I second your wonder out loud Bill. Plus I have to add that this just goes to show you how little people know about what the Forest Service is looking at when it comes to climber impact. Correct me if I am wrong Bill, but for the most part the Forest Service is not concerned about what is going on with the actual rock face...ie bolts. They are more concern about the ground at the base of the cliff - ie natural and cultural recources. The bandit routes could have been unapproved trad routes and the impact to the cliff base could be the same - although usually sport routes have more of an impact. Plus if a power drill was used in the cliffy wildeness then that would be a problem.captain static wrote:I have to wonder out loud whether people will go to Mariba for two mediocre sport climbs? At the same time I have to wonder if people do start climbing these routes and cause impacts that trigger LAC would it be worth it?
Mariba Fork
"Climbing is the spice, not the meal." ~ Lurkist
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captain static
- Posts: 2438
- Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 6:05 pm
For a little education here are the things that the Forest Service will look at regarding climbing under LAC -
Resource Standards: Size (area of impact per climbsite); Condition Class; # Fire Sites (per climbsite); Tree damage (per climbsite); Trash (per climbsite); Density (total climbsite impact/1,000 linear feet); Unauthorized Development.
Climbing Definitions:
Climbsite – A staging area at the base of one or more climbing routes where, in the judgment of USFS field staff, technical rock climbing or bouldering activities have produced obvious impacts to the ground (e.g. vegetative or organic litter disturbance, soil compaction).
Zero Climbing – A location where technical rock climbing or bouldering activity occurs but where, in the judgment of USFS field staff, no obvious impacts to the ground are apparent.
Climbing Area – A day use destination area for technical rock climbing. Generally two or more climbsites along an expanse of cliffline with no greater than 300 feet of spacing between climbsites. (Note - Where a Climbing Area consists of a single climbsite the Largest Climbsite Size standard will determine whether the area is within the Limits of Acceptable Change.)
Authorized Development – Climbing development in existing Climbing Areas that have been inventoried by the USFS and where a survey for potential conflicts with cultural or biological resources has either been conducted or is pending. Climbing development in new Climbing Areas (See DBNF Forest Plan 1.C-REC-2.) that has received prior Forest Service authorization. (Note - Climbing that does not involve “developmentâ€
Resource Standards: Size (area of impact per climbsite); Condition Class; # Fire Sites (per climbsite); Tree damage (per climbsite); Trash (per climbsite); Density (total climbsite impact/1,000 linear feet); Unauthorized Development.
Climbing Definitions:
Climbsite – A staging area at the base of one or more climbing routes where, in the judgment of USFS field staff, technical rock climbing or bouldering activities have produced obvious impacts to the ground (e.g. vegetative or organic litter disturbance, soil compaction).
Zero Climbing – A location where technical rock climbing or bouldering activity occurs but where, in the judgment of USFS field staff, no obvious impacts to the ground are apparent.
Climbing Area – A day use destination area for technical rock climbing. Generally two or more climbsites along an expanse of cliffline with no greater than 300 feet of spacing between climbsites. (Note - Where a Climbing Area consists of a single climbsite the Largest Climbsite Size standard will determine whether the area is within the Limits of Acceptable Change.)
Authorized Development – Climbing development in existing Climbing Areas that have been inventoried by the USFS and where a survey for potential conflicts with cultural or biological resources has either been conducted or is pending. Climbing development in new Climbing Areas (See DBNF Forest Plan 1.C-REC-2.) that has received prior Forest Service authorization. (Note - Climbing that does not involve “developmentâ€
"Be responsible for your actions and sensitive to the concerns of other visitors and land managers. ... Your reward is the opportunity to climb in one of the most beautiful areas in this part of the country." John H. Bronaugh
512OW is right. Mariba might see a dozen climbers in a year. No one seems to know the grade of said routes and the approach is arduous if a sportie could even find them. They aren't drawing anyone. Mariba is for traddies that don't mind bushwacking all day for a few routes that aren't even classics. I'm amazed that anyone packed all that hardware in there to begin with.
"Everyone should have a plan for the zombie apocolipse" Courtney