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| Messages 1 - 8 of total 8 in this topic |
snyd
Sport climber
Lexington, KY
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Feb 20, 2019 - 06:13am PT
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Climbing is a huge part of the economy of Eastern Kentucky as well.
Someday soon the state and the local residents are going to realize the awesome potential of adventure sports for the region. In the meantime you still can't climb on state park land here in KY. One of the finest 5.10 cliffs in all the east is closed to climbing since it was purchased by the state. Pocket Wall was at one time one of the most popular cliffs near Red River Gorge. Now, all the bolts have been removed and the cliff lies unused...
There are glimmers of hope however and perhaps one day Natural Bridge State Park will open some of it's awesome crags to the public for climbing.
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Gunkie
Trad climber
Valles Marineris
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Feb 20, 2019 - 09:33am PT
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I was rope soloing at NRG crag 20 years ago on a Thanksgiving weekend. I was the only climber anywhere. But there were tons of "hunters" on 4x4 buggies with many cases of beer strapped to the back rack along with lots of ammo to go along with their shotguns.
Fell off 'Four Sheets to the Wind' and was dangling around when three buggies drove under on the gravel road, stopped and watched. I wonder if I might have been a target for an instant?
Doesn't matter, they were the nicest people who shared a couple of their beers with me and drove me back up hill to the car. Good times.
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Ken M
Mountain climber
Los Angeles, Ca
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Feb 20, 2019 - 11:43am PT
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The important point in all this, is the economic improvement created by outdoor pursuits, particularly on the local level.
These things can be game-changers, in economically depressed areas. In return, the locals who see the benefit, can respond by making the atmosphere for "out of towners" really quite a bit nicer.
An example of how this has worked out has been on the Pacific Crest Trail, where some trail towns along the route have transformed themselves into quite hiker friendly havens.
All benefit.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Feb 20, 2019 - 12:44pm PT
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Its a double edged sword.
The income is welcome, but not what happens to the sheep.
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jbaker
Trad climber
Redwood City, CA
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Feb 20, 2019 - 02:45pm PT
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I think a major challenge for areas like West Virginia is to see that local, long-term residents benefit from the outside dollars coming in for outdoor recreation. West Virginia claims that outdoor recreation (all forms) brings in $9 billion/yr and employs twice as many people as the coal mines. My experience there is that a lot of the outdoor recreation business owners and employees (hunting excepted) are big city refugees and the people born there aren't seeing much of the benefit, except very indirectly. There is a lot that tourism boards, economic agencies, and state colleges could do to help local business owners cater more to outdoor recreation enthusiasts and to train locals to be qualified to work for those businesses.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Feb 20, 2019 - 03:11pm PT
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Well, those 168 jobs bringing in $6.3 million work out to $37,500/year. Pretty sure that’s poverty level anywhere other than W Virginny.
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Ken M
Mountain climber
Los Angeles, Ca
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Feb 20, 2019 - 03:41pm PT
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Reilly, you are expecting jobs that pay $250000/y to be imported into a small rural town?
For people with no particular job skills?
I'd imagine that entry level jobs in, say, sales----which could be exported into any industry, anywhere, would be far more valuable.
Or do you expect your average coal miner to start writing code?
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| Messages 1 - 8 of total 8 in this topic |
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