Your help needed at Muir Valley

[weber]

October 6, 2007

It is not our desire to set attendance records at Muir Valley, but today’s number of visitors and cars exceeded the Labor Day numbers. This may be due to Ray’s new guidebook which lists about 130 new climbs in the Valley, in addition to the 100 listed in the first edition.

Regardless, today there were 88 cars trying to cram into a parking lot designed for 40. Thirty or so parked on the neighbors' grass or partially blocked the driveway. We estimated about 320 visitors climbed here today.

Of course this is excessive. The human impact is more than the Valley can currently support. New routes in new areas in Muir are being developed almost on a daily basis, but it is hard to keep up with the growing number of climbers coming here. The sport is truly exploding in popularity down here in the Gorge.

If you don’t climb in Muir, then read no more. If you do, then we really need your help.

1. Please park responsibly. Don’t leave 3/4 of a space between yours and the adjacent car.

2. Don’t park off the graveled parking lot anywhere adjacent to it.

3. Don’t block other cars or the entrance to the maintenance building.

4. On weekends this fall, you may park down the hill past the barn in the lower meadow, unless there has been a recent rain.

5. Please consider helping us with our Trail Day on November 10. We’ve been building trails, bridges, stairs, and belay bases and a frantic rate, but we are falling behind. Since January 2007, we’ve had over 7000 visitors and only about 15 occasional volunteers helping with the infrastructure. Not a good balance for a free access climbing venue.

6. Also, please consider making a donation to the Friends of Muir Valley. Although the Webers don’t accept personal donations, almost all of the improvements and operating expenses have been paid for by them. Donations to the RRGCC have been in the tens of thousands. Contrary to what many think, absolutely none of this goes to Muir. The FoMV group has received about 300 bucks this year. Donations can be made to:

Friends of Muir Valley
c/o Accent Technologies
2415 Directors Row
Suite i
Indianapolis, IN 46241

And finally, a big THANK YOU to those few who have donated a little of their time to help make MV a nice place to climb.

Rick Weber

[Saxman]

You might consider putting in a large sign as one drives down the hill with PARKING RULES on it. Obviously some people need a little help knowing how to park and unfortunately most of those people will never see your post. Thanks again Rick for your patience with the climbing community.

[calvinivlac]

Rick, is there a way to make donations online (paypal, etc.)? I looked around but didn't see anything... I'm sure that might make donation-levels go up. If you already have it, can you point me to it?

[caribe]

Damn! The best way to show thanks to the Webers is to send them a check. Everyone knows most climbers don't have two rocks to rub together, but if each of the individuals in these 88 cars pulled $20 out of their pocket, there would be about $5k in the pot. Those that can afford to dig a little deeper would allow us to double that figure.

This is a public service announcement that was NOT funded by the Liz Weber campaign for president of these United States (Rick would be first man).

[Paul3eb]

The best way to show thanks the Webers is send them a check

the second best way to is let other people know, spread the word. if you see issues arising in the lot, take responsibility for a couple minutes and see if you can't work something out with folks, direct them to the proper spots, etc. so what if you get to the crag 10/15/20 minutes later. you'd probably just use the time to sit on your pack and eat food anyway..

[gunslnga]

Rick,
I agree with calvin, please put up a pay-pal site or guide me to an existing one.
I have not been able to be in the Gorge this year yet to an ongoing
set of broken Metatarsels, but my heart is there. I have donated to
every cause we have had this year, via Pay-Pal. I am not responsible
enough to have a cheque book, I tend to bounce things, so Patty controls
our wealth, HA!HA! . Seriously though, I love and respect you and liz,
Carla, Jared, and the rest of Team Muir, and would like to donate. I think I'm already a member of the Friends of Muir and would like to donate in any way I can. I will do my best, foot permitting, to be at the trail day you mentioned.
Hope to see you soon,
Todd-n-Patty

[weber]

Thank you for the suggestions, but we need to clarify an important point here. Liz and I, as owners of Muir Valley, very much appreciate offers of donations, but do not accept them personally. Instead, we ask those who wish to make a donation to send it to the Friends of Muir Valley, a separate group of volunteers who help build and maintain trails, bridges, staircases, parking areas, and the emergency/maintenance road along the Valley floor.

The website for this group is:

http://www.friendsofmuirvalley.org/

In a few days, there will be a PayPal donation function added to this website. In the meantime, anyone wishing to send donations via mail can send them to the address given in our original post in this thread

Thank you.

Rick Weber

[soccerfast007]

Thanks Rick, for all your hard work, dedication, and PATIENCE/UNDERSTANDING. Everytime we chat at the crag I walk away thinking 'how is this guy so positive and proactive' you are always thinking and planning ahead. I agree that a big sign near the front stating 'if the lot is full / >40 cars please climb somewhere else.' The last thing we want to do is piss off your neighbors, destroy the trails, and mess things up/strain relationships. If I want to climb at muir i generally get there by 9am and i'm rarely the first car in the lot, but people need to understand and respect the gift of access (not the right) and how to show appreciation through obedience. Thanks again, see you November 10th!

[michaelarmand]

Thanks for everything Rick! I can't make the trail day....but I'll be sure to send in some cash (as soon as the paypal link is up).