Thank You from Muir Valley

[toad857]

good call on the 'memberships'

instead of having that big "overflow" parking area, it is separate "parking reserved for FOMV members, only", who get to climb regardless of whether the main lot is full, or whether MV is on hiatus due to overuse, etc. $50 a year for a membership?

[mike_a_lafontaine]

good call on the 'memberships'

instead of having that big "overflow" parking area, it is separate "parking reserved for FOMV members, only", who get to climb regardless of whether the main lot is full, or whether MV is on hiatus due to overuse, etc. $50 a year for a membership?

$50 a year plus 1 day volunteer activity monthly or bimonthly.

In fact, I wouldn't mind seeing everyone who climbs there be required to help out at least a little prior to being allowed to climb. That would not only reduce the traffic, but those that are culled are precisely the ones who are treating MV like crap. I'm betting the vast majority of the people who turn out for trail days are not crapping next to the trail, destroying the bathrooms, leaving trash behind, etc. Would really be nice to get rid of the folks who are in a selective manner.

[clif]

this sounds like it's headed in the right direction to me. i'll only note (and have no idea what the material expenses were, are, or will be)
but 90,000 a year, if considered the baseline expense of maintaining Muir Valley, would take considerable effort. the 250 to 350, call it 1000 for the math and continued growth, is 100 dollars a person per year. 1000 visiting 5 times a year EACH. well, on the bright side there would most likely be at least one person out of that group every weekend to clean the bathrooms.

[jules]

I absolutely agree with paying for parking, and I'd pay extra if we could bring our two dogs.

[blakeleathers]

only if your dog is going to be used as a crash pad. ... no pun intended.

[michaelarmand]

First – an obvious thanks Rick and Liz for the huge time and financial gift they continue to give to the climbing community. Here are my thoughts:

1) Charging for parking/climbing is a bad idea. First, this will create more work in implementing and enforcing this policy that inevitably fall on the shoulders of the Webers. But more importantly, when you charge a fee for something a then this is a business transaction. The community at large is not going to generously give time and money to a place that charges them money to climb. Would you donate money or time to the Gunks? I wouldn’t…

On a side note, what is the status of FOMV getting charitable status? This is important for more than just tax purposes. This should squash any doubters who may question where the donations go.

2) As for the operating costs, I can see a bunch of climbers stepping up and throwing in “their share” of $100. But we are not going to find a 900 people needed to cover the costs. The PMRP would have been paid off long ago if this were the case. So my question is, can the operating costs be reduced for the years going forward? My thought is that a lot of these expenses must have been one time infrastructure, like the roads.

3) As for a labor – if people trash the bathroom and volunteers won’t clean it – then just close it. You should not be our maid Liz. And I know a lot of people visit MV, but it isn’t the state fair. Can we not develop a parking system that doesn’t require someone to direct traffic? The lower lot is huge I am sure climbers can be educated how to park themselves there. Also giving out more valley floor parking passes to select people can further alleviate some of the traffic.

[calvinivlac]

How about coordinating with the RRGCC and continuing to raise funds via yearly events (Rocktoberfest, etc) and using some of those funds for FoMV? We raise funds from the broader climbing community for a good cause and also preserve access, not just the PMRP but for the entire Red.

The goals of keeping Muir and PMRP open to climbing are the same and as I understand it, with the bridge loan from the AF, the PMRP is in good shape mortgage-wise, no? Using non-profit funds from RRGCC fund-raising, as long as it doesn't conflict with the charter, would really help keep more of the Red open. If we start losing access to Muir, it'll increase crowding and overuse issues at the PMRP and other areas (read: too much poop and land degradation).

[toad857]

good point. having muir valley available to climbers over the past few years has undoubtedly raised money for RRGCC, however intangible the connection is to make on paper. the same can be said for all climbing gyms in the region--muir valley (and pendergrass) have generated profit. difficult to pin a number on it, but even more difficult to deny. the loss of MV would negatively affect the coalition in a big way.

that's why i have to give mad props to gyms like hoosier heights that actively support fundraising for the community (whether the coalition or FOMV). a donation box is nice, but it's a pretty passive way to be involved..especially for a gym that regularly has events. forget the ABS--how about a "RRG community comp" series? one at hoosier heights, the next at vertical adventures in Cbus, the next at climb time (or rock quest with their fancy new boulders), etc. it could last all winter long and make lots of money. the money could be split evenly between RRGCC and FOMV. i digress.

maybe in a few years after pendergrass is paid off, some help will be able to be diverted to FOMV? who knows. now's probably not the time to be thinking about that.

[pigsteak]

my guess is most climbers ignored this, and hope that the Weber's are now appeased for awhile. Sad but true.

Parking for ten cars only..that'll do it.

[One-Fall]

my guess is most climbers ignored this, and hope that the Weber's are now appeased for awhile. Sad but true.

Parking for ten cars only..that'll do it.

If that's what it takes, I'd be in.