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deuce4
Big Wall climber
the Southwest
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Jul 19, 2005 - 03:21pm PT
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what's the latest story?
I know he spent some time on the Grand Canyon ranger team, never saw him while I was down there for five commerical river guiding seasons, but when other rangers mentioned his name, there was a lot of eye-rolling.
Somehow never crossed paths with the man myself. Just know that the General and Cosgrove had some things to say about his methodology after their bust on top of the Muir way back when.
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BitchMcFist
Big Wall climber
Fallujah
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Jul 19, 2005 - 04:03pm PT
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the guy is essentially a prick, so are most of the other rangers. they fabricate reports and make sh#t up to ticket or arrest you. Lober has hepatitis C by the way so don't get too close to him when he's cuffing you.
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Spinmaster K-Rove
Trad climber
Stuck Under the Kor Roof
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Jul 19, 2005 - 05:34pm PT
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How many El Cap resuce have you done Fattrad? Heli-rappels on to El Cap Tower? Ever bust a serial killer? Ever be on a backcountry search for a 250 lbs man off his meds who has a documented parnoia of people in uniform and you have no other clothes to change into and no way of getting backup?
I'm sure LA County gets some crazy stuff but don't go puffing your chest out over a guy when you don't know his accomplishments or what LEO Rangers handle in a typical summer. Its not a walk in the park. Jeez...what happened to cops having respect for each other?
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Oakville, Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Jul 19, 2005 - 05:42pm PT
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I must be too well-behaved or something, because in a continuous decade of being an "itinerant local" during spring and fall wall climbing seasons, I have never - not even once! - run afoul* of the Yosemite rangers.
I don't know if I've ever met officer Lober, but I do recall one spring night in 2001 that his wife gave us a lift in her cop car. We had just descended after our ascent of Sea of Dreams, we had no wheels, it was close to midnight, and she was in the Meadows. I asked her, "would it be OK if my partner and I were to get a lift from you to Curry Village?" She seemed surprised by my unusual request, but seemed happy enough to do us the favour. I got the feeling she was bending the rules a bit, and I sure appreciated it. She seemed like a pleasant enough lady.
Cheers,
Pete
*Note: Any rumours you have heard of me riding a skateboard from El Cap Meadows to the Chapel while being towed behind a car at 30mph is unsubstantiated hearsay.
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Mr_T
Trad climber
Somewhere, CA
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Jul 19, 2005 - 05:43pm PT
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What in the h*** are you people talking about? Is there any more substance here than "this ranger is a jerk because he wrote someone a ticket when they left food in their car at night"?
There must be something better than a ticket for food and a hep-C rummor to justify "Dangerous and out of Control!" Details!! Tales of clubbing people because they were not white? Busting people and planting drugs! Do tell!
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deuce4
Big Wall climber
the Southwest
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Jul 19, 2005 - 05:47pm PT
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This seems to just be a slam fest which I regret initially participating in. There's no need to get personal. A functioning park service/climber realtionship is the goal, after all.
Not knowing Kieth personally myself, I can't give an opinion, as I don't really know what kind of ranger he is. But I do know that there are good rangers who uphold the law and benefit the community in doing so (a majority of rangers I know), but then there are a few rangers who use very suspect methods, possibly unconstitutional (with the assumption that their clientele do not know better, and can't hire lawyers) in order to further their career within the LEO system. It seems to work for some ambitious sorts, despite their peer ranger's disapproval.
Even though occasionally some NPS ranger behavior isn't in the spirit of the National Park Service, most in fact is, despite the moans you hear from people who habitually break major rules for extended periods of time, ruining it for those like me who sometimes find it necessary to break some minor rules for a short period of time.
Much of this energy could be spent campaigning for a return to a reasonable number of campsites in Yosemite (and less future $200 hotels) to good effect. Join and work with the AAC on creating an environment where climbers can coexist and still have the necessary resources (transportation, camping spots, and lock boxes for gear) to climb a big wall!
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mark miller
Social climber
Reno
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Jul 19, 2005 - 05:57pm PT
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Some LEO are tools, some are just doing a job and some are even cool and have become climbing partner and band members. I have learned the hard and expensive way. When they have you pulled over, they are in charge and the sooner you realize this the easier it will be on you. I've been pulled over, a hundred times(actually closer to 125+) and picked up twice, put in the little pink room for a cool down period.
Don't phuck with the officer, you will lose. Treat them with respect and let them handle the situation how ever they want to. Then talk with the DA or have your lawyer plea bargain with the DA. By treating the officers with respect and doing whatever silly circus tricks they asked for has kept me out of a lotta of trouble even If I may have deserved it.
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Spinmaster K-Rove
Trad climber
Stuck Under the Kor Roof
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Jul 19, 2005 - 05:59pm PT
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The issue is that Lober has a number long running myths and legends surrounding him in the climbing community. I'm not saying that he is completely innocent, but the stories about him are certainly larger than he is, and the denizens of Yossmite have an 'already, always listening' for him to be evil and bad. He could save a puppy swinging in on a vine with an American flag draped over his shoulders and people would find a way to demonize him for it. Again, I'm not saying that there aren't people with a right to complain, just that more people complain than necessarily have a right.
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Spinmaster K-Rove
Trad climber
Stuck Under the Kor Roof
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Jul 19, 2005 - 06:04pm PT
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Actually that is a common misconception that people have. Bears typically aren't very active before nightfall and it isnt a big deal in the Valley cause there are so many people around (usually). I can't really blame her for not knowing...
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Forest
Trad climber
Tucson, AZ
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Jul 19, 2005 - 06:10pm PT
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I seem to remember that the bear warning signs say not to leave any food visible during the day, and not to leave any food at all after dark. That being said, I'm hyper-paranoid about it and will not leave so much as a gum-wrapper or nalgene visible during the day and won't even leave soap or toothapste in the car after dark.
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Wrathchild
climber
right behind you
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Jul 19, 2005 - 06:14pm PT
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OK, so no one wants to share specifics.
Yes his wife is very nice.
The hep thing is true, although I'm not sure it is C.
How about the time in boys town when he maced an employee and his Mom because he was looking for the room mate.
Or the time he chased down a guy on crutches and proceeded to club him for "resisting".
Or the rugby team on the pizza deck incident.
I witnessed him beating on my friends van with a nightstick, totally denting the side, Screaming "you will not stay in my park for free!" Friend was on El Cap at the time.
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Fluoride
Trad climber
on a rock or mountain out west
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Jul 19, 2005 - 06:15pm PT
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"Here is how Lober and his ilk see things:
LEO's are the real men.
Interpretive Rangers are flower sniffers. Tree huggers. Wear pink underwear. Bends over to pick up the soap."
Bwhahahah, love it!!
Poor Lobo, all other Federal LEO types (FBI, ATF, Border Patrol, Customs...all the Feds who carry guns that have serious actual risk/danger involved in their job) look at NPS Ranger LEO's as the Reno 911's of the Federal law enforcement world. And no, don't hand me over that horseshit about how the NPS caught a serial killer or how dangerous their job is. Cary Stayner was caught by a multiagency task force after physical evidence was left from the Joie Armstrong killer. Thank the FBI for that takedown. ANY agency that has so little to do that they sit in the boulders above Camp Four for HOURS with nightvision goggles just waiting for some kid to light up a joint.....c'mon!!! What a waste of taxpayer dollars. I'd rather they be up in the forest running drug interdiction on the crops there than busting kids in Camp 4.
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Mr_T
Trad climber
Somewhere, CA
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Jul 19, 2005 - 06:17pm PT
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Can someone *please* describe an incident that someone actually witnessed first hand where *Ranger Lober* (not some guy who hassled you at some other park) voilated someone's civil rights or did something illegal (ie searched a car without probable cause, physically abused you, cited you for a crime you clearly did not commit when you were just minding your own business)!?!
So far, all I've seem people who had a tough time w/ a ranger when they did something wrong, and he wasn't a nice guy about it (yeah it sucks, but this guy isn't the first and is by far not the worst - former LAPD comes to mind). And the best part is that in the one incident we have (so far) here, is that he was sympathetic once he found out the individual was a climber!
Is there a good juicy rummor of physical abuse. There MUST be a sketchy tale here that has some truth to it (where he's "Dangerous and out of control".)
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Wrathchild
climber
right behind you
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Jul 19, 2005 - 06:32pm PT
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We are wasting our breath Tim, untill they see it for them selves, most folks want to believe that the man is fair and just. It helps them sleep at night. We know better...
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Wrathchild
climber
right behind you
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Jul 19, 2005 - 06:56pm PT
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Wow! Even Lobo avoids Pitons Pete!
Now THERE is something Pete can teach all of us!
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atchafalaya
Trad climber
California
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Jul 19, 2005 - 07:17pm PT
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"'you will not stay in MY park for free!'"
"That is not your park as#@&%es! It actually OUR park."
Wrong, its the federal governments park. We are just allowed to use it, at least for now....
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Wrathchild
climber
right behind you
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Jul 19, 2005 - 07:20pm PT
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Chief Tenaya thought it was his park, too.
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Brutus of Wyde
climber
Old Climbers' Home, Oakland CA
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Jul 19, 2005 - 07:44pm PT
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Thanks, everyone who contributed to this thread, for reminding me yet again why I haven't been back to the Valley for 2 years.
Brutus
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smokin_nolens
Social climber
California Valley, California
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Jul 19, 2005 - 08:19pm PT
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I love folks who say the rangers are there for the good of the community. To them I have one thing to say: ever been on the recieving end of Lobo. I have. Unless you have, you don't know s**t.
I would rather spend a thousand nights in jail than bend to that tools' warped version of justice.
Never let 'em grind you down!!!
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mark miller
Social climber
Reno
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Jul 19, 2005 - 08:21pm PT
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The Valley is to hot this time of year leave it to the tourists, climbers have better options this time of year. When the tourons leave climbers can come out of the high country, this way we don't offend the civillians and the rangers don't have take out the trash, HAHAHA!
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