1994 RESOLUTIONS
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| 4 |
|
FIXED CLIMBING ANCHORS ON
FEDERAL LANDS |
| Traditional mountain
climbing and sport climbing are appropriate uses of the
wilderness. These activities should continue to be allowed in
national parks and national forests, as well as on all comparable
federal and state lands. |
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| In response to the
"Advance Draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking" issued by the National
Park Service and to the related "Draft Regulations of Fixed Anchors in
Wilderness" by the U.S. Forest Service; with respect to the use of
fixed climbing anchors in National Parks and in
Congressionally-established wilderness study areas, climbers in the
Western U.S. recommended that: |
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| o Resource Management Policies
for climbing site resources, and education of the respective resources
staff officers and climber-users of the resources, should be addressed
differently to reflect site-specific needs. |
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| o Safe climbing may require
the use of fixed anchors. Use of such anchors should be allowed
at the discretion of the climber. Fixed anchors should never be
used when other forms of removable protection can be used safely. |
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| |
o To be used safely,
established fixed anchors must be established and maintained. To
be used safely, established bolted routes must be maintained and
upgraded. |
|
| o Conservation of the alpine
environments and protection of the related resources must be given high
priority. The education of climbers in resource protection is a
key to the achieving protection of these values (e.g. of plant and
wildlife communities, endangered species, cultural and archeological
resources, etc.) |
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| o Any action to upgrade or
augment holds should be expressly forbidden (e.g. chipping, gluing and
gardening). |
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| o Use of power drills is
unacceptable in wilderness areas except under special permission to
replace old, unsafe bolts. |
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| o Creation of new bolted
routes in national parks and wilderness areas should be reviewed and
concurred-in by climbers, park officials and environmental constituents. |
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| o The planning for climbing
management in areas of national parks, national forests, and
wildernesses should be publicized and made open to the public. |
||
| The Federation of
Western
Outdoor Clubs supports the above recommendations concerning climbing in
national parks, established wildernesses and wilderness study
areas. It will convey these recommendations to appropriate
Federal authorities, such as the Chiefs of the Forest Service, Park
Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. The Federation
requests its Members and Member Clubs to inform their respective
federal legislators of their opinions on this matter. As
applicable, these climbing practices should be considered for adoption
by climbers in comparable alpine environments in the rest of the U.S. |
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