Access Notes - Vol. 10 Summer 1995
Area Reports
Safe Harbor, PA
The old adage, "A watched teapot never boils," surely applies to Safe Harbor.
For two years now the Access Fund has been assisting Friends of the
Atglen-Susquehanna Trail (FAST) to acquire a 23-mile strip of old railway
corridor for conversion to a rail-trail greenway. The cliffs of Safe Harbor
South, which were closed to climbing by the present owner, Conrail, will be
included in this greenway and reopened to climbing once the purchase is
completed. However, it now appears the acquisition will not be finalized
before 1996. Rick Thompson and Regional Coordinator Bob Perna, key liaison
for Safe Harbor, remain optimistic but urge climbers to be patient.
"Apparently some climbers are jumping the gun," said Thompson. The area is
still closed to climbing, and climber compliance with this closure is crucial
to the success of ongoing negotiations. PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB AT SAFE HARBOR
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! For the latest information on Safe Harbor,
contact Bob
Perna at 610.696.8666.
New River Gorge, WV
The New was the site of much climber attention this spring - and it wasn't
new route fever. In March, Rick Thompson, Access Fund Access & Acquisitions
Director, and local climbers Gene Kistler and Doug Reed met with National
Park Service officials to discuss climbing at the South Nuttall Wall and Long
Point, which the agency intends to preserve as natural areas. The agreement
resulting from this meeting allows climbing to continue at these crags, with
modest limitations to include enforcing the ban on power drills and
monitoring routes and impacts.
The South Nuttall Wall and Long Point are now
"designated natural zones," where, according to the new Climber Information
brochure (funded by the Access Fund), "Traditional climbing is encouraged,
but trail or route improvements that damage existing vegetation or rock
formations are prohibited. Multi-bolt sport climbs are discouraged, due to
their tendency to attract a higher level of climber use."
The Access Fund has pledged to pay for signs that will be posted at each end
of the South Nuttall Wall to help educate climbers about this policy. For
more information about climbing policy at The New contact Greg Phillips, New
River Gorge National River, at 304.465.0508.
Then, on April 8, some 40 climbers stoked their karma by foregoing climbing
on a fine-weather Saturday morning to give The New a face lift. This year,
the Fourth Annual New River Gorge Climbers Cleanup removed nearly three tons
of garbage. Rick Thompson organized the cleanup with help from the Park
Service, which provided gloves and trash bags for the effort. Highlights of
the haul included a 55-gallon drum, a Mr. Spock Star Trek doll and a washing
machine.
Also this spring, local climbers built five new access ladders to replace
decrepit originals. These ladders were paid for with a grant from the Access
Fund; two are located at Fern Point, two at the Honeymooners, and a new
ladder was installed near The Cove at the Upper Endless Wall.
Howard's Knob, NC
"We're into the next chapter of the Howard's Knob acquisition saga," said
Rick Thompson in early May. Indeed, after a disappointing winter where the
Access Fund and Watauga High Country Land Trust were stymied in attempts to
negotiate a reasonable price for the ridgeline property containing the
outstanding boulders of Howard's Knob, prospects for this high-priority
acquisition are looking brighter.
Thompson and Land Trust activist Joey Henson report that there has been a
change in the landowner's position regarding subdivision of the boulders from
the rest of his property, which is slated for residential development. The
Access Fund and High Country Land Trust now are working to formalize a
written offer for a subdivision of 10 acres which would include the North
Face boulders.
In April, the Access Fund pledged up to $15,000 to help underwrite this
excellent opportunity. (This grant builds on a 1993 grant of $2500 for a
property appraisal.) Despite a setback in February, Hensen continues to rally
support and additional funding from the local community. Howard's Knob is a
nationally significant climbing resource, and the Access Fund will continue
to work on preserving this unique natural area.
Rumney, NH
In March, the White Mountains National Forest completed its purchase
agreement with the Access Fund which incorporates this private property into
the public domain. The Access Fund is proud to have engineered and paid for
this remarkable arrangement, which through cooperation and strategic funding
(a $60,000 grant from the Access Fund) solves access problems and supports an
active central New Hampshire climbing community.
The Rumney property, in
addition to fine climbing, provides general access to Rattlesnake Mountain
and various recreational opportunities. Now, some 30 acres of outcrop-studded
hillside are officially part of the White Mountains Forest, with guaranteed
climber access and several site improvements (a new parking area and trail
work) to boot. Thanks to Eileen Woodland of the White Mountains National
Forest, Jim Shimberg, the Rumney Climbers Association, and Access Fund Vice
President Bill Supple for their leading roles in bringing this excellent
cooperative project to a successful close.
Moore's Wall/Pilot Mtn, NC
A premier area in the Southeast, Moore's Wall has experienced an upswing in
climber visits as of late. However, landowner/climber relations are at an
all-time low due to a deteriorating access road and a fire set by a
non-climber which destroyed an old out-building near the parking lot.
Residents are concerned because four-wheel-drive vehicles may soon be
required to negotiate the road, and the area is covered with thousands of
trees downed in a 1994 storm. The Carolina Climbers Coalition (CCC) is
raising money to repair the road and asks climbers to refrain from camping in
the area. It's extremely important that no one build a fire near Moore's
Wall.
The CCC is also reviewing the North Carolina State Parks' draft climbing
management plan and monitoring the proposed climbing registration system as
well as working to open the Parking Lot area on the Lower Cliff in Pilot
Mountain State Park. The CCC feels that the Lower Cliff can be reopened with
minimal environmental impact. To be added to the CCC mailing list or to send
a donation, contact the Carolina Climbers Coalition, c/o Earthbound Sports,
PO Box 3312, Chapel Hill, NC 27515.
Peshastin Pinnacles, WA
The Access Fund's first land acquisition, Peshastin Pinnacles is now a state
park. Although access is no longer a problem, climbers haven't slacked off in
their efforts to support this popular area. This April, more than 50 climbers
helped refurbish trails at Peshastin. The event was organized by Elden
Altizer of the Access Fund and local climbers Al Koury and Freeman Keller.
Volunteers rebuilt switchbacks and installed water bars at erosion-damaged
sections of trail. Burlington-Northern donated railroad ties for use as water
bars. Altizer commented, "This was basically a no-cost project, with
volunteer labor and donated materials. And a significant number of true
locals, not just Seattle imports, turned out for it." Thanks to the
Department of Parks and Recreation for its support, and Rusty Thompson of the
USFS, who contributed his trail-building expertise and tools to the project.
Red Rocks, NV
Dr. Mike Clifford, Access Fund Treasurer, is a veteran access warrior, but
even he was shocked by a proposal issued in April by the Toiyabe National
Forest. This proposal would ban new fixed anchors in the Mt. Charleston
Wilderness above Las Vegas and allow bolt replacement only under permit.
This new policy is contained in a draft amendment to the Land and Resource
Management Plan for the Spring Mountain Recreation Area. The amendment was
drafted after a meeting with climbers in February, in which there was no
discussion of banning bolts. Greg Currie, a Forest Service landscape
architect and planning team member, suggested that the no-new-bolts policy
was a "starting point" rather than a final objective. Local climbers,
however, are skeptical, and pledged to insist that the Toiyabe respect
established policy. For more information or to comment, call Greg Currie at
702. 873.8800.
Woodland Walls, WV
Woodland Walls and Pioneer Rocks hosted festive cleanups in celebration of
Earth Day '95. The effort at Woodland Walls transformed a hideous local dump
near the picnic/parking area in to a squeaky clean viewshed, while the work
at Pioneer Rocks removed 115 bags of dregs, 58 tires, four lawn mowers, four
car grills, washing machines, and a cow head.
Both areas lie in the Deckers Creek watershed. A Friends of Deckers Creek
group is being formed; contact Adam Polinski at 304.296.0533.
Next page - Climbing and Leave No Trace
Back to Access Fund Index Page or Access Notes Vol. 10 - Contents.