Park Service Plans to Chop 200 Bolts at Christmas Tree Pass

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Gary

climber

Desolation Basin, Calif.

Apr 27, 2010 - 12:53pm PT

Sent in my comments today.

looking sketchy there...

Social climber

Latitute 33

Apr 27, 2010 - 03:33pm PT

Bump -- to send in your comments.

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Apr 27, 2010 - 05:15pm PT

Uh,.... excuse me, liability for injuries to somebody who thought that there was a fixed anchor for safety????

Sheesh.

Yeah, right the "LAKE" MEAD (or if you prefer the closer "LAKE" MOHAVE) rangers out to preserve "naturalness" uh,.... except for the cell towers and the circus on the "lakes".

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

sorry, just posting out loud.

Apr 27, 2010 - 05:22pm PT

comments sent

Largo

Sport climber

The Big Wide Open Face

Apr 27, 2010 - 05:28pm PT

"Climbing bolts by Willow Springs would be removed. The bolts do not receive much use, are not NPS sanctioned, and are not consistent with the area’s wilderness character."

NPS sanctioned? Who came up with that? And who decided that bolts were not consistent with the wilderness character? Were they getting complaints? Of course not. It's just some guy deciding how he wants things to play out in his wilderness.

JL

Gary

climber

Desolation Basin, Calif.

Apr 27, 2010 - 05:39pm PT

Thanks to everyone who's sent in comments. I think we can make a positive impact on the decision. It's worth fighting for.

couchmaster

climber

pdx

Apr 27, 2010 - 05:59pm PT

I believe that the most effective fight would not be to write letter to the NPS, (I did btw) who appear to have already decided this matter, but to our congressmen and Senators.

It's more important that you get it in, than it get in perfect. Just make sure you have a point they can understand.

The fact that the NPS can waste our money on this kind of a frivolity should be enough to outrage any taxpayer. It's not just the $ they will pay to chop the bolts, it's all the admistrative funds for their staff of idiots to poorly micromanage something that should be a total non-issue. They can and do micromanage these kinds of issues so as to be able to increase their budgets and importance, that's exactly what we are seeing here IMO. If they have this kind of money to borrow from the Chinese to just waste for no reason, they are essentially saying that they have already taken care of the real important Park Service issues and this is all that is left and they have plenty of money to piss away on: we have the obligation as citizens to cut their funding. Cut it! CUT THEM OFF! Fire the extras and let them get real jobs where they can be productive members of society and produce something of value.

I'd rather this money come back to us taxpayers or at least go to a military rec center in some afgan shithole, to help feed a family or teach a poor inner city kid to read myself.

Rox, you should be pissed at this useless, needless and stupid waste of scarce resources! I recommend all of us pass on one needless Supertopo post and write them right now.

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

I've been climbing for 38 years and prefer cracks, but I'm pissed at this total waste of my money anyway. They think we the people have unlimited $ to fund this kind of stupid stuff? Bullsh#t.
__

To congressman, feel free to copy and paste:

"The Park Service plan is to remove 200 bolts and destroy Christmas Tree Pass climbing area. Their "PLAN" is to "improve naturalness" by removing climbing bolts. You know, the bolts that you can't even see when you are only 30 feet away? (Reference - LAKE Draft Wilderness Management Plan reference link http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkId=317&projectId=16820&documentID=33282 )

The fact that the NPS can waste our money on this kind of a frivolity should be enough to outrage any taxpayer. It's not just the $ they will pay to chop the bolts, it's all the administrative funds for their staff of idiots to poorly micromanage something that should be a total non-issue. If they have this kind of money to borrow from the Chinese to just waste for no reason, they are essentially saying that they have already taken care of the real important Park Service issues and this is all that is left and they have plenty of money to piss away on: we have the obligation as citizens to cut their funding. Cut it! CUT THEM OFF! Fire the extras and let them get real jobs where they can be productive members of society and produce something of value.

I'd rather this money come back to us taxpayers or at least go to a military rec center in some afgan shithole, bike lanes, to help feed a family or teach a poor inner city kid to read myself. "

Sent copies to my congressman, both senators and Tom Coburn of OK.

Senator Coburns

Dear Mr Coburn:

I have appreciated your views of helping the taxpaying citizens of our country out, there is one more current egregious example I would hope you could find time to look into. .

The Park Service plan is to remove 200 bolts and destroy Christmas Tree Pass climbing area. Their "PLAN" is to "improve naturalness" by removing climbing bolts. You know, the bolts that you can't even see when you are only 30 feet away? (Reference - LAKE Draft Wilderness Management Plan reference link http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkId=317&projectId=16820&documentID=33282 )

The fact that the NPS can waste our money on this kind of a frivolity should be enough to outrage any taxpayer. It's not just the $ they will pay to chop the bolts, it's all the administrative funds for their staff of idiots to poorly micromanage something that should be a total non-issue. If they have this kind of money to borrow from the Chinese to just waste for no reason, they are essentially saying that they have already taken care of the real important Park Service issues and this is all that is left and they have plenty of money to piss away on: we have the obligation as citizens to cut their funding. Cut it! CUT THEM OFF! Fire the extras and let them get real jobs where they can be productive members of society and produce something of value.

I'd rather this money come back to us taxpayers or at least go to a military rec center in some afgan shithole, bike lanes, to help feed a family or teach a poor inner city kid to read myself.

Warm regards and deepest respect sir:

Loomis

climber

*_*

Apr 27, 2010 - 08:40pm PT

Bump for Mr. Solow and keeping xmas tree pass a multi recreational use area.

andrewsolow

Trad climber

San Francisco, CA

Topic Author's Reply - Apr 28, 2010 - 05:49am PT

All we can do for now is try to convince all of the rock climbers you know to send in objection letters.

Official COMMENT Link: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?parkID=317&projectID=16820&documentId=33282

Current Status - May 6, 2010:

Comment period for filing Objections extended to July 2, 2010.

I understand that the Access Fund has filed consulting party status regarding the Lake Mead NRA bolt chopping plan. But as of May 6th, Lake Mead NRA is refusing to retract and re-write their idiotic plan.

The Issue

The Director of the National Park Service signed an MOU with the Access Fund about a year ago.

NPS//Access Fund MOU: http://www.accessfund.org/atf/cf/%7B1F5726D5-6646-4050-AA6E-C275DF6CA8E3%7D/AF%20NPS%20MOU.pdf

The MOU theoretically requires the NPS to consult with the Access Fund before taking any action that affects access to Climbing resources. But, Lake Mead NRA is claiming that publishing a draft Plan is not an action.

The MOU also specifically requires the NPS to distribute copies of the MOU to all of its Park Superintendents, something that was obviously not done in this case.

The Lake Mead National Recreation Area, a part of the National Park Service, published their proposed plan to chop 200 bolts in Christmas Tree Pass without consulting with the Access Fund first. Now that the draft "Plan" has been published without consultation, the Lake Mead NRA plans to Consult with the Access Fund. But, they refuse to withdraw their bolt chopping plan and re-write it. So, the MOU has only limited utility.

I'm not a lawyer. And, I have no idea what either the Access Fund or the NPS will decide to do. But, hopefully, common sense will prevail and the Lake Mead NRA will replace their bolt chopping plan with a sensible resource management plan that includes bolted climbing in Christmas Tree Pass.

NPS could base a sensible plan on the one recently adopted for Zion. National Park which includes bolted climbing.

I understand that the Access Fund will be publishing something sometime soon.
---------------

If the MOU is just like one of the many Indian Treaties that our government routinely broke during the 1800s, we can expect a shipment of small pox contaminated blankets sometime soon.....

Please continue to submit Objections thru July 2, 2010. or until Lake Mead NRA capitulates and permits climbing bolts at Christmas Tree Pass.

other

Trad climber

LA, CA

Apr 28, 2010 - 06:50am PT

Rokjox, you never climb bolted routes? You never use bolt or rap anchors? What makes you think that the Park service won't ban crack climbing? And slings tied around trees, etc? Are you a troll?
Most bolted routes were put up without asking permission. Most hiking trails were formed without asking permission. That's historical precedent and should be grandfathered in as an easement. Many bolted routes predate areas becoming protected or having bolting bans.
The Access Fund does some good things but it is far too meek in its response to climbing area closures. For example it should have sued to re open Williamson Rock in Los Angeles County. There are no shortage of climber lawyers that should volunteer to litigate closures and bolt removal actions.

other

Trad climber

LA, CA

Apr 28, 2010 - 06:57am PT

"It costs anywhere from $30,000 to $300,000 to litigate a case like this one."
The majority of that is labor. If legal staff donate their time the cost will be minimal.

Gary

climber

Desolation Basin, Calif.

Apr 28, 2010 - 01:48pm PT

The deadline for comments is May 14, so don't delay.

Manny

Social climber

tempe

Apr 29, 2010 - 10:32am PT

Comments sent. I really enjoy the area and would hate to see the bolts removed.

pyrosis

Trad climber

Bishop, CA

Apr 29, 2010 - 11:00am PT

Comments sent.

Gary

climber

Desolation Basin, Calif.

Apr 29, 2010 - 12:43pm PT

You guys rock!

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Apr 29, 2010 - 09:17pm PT

Hope you'll get to read my comments.

Basically reminded them that after somebody gets hurt and sues them the victim's lawyer can cite the warning of potential for such an accident in my comments prior to the removal thus illustrating their negligence.

If I was a land manager I wouldn't want an "I told you so" like that hanging over me.

Splater

climber

Grey Matter

Apr 29, 2010 - 09:58pm PT

comments sent

Wack

climber

Dazevue

Apr 30, 2010 - 12:09am PT

CTP sees very little traffic. 20 minutes of hiking reveals fewer foot prints then a half hour past Way Gone Dome in the Wonderland. We are several trillion $$ in the hole and have money to spend chopping bolts, wonderful. On the plus side we did not see 1 Barker in 4 days at CTP so refitting the climbs won't be hard to do.

andrewsolow

Trad climber

San Francisco, CA

Topic Author's Reply - Apr 30, 2010 - 04:38am PT

Be careful of rattle snakes if you visit Christmas Tree Pass this time of year. There are virtually no snakes from mid October to mid April.

Take particular care if you encounter a Mojave Rattlesnake, aka: Mojave Green. A 2mg dose of Mojave Rattlesnake venom is fatal if not treated immediately. The average envenomation from a defensive strike is about 10 mg or 5 times the lethal dose. Mojave Green venom is 16 times more powerful than Sidewinder venom.

Mojave Rattlesnake
Crotalus scutulatus
From http://digital-desert.com/wildlife/mojave-green-rattlesnake.html: This is probably the most dangerous snake in North America. It is aggressive, fairly large-bodied, and has a complex venom composed of hemolytic and neurotoxic elements. It is responsible for several deaths each year, including in recent years a prominent snake toxin expert. This snake should be avoided.

[An adult snake will usually deliver about 10% of it's venom sack capacity with each defensive strike or bite. Baby rattlesnakes only carry about 40 mg of venom. But, they have no control and they deliver all 40 mg with one bite. Fortunately, their fangs are much shorter than those of an adult snake.]