Canyoneering in Arches NP

[Iceaxe]

For those who have not heard Arches National Park is going to institute a new Climbing Management Plan. I've included the press release on the plan below so you can read through it. I'm guessing this will have a serious impact on canyoneering and is something we had better pay attention to. To most folks canyoneering is just a bastard child of rock climbing. Anyhoo, the items that really caught my attention were:

1. Use of fixed hardware
2. Designating climbing routes
3. Development of approach trails
4. Rock alteration
5. Vegetation alteration
6. Visual impacts
7. Effects on visitor safety and experiences.

I'm also thinking the NPS might try to put a stop to all the unrestricted wanderings in the Fiery Furnace.


[color=darkblue][i]Arches Seeking Input for Climbing Management Plan

Date: March 9, 2007
Contact: Laura Joss, (435) 719-2201

Arches National Park is soliciting public comments regarding the development of a Climbing Management Plan. In 2006,unusual climbing activities raised public interest and concern about issues associated with technical rock climbing.

"We've decided to take a new look at our climbing policies, "commented Laura Joss, superintendent of the park.

[Jaxx]

What is up with this, under the "Keep my contact information private" it says
"You must present a rationale for withholding this information. This rationale must demonstrate that disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy. Unsupported assertions will not meet this burden. In the absence of exceptional, documentable circumstances, this information will be released."

Where are they going with this, not wanting ancors put in is understandable, but not moving rocks? Is it aimed towards rock climbing because of the Delicate Arch climbing guy or canyoneering in general.

What issues should I bring up when I mail them my comments?

Here is the exact link to the page:
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentF...cumentId=18425

[Iceaxe]

I believe this is in direct response to Dean Potter's climbing of Delicate Arch and his slackline on the Three Gossips. You can only piss on the NPS for so long before they take action.

[Jaxx]

At first I thought Dean Potter was just an innocent guy that got caught up in this. Since then I have read a little on him and watched a few videos of him climbing, he is a top-notch climber, but he comes off as an arrogant a-hole. He really has effected more than just himself. I now hate him.

What should we say to the park. That not everyone is a jerk like him. Most canyoneers are responsible visitors and that taking away the ability to set anchors natural or unatural in the park will make it impossible for us to enjoy some of the "hidden" and more undisturbed parts of the park? No on cares about slacklining or climbing the arches just dont take away our ability to canyoneer in the park...Please.

[Iceaxe]

If we all took a minute to at least agree on a few items and presented a united response it would probably be heard a little better. Here are my current thoughts really quickly... I'm open to discussion on any of these items:

1. Use of fixed hardware - I'm against fixed hardware, but I'm also not a hardcore climber so I would like to here what the climbers think and them support them.

2. Designating climbing routes - I believe designating climbing routes is a poor idea. Better to designate the features which are off limits. I currently have no problem supporting the ban on named USGS features.

3. Development of approach trails - Maybe in a few high use areas. Again, I'd like to hear more from the hardcore climbers.

4. Rock alteration - prohibit

5. Vegetation alteration - prohibit

6. Visual impacts - require sandstone colored chock and natural colored webbing.

7. Effects on visitor safety and experiences. - Maybe other then mandating helmets in the park I don't see how else you can improve safety.

Other thoughts?

.

[Jaxx]

I think I pretty much agree with you on all those, Im not a rock climber and Im also a canyoneering noob so I will just agree to whatever you say.

[Iceaxe]

so I will just agree to whatever you say.

In that case.... bring your sister and a case of beer over to the house.

[Iceaxe]

Here is a little something I put together and have been shopping around town. Many of the best parts were stolen from various climbing forums. Members of the Circle of Friends have already seen this.

Arches NP is Seek Input for a Climbing Management Plan

The Rock Climbing and Canyoneering communities need your help and it will require about five minutes of your time.

As most of you are aware, a much-publicized climb of Delicate Arch in the spring of 2006 raised public interest and concern about rock climbing in Arches National Park. Prior to this event, Park management had limited contact with climbers and felt no real need for official policies. However, an overwhelming number of letters calling for an outright ban on climbing forced the Park to impose serious restrictions on rock climbing (and indirectly on canyoneering). Since then, a group of local climbers and the Access Fund have been working with the Park to rehabilitate a good relationship.

The National Park Service (NPS) has decided it is time to make an official Climbing Management Plan. This plan could be good for climbing, or it could be its demise. The NPS is currently seeking input into what the Arches Climbing Management Plan should be. If the events of Spring, 2006 were any indicator, an enormous number of letters from environmental groups and anti-climbers will be sent to the NPS calling for a ban or some draconian restrictions. However, the Park managers will be willing to look at all sides. As a matter of fact, they have shown local climbers that they are willing to work with climbers provided they see a positive result.

It is up to climbers to send positive letters about the sport. If you have ever climbed in Arches, you should tell them so and tell them you enjoyed it. If you ever want to climb on the unique towers in Arches, you should tell them so. We need to show the NPS that we really do care about the policies and that we want to be able to climb in Arches. Above all, you need to write positive letters endorsing climbing as a legitimate form of recreation in Arches National Park.

Its easy to write a short note. If you want to do it online go to this website:

Comment on Arches Climbing Management Plan
http://tinyurl.com/2qznfw

It's really easy and should take about 5 minutes. If you want to write an actual letter you can send it to:

Superintendent
Arches National Park
PO Box 907
Moab, UT 84532

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. The BLM asked for this same sort of input a couple years ago in reference to Indian Creek. They truly wanted to know who the users were, but in the initial round of discussions comments they only received around 30 letters from climbers, they got over 600 from four-wheelers. That