Sacrificing virgins

[Cliff Heindel]

The recent push to raise money for the Murray property caught me between wanting to contribute yet worried about subsidising the abuses and ambivalence I see in some climbers/recreationalists.

As both efforts to include other user groups, particularly mountain bikers, goes forward and the apparently large untapped potential for new routes are developed, I want my money to buy some measure of confidence that those people who choose to use the area respect my ethics, which are a modest revision on the Leave No Trace ideas, essentially recognizing that I go to the woods to visit an area where human's impact is negligible, at worst the impact is indulgent in it's deference toward enjoying man's absence.

What??
At the John and Alex Crag/Trail work day this past fall, I was saddened that a maturing beech tree near (about 6 feet and probably 20 years old) from the base of "Happy Trails" at the Gallery was completely cut down to a four inch stump; when earlier that morning I had seen the two branches which had extended toward the climb while appreciating what a beautiful tree it was becoming along the base of the wall, the always striking contrast between the lucid green and smooth gray order of the tree (especially in the sun) against the swirling mix of browns, reds, oranges and yellows of the rock. Plus the nice natural shelving that the roots frequently create for gear.

Omitting the possibilty of an emergency bolting situation, on my too infrequent trips to the Red I'd be willing to spend time on project route development projects if given some time. It is just that once the area around the base of a climb is cleared and compacted by users it is highly unlikely that anything else will take root, so preservation should be the first course of action.

And I promise to never post another treatise on ethics, thanks for your attention.

[rhunt]

Cliff Heindel, I think you make a great point. Yet if you're coming to the "southern region" to have a "wilderness experience" that might be difficult to do as you trip over all the oil tanks, cables, pipes, etc that are littered all over the area. I espically like the strong smell of natural gas as i pass by the oil tanks on my way to the sore heel hollow parking area.

Again I appraicate your insight and perspective but the SR is already heavily impacted by (oil work) humans. Check out the DBNF for a natural wilderness experience....particually the cliffy wilderness

[anticlmber]

Rhunt, dont be a dink. People that hide behind the "its already trashed so whats it matter" excuse PISS ME OFF. the OIL workers did that. fine they have tried to clean up there mess. with the exception of the pipe at Bob Marley the evidence of oil workers AT the cliff is nil. Hey you built a house therefore the land is trashed so whats it matter if i crap on your front porch. probably doesn't matter to the folks who use the above excuse for their reasoning.
Leave the wilderness as you found it. Pipes, tanks, they are there. your garbage doesn't have to be.

[Saxman]

Hey Cliff, try cleaning up your treatises before posting them so people can follow what you are saying a little more easily.

[maine]

Unfortunately with the way access issues are going we will not have the luxury to decide which climbing coaltions are worthy of support.

I personally have not been overly impressed with a lot of things the RRGCC has done but ultimately my concern is for climbing to be secured in the gorge for many generations to come.

There are some valid points about minimizing impact and I am an avid supporter of the leave no trace policy: however, now is not the time to bicker about the loss of a tree or personality differances between climbers . . .

Get on the train and then bitch about where it is going.

[captain static]

Cliff makes an excellent point about the importance of tree roots in preventing erosion. The amount of pruning conducted at the base of a climb requires some judgement between safety and the value of retaining vegetation to prevent erosion and the pure esthetics Cliff describes.

With Dr. Bob taking on the responsibility of President, Mark Jackson has accepted the position of PMRP Property Manager. I'll make sure that Mark is aware of this thread.

[ynot]

Shoot. I thought this thread was about homely girls getting lucky.