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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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May 13, 2011 - 03:12pm PT
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Ever since my altercation with him last summer, I've kept my D90 DSLR with audio/video capabilities at the ready to film Ranger J. Rule and his cohorts in action at the drop of a hat. When you stop to consider that the Varian family gave Castle Rock to the State as a place to climb, it is really unfortunate that the State Park rangers regard climbers as criminals and climbing as an illegal activity. The big question of course is: Why the heck did they disband the Castle Rock Climber's Committee back in 2001 without ever formulating a reasonable policy for replacing and renewing old bolts? As Floride suggests, next time Blue have your camera phone at the ready.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 13, 2011 - 03:19pm PT
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Hey Bruce, thanks for your work on the Summit Rock matter.
My buddy says he walked past the trail to the Valley of Stone and there was no sign indicating it was closed (like there used to be). You know if it's back open? Hear anything?
Cheers!
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Dr. X
Big Wall climber
X- Town
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May 13, 2011 - 04:10pm PT
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Bump for climbing related content.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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May 13, 2011 - 04:52pm PT
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Bruce,
Why the heck did they disband the Castle Rock Climber's Committee back in 2001 without ever formulating a reasonable policy for replacing and renewing old bolts? As Floride suggests, next time Blue have your camera phone at the ready.
fwiw, i never saw a formal disbandment. The announcement of meetings stopped coming and separately certain climbing folks within that committee had the ears of local LE and Park management personnell from what I could see. There was also a fair bit of turn over on the committee by the attendees. So I don't think it was formally disbanded as much as no one kept pursuing it. Sad in a way, but a political reality.
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climbingcook
Trad climber
sf
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May 13, 2011 - 04:57pm PT
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I'm not sure any of the summit rock stuff will make any difference longer term, all of castle rock is one of the 70 parks listed for closure.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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May 14, 2011 - 01:21am PT
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Don't know anything about the signage at the entrance to the Valley of Stone (aka 'Lion Caves') or whether anybody took it out. Have to take a look myself.
You don't know anybody in real estate who can do a check on the title of the property where Summit Rock is located? According to what Marc Jensen says, the Varian family gave that property to the State specifically for rock climbing. The Varians used to climb there in the 1930s with others who later became the Rock Climbing Section of the Sierra Club. If this is true, there has to be some compromise, I'd guess, with such other non-climbing activities as bird watching. But we need some proof of the Varian's original intention.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 14, 2011 - 09:34am PT
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Interesting, Bruce.
http://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morgue/news/1995_Jan_4.CREATR44.html
Also;
During this era, Judge J.D. Welch, an early conservationist, acquired Castle Rock and much of the land surrounding it. By the early 1900's, an interurban streetcar ran between Santa Clara and Congress Springs, just west of Saratoga, where visitors could hire a rig to take them up to Castle Rock. One frequent visitor in those days was Russell Varian, who was destined to become a famous scientist and the park's founder. His goal was to secure the park for the future, and in 1959 he obtained an option to buy the land through the Sierra Club. Although he died shortly before the purchase could be completed, his dream became reality when his memorial fund secured the first twenty-seven acres. On July 12, 1968, Castle Rock State Park officially opened with 513 acres of land donated by the Varian Foundation and the Sierra Club.
from here
http://www.santacruzstateparks.org/parks/castlerock/hist.php
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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May 14, 2011 - 03:27pm PT
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Marc Jensen emailed Paul Minault of the Access Fund to state that when Marc interviewed Dorthy Varian she said that her and her husband climbed at Summit Rock in the 1930s and that it formed part of the original Varian Foundation Trust. The Varians gave Summit to the State originally with the intent that it remain a climbing site. Now someone out there needs to get in touch with the Varian heirs or their representatives and tell them that the original intent of their bequest is being violated by the County. Again, someone in real estate has to check the title of the Summit property. Sounds to me too that if the County Parks Rangers start stripping bolts out of Summit Rock to discourage climbers from bothering the nesting Peregrines they are actually vandalizing pre-existing recreational facilities in Santa Clara County. If I recall correctly, when I first visited Summit Rock with Phil Arnot and the Carlmont Alpine Club in 1961, there were already anchor bolts in place there. I think if someone can find one scrap of paper documenting the Varian family's original intent that Summit be a climbing site, we can win this fight. Especially if Castle Rock is shut down and there is no place left to climb on the Skyline except Summit Rock. More research!
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Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
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May 14, 2011 - 03:32pm PT
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Seems like this deserves it's own thread, however ironic the title may be...
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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May 14, 2011 - 03:38pm PT
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Here's an excerpt of an email Marc Jensen, the original guidebook author, wrote to Clint Cummins regarding Summit Rock and the Varian family, who originally gave the property Summit Rock is located on as a bequest:
Marc says he "got to talk with Dorothy [Varian] at her house 1990ish time frame.I was on the
Castle Rock Advisory Board at the time when
it was first started up and they started working on the General
Plan for the park.
She was quite old at the time I don't expect she is still with us.
The meeting were [sic] I talked with her was at her house in Cupertino.
She said explicitly that she and Russell bought the property because
they were climbing there and they wanted to see climbing continue
there. That group that they climbed with morphed into the the Sierra
Club Rock Climbing Section.
She had some old photos of them climbing in that area. I am pretty
sure that they climbed at all the rocks in the area including
Summet [sic] Rock."
True, this is only anecdotal evidence, but there has to be someone out there who remembers the original intent of the Varian family and their bequest.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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May 21, 2011 - 03:29pm PT
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Promising developments:
Heard yesterday from Paul Minault at the Access Fund that Santa Clara County Parks wants to start talking (probably this July) about re-opening Summit Rock to rock climbing, at least on some kind of seasonal basis (i.e. when the Peregrines aren't nesting). What is especially promising about this is that County Parks actually initiated the contact with the Access Fund, which means they may be serious about working out some kind of compromise.
The Access Fund says that they're formulating a petition for climber's to sign to express their desire for a re-opening of Summit, but nothing solid yet.
This does sound like things may be getting better. Let's all hope so!
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 21, 2011 - 06:54pm PT
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Thanks for doing the heavy lifting, Bruce. Sorry I couldn't make that last meeting.
And thanks, Paul Minault!!!!
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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May 22, 2011 - 02:05am PT
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"It's not over until the fat lady sings", as they say Blue. Paul has a few ideas to run by County Parks regarding acceptable compromise solutions they'll be willing to accept. Wait and see, but keep your powder dry. It sure does sound like County Parks is willing to negotiate a solution of some sort. You should really thank Paul Minault for his slow, sane, patient approach to this problem. He was non-confrontational and gave County Parks some latitude to negotiate from. The Access Fund is going to get a petition going a.s.a.p. too for climbers to sign expressing their endorsement of a reasonable, seasonal closure of Summit during raptor nesting and fledging. Don't know the precise language yet because someone else is writing it.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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May 27, 2011 - 02:45pm PT
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Guess I'm gong to have to go down to the Santa Clara County Recorder's Office and check out the history of the title of the property on which Summit Rock is located. By the way, if anyone is interested, Summit Rock is at 16055 Sanborn Road, Saratoga, CA 95070, but that sounds like the site of the Summit Rock Parking Lot along the Skyline? Dunno! Another trip down to SJ City Hall, but if this information will help the Access Fund, I guess I'll have to do it!
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 28, 2011 - 01:46pm PT
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Hey Sprock, I'm hitting Aquarian Valley today. Be there!
I called ya but no answer. I'll be with 2 other buddies. Leave now.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 28, 2011 - 09:37pm PT
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Hey Bruce, did somebody put a new route between Chewy's Lookout and Green Thumb?
4 bolts, 2 bolt anchor on top.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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May 29, 2011 - 03:12am PT
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"Hey Bruce, did somebody put a new route between Chewy's Lookout and Green Thumb?
4 bolts, 2 bolt anchor on top."
Isn't that Eddie Tharp's "Mother Lode" (5.11b) right up the center? Finger splitting edges if I recall correctly.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 29, 2011 - 11:01am PT
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Yeah, bruce, I think that's it. Sounds right. I didn't have my book with me, it fell apart a couple of years ago. Still haven't replaced it. I thought I had the place memorized!
It's a really beautiful line. It looks 5.9, but I got worked on it!!!! I wanna go back back and give it another go. You need good smearing shoes on that thing. And yeah, I thought I ripped a couple of finger tips off more times than once.
Cool rock. Awesome setting.
(wear Deet on the approach. Check yer pants frequently. The place is Tick F*#king City!!!)
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 29, 2011 - 01:21pm PT
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I love this place. Never a crowd, and great friction moves around moss. It's not as mossy as it looks. All the moves are exposed rock. Cool place. Thanks Bruce!!!
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