Mammoth Mountain’s Via Ferrata private on public land?!

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Macbeth

Social climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Jun 17, 2018 - 05:40pm PT
Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort operates its various winter and summer businesses under a USFS special use permit. Basically every product sold at Mammoth gives a percentage to the government.
In the case of the Via Ferrata this business will be one of only 2 USFS approved Via Ferrata in the USA, Jackson Hole being the other.
The Caldera overlook cliff was an unutilized climbing venue because of the difficulty of access unless you ride the gondola.
The project itself should provide summer employment for 15 -20 employees and be a pretty cool work detail. For paying guests this will be a safe and spectacular introduction to the mountain environment.
As a local employer this allows MMSA to retain skilled winter employees year round improving the guest experience and expanding our lift evacuation team which is a win for everyone.
This guided experience will be epic, six routes of varying difficulty and a 50 foot suspension bridge 100 feet off the deck should get the adrenalin of most going.
Opening in mid-August 2018
rottingjohnny

Sport climber
Sands Motel , Las Vegas
Jun 17, 2018 - 05:51pm PT
the Ferrata route happens to be right below the Trustme Rusty trundling range. Another multi-use venture between Alterra and the goons from the Inyo National Forest...
justthemaid

climber
Jim Henson's Basement
Jun 18, 2018 - 06:00am PT
I get your point Dingus- "paid" being a relative and not quite accurate term as you pointed out.. which makes the entitlement attitude even more idiotic. Regardless of how we got it- the feds have it now and the maintenance doesn't come free. I'm not advocating for mass privatization at all BTW.
Hoots

climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Jun 18, 2018 - 07:17am PT
There is now an uphill ski policy in place, news of it came out on May 5.
Limited to open hours, so no dawn patrols for locals with jobs, but it is a start.

Jackson Hole Mountain resort also has a via ferrata now on their land, and Squaq is developing theirs. I believe both are exclusive to paid customers.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Jun 18, 2018 - 07:24am PT
Via Ferratas are similar to the amusement parks no one complains about paying to get into.
Flip Flop

climber
Earth Planet, Universe
Jun 18, 2018 - 07:33am PT
I prefer user costs to be paid by users, so I don't object to user fees like park passes, campground fees, lift tickets.
Jon Beck

Trad climber
Oceanside
Jun 18, 2018 - 08:42am PT
I don't object to user fees like park passes, campground fees, lift tickets.

you support the Adventure Pass? that fee was the proverbial camel's nose in the tent. You have to pay to day hike on public land, bad precedent.

August West

Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
Jun 18, 2018 - 11:07am PT
Our tax dollars did not pay for that land. That land was stolen from indigenous peoples, and then Spain, and then Mexico and then the U.S.; long ago.

The cry "we paid for that land" is dishonest, in the case at hand.

Come on DMT, we stole that land fair and square!
lalamur

Trad climber
San Diego, CA
Jul 5, 2018 - 08:41am PT
Just another reason to steer clear of this horrible resort.
ManMountain

Mountain climber
San Diego
Jul 5, 2018 - 09:10am PT
Jackson Hole has had a via ferrata operation for a while now. An all day experience is $485 for a party of two.

https://www.jacksonhole.com/via-ferrata.html
Jim Clipper

Gym climber
from the ground up
Jul 5, 2018 - 09:49am PT
Isn't this an old argument? What is the "subsidized" cost of grazing rights, mineral extraction, now entertainment? on public vs. private lands?

Also, Chouinard wrote about camping limits in National Parks, demonstration fees, etc. a while back. Can't find a link.

I'm sure I'm just preaching to the choir.

TFPU. It helps me appreciate the un-decorated, front line ambassadors. Stick you neck out and yell grazing fees? Still, in the desert... that might bring some strange groups together.

ArmandoWyo

climber
Wyoming
Jul 5, 2018 - 02:55pm PT
I’m guilty of seeing things through a single prism: does it hurt or help climbers’ generally unrestricted rights to climb and use, place, and leave appropriate gear (bolts, pins, slings)? Next time folks are defending bolts in FS lands, be good to remind the the FS that it allows much more climbing hardware — for money. (course, it does go through a permitting process, so not exactly same.)
Just don’t think it helps climbers to be the ones attacking via ferratas. I’m not going to go out of my way to support them, but I think the better tactical position is the live and let live.
Urmas

Social climber
Sierra Eastside
Jul 5, 2018 - 05:49pm PT
I believe in the owners of something paying for it. In this case land that is owned by the public should be maintained with public funds, not user fees. Can you imagine what life would be like if there was no public land? We all benefit from it even if we don't "use"it.
G_Gnome

Trad climber
Cali
Jul 6, 2018 - 09:27am PT
I believe in the owners of something paying for it. In this case land that is owned by the public should be maintained with public funds, not user fees. Can you imagine what life would be like if there was no public land? We all benefit from it even if we don't "use"it.

Unfortunately this is a naive viewpoint since OUR government does NOT fund the parks or forest service at a level that lets it maintain its facilities. So they end up charging user fees to make up the difference. Even those are often taken by our government and spent on other things instead.
Jon Beck

Trad climber
Oceanside
Jul 6, 2018 - 09:39am PT
Even those are often taken by our government and spent on other things instead.

Not really true. The big parks are cash cows, Yos, Zion, Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. 80% of the fees collected remain in the park. the 20% that goes to the NPS does not come close to covering the operating expenses of the smaller parks. It is like public transportation, the fares will never cover the cost, so government needs to make up the difference for the public good.
merk-daddy

Trad climber
starvation bar, ca
Jul 24, 2018 - 11:30am PT
Intrawest continuing to destroy my former lovely mtn town. Schmucks.

Last year Jackson Hole proudly announced their via Ferrara. I think that is on USFS land.

https://www.jacksonhole.com/via-ferrata.html

When I was a patroller at Mammoth (20 years ago) I asked the USFS liaison what the rules were about skinning up for the public and he said as long as it didn't interfere with land lease activities (downhill skiing) it was allowed. When I told this to the management (who directed us to force Skinners off the MTN) they freaked out and asked why I thought it was okay to ask the USFS.

Schmucks, all around. Ruining a beautiful place in an effort to make a few bucks
bran_daid

Trad climber
santa monica, ca
Jul 24, 2018 - 12:02pm PT
wow, missed that mammoth allows uphilling this upcoming season. that's such great news! so stoked to get morning fitness laps in before shredding the piste during the day.



rottingjohnny

Sport climber
Sands Motel , Las Vegas
Jul 24, 2018 - 07:16pm PT
Merk daddy...I think they're called Alterra ( not to be confused with a Nissan ) not Intrawest....
BigB

Trad climber
Red Rock
Jul 25, 2018 - 08:49am PT
Not really true. The big parks are cash cows, Yos, Zion, Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. 80% of the fees collected remain in the park. the 20% that goes to the NPS does not come close to covering the operating expenses of the smaller parks. It is like public transportation, the fares will never cover the cost, so government needs to make up the difference for the public good.
u know whats crazy is ...the great smoky mtns park is bigger than Yellowstone/Yosemite together(per visitors) or even grand canyon/zion(which are #2-3 respectively) together.
JimT

climber
Munich
Jul 25, 2018 - 10:55am PT
Our tax dollars did not pay for that land. That land was stolen from indigenous peoples, and then Spain, and then Mexico and then the U.S.; long ago.
And the British, we haven´t forgotten!
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