fund and make your contribution there.
If you have additional
questions on these programs please contact Whitney Self at whitney@accessfund.org.
Last minute shopper?
Hook up your climbing partner, niece, nephew, son, daughter, or neighbor kid
this holiday season with an Access Fund Gift Pack!
STANDARD AF GIFT PACK = $40.00 ($64.85 retail value)
1 Liter Nalgene Bottle filled with:
One-year AF Membership, Omega Pacific Classic Locking ÔBiner. MSR Titanium
Spoon & Fork set, Sticker pack & Mini Clif Bars
DELUXE AF GIFT PACK = $60.00 ($84.85 retail value) AF T Shirt +
Standard Gift Pack
To order: https://www.accessfund.org/secure/giving.php
or call Kerry toll-free at 888-8-MEMBER (888-863-6237) x106.
*Order by December 19th
at 11 am Mtn Time to assure delivery by the 24th.
Go Gunther!
Cruise to the AF website
and play ASANA PackWorksÕ video game GuntherÕs Big Day http://www.accessfund.com/extras/game.php.
Click through to ASANAÕs site to purchase the full version for a last minute
stocking stuffer. $10 from each purchase made through this link will be donated
to the AF. Go Gunther! Thanks ASANA!