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artm
Oct 6, 2003, 5:54 PM
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To all J-Tree climbers
I was in Nomads this weekend and found a notice from Kevin Daniels on the counter. I feel this notice should be shared with everyone who climbs in the park. If they can restrict Hueco Tanks they can restrict Josh. This could even be the first step to more closely regulate ALL climbing in the Park. Here is a copy of the notice
NOTICE
Bouldering is under close observation by the Park Service. Please take an active role by staying on trails. DO NOT damage vegetation. Be conscious when placing bouldering pads! Be respectful and help keep Joshua Tree open to Bouldering.
K Daniels and Associates
kdanielassociates@mindspring.com
www.fixehardware.com
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gretchino
Oct 6, 2003, 6:25 PM
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I think if you do what the paper says, "Be conscious when placing bouldering pads! Be respectful and help keep Joshua Tree open to Bouldering" I don't think this will be an issue.
Just use your head...don't go galavanting and stomping on everything and there will not be a problem! Have fun, be conscious of what you're doing, and again have FUN! :D
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mreardon
Oct 6, 2003, 6:30 PM
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To really hammer this point home, people on this site and others constantly bag on how it's not the climbers that cause access issues, but land managers, hikers, and tourists that cause issues. At Joshua Tree, those folks do cause problems, I personally got to see how a few boulderers can affect an entire area.
I went bouldering at Cap Rock on Saturday, and in the "All Washed Up" corridor, just a 100 feet off a very established trail, there are a handful of classic problems hidden away from the masses. Imagine my anger and dismay at the bouldering community when I saw about 20 pieces of tape laying scattered on the ground, a recently put out illegal fire ring, and someone had taken a chalk ball and basically splattered the entire 40 foot wide wall as if it was a paintball circuit.
One photo of an incident like that to the land managers, and access will immediately become an issue for all climbers in the entire park. Personally speaking, I see one moron pull a stunt like this, and a hospital visit is certain. And I'm one of the nice guys in the Joshua Tree climbing community. Keep it clean, and have fun, but show a little respect or it will affect all of us.
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stone_monkey
Oct 6, 2003, 7:54 PM
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*bump*
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curt
Oct 6, 2003, 8:35 PM
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If you see anyone out at JT, or elsewhere for that matter, doing something environmentally retarded--you need to tell them so. I remember John Stannard predicting over 20 years ago that climbers would certainly be "policed" by landowners, if we fail to police ourselves. Whether it is illegally placed bolts, excessive chalk, trampled vegetation, etc. we need to recognize that any or all of these things can lead directly to a revocation of our access.
Curt
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fredbob
Oct 6, 2003, 9:43 PM
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To clarify what Kevin's notice is about:
This is about only about BOULDERING and the fact that the Park is now looking carefully at bouldering impacts. Climbing and climbing impacts have been addressed through the General Management Plan and have been the subject of ongoing studies. This is NOT about bolts or roped climbing.
Bouldering has rapidly increased in popularity in the last few years, so have the impacts. And nearly every boulderer uses a bouldering pad, being now considered "essential" equipment. The larger number of boulderers and particularly the indiscriminate use of pads (over plants) is causing increased impacts.
It might also be that boulderers may, more often than other climbers, come straight from a gym environment and may have less sensitivity to environmental impacts. Tape, exessive chalk, etc (things noticed by Michael Reardon) might reflect this.
These "problems" might be largely solved through education. However, it is very likely that the flora/fauna near popular boulder problems/areas is far more likely to be heavily impacted than at the base of a popular climbing route. Bouldering is often a social activity with it not being uncommon for many people working a problem, spotting, offering advice/encouragement, etc.
Kevin, as the publisher of Robert Miramontes' new Josh Bouldering Guide (which is excellent BTW) and a long time Josh climber, recognizes that boulderers need to be educated and pro-active to reduce impacts and avoid restrictions.
The fact that the Park is looking at bouldering and studying it can be viewed as either positive (at least they are studying it and asking for imput and self regulation from boulderers, not just restricting it) or negative (boulderers better get their act together or face some real restrictions). In reality it is both, and Kevin (and Robert) should be supported for trying to mitigate the impacts and educate.
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artm
Oct 6, 2003, 9:57 PM
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Randy (fredbob) thanks for clarifying and shedding a bit more light on the situation.
However I still feel that this effects or will effect all of us as climbers. Many of us carry our gear in backpacks and simply throw them on the ground near the base of whatever route we choose to climb. We scatter tape and chalk willy-nilly all around the park, braid paths thru sensitive vegetation when there is a clear trail only yards away etc etc.
If the park service is taking a closer look at bouldering it may be just a matter of time before they start looking at all climbing in the park again.
I grabbed a handful of these notices from Nomads and passed them out to all my friends......I suggest anybody else passing thru on the way to the park do the same.
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murf
Oct 6, 2003, 10:04 PM
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In reply to: I grabbed a handful of these notices from Nomads and passed them out to all my friends......I suggest anybody else passing thru on the way to the park do the same.
Murf
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itakealot
Nov 4, 2003, 3:26 AM
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Registered: Jul 8, 2003
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Barker Dam area there was a menacing dead tree at the start of a problem that is no longer there, like someone set it on fire.
Closures: Quick access to the Queen Mtn area is closed during construction. If you want to get to the area you will have to park and extra 2 miles away and trample over vegetation (in so many words, this is what was suggested by some Park Rangers and a Geezer volunteer).
Anyway the Artic Circle problems are all overrated! :wink:
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offwidth
Nov 11, 2003, 3:55 AM
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Registered: Apr 17, 2002
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Boulderers are threatening access all over the country, not just at J-tree. I believe that the rangers are watching the bouldering at RMNP and in Tuolumne too.
I don't believe that it will get better until another major area is closed. (Perhaps the Tablelands?) Or perhaps ESPN or FOX will air an "exreme" trampoline compitition, sponsored by PEPSI, encouraging the a-holes trashing our parks to move on to the next fad.
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cgranite
Nov 11, 2003, 4:09 AM
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Registered: Aug 5, 2003
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I was just there for three days over the weekend, and I didn't see a lot of other boulderers. The only reason I went was to boulder due to the weather up north, and there was few. everyone was trad climbing, so I don't understand how the damage is that extensive. Anyway I have to climb cracks the next time because that place has some awesome ones.
Cheers to the drumming fire crew~
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cgranite
Nov 11, 2003, 4:11 AM
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Registered: Aug 5, 2003
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Oh ya... and the pancakes. especially the chocolate chip :wink:
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