Muir Access info update

Post by **weber** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 1:59 pm

Yesterday (Sunday) there were 24 cars in both parking areas at Muir. Almost all the cars were packed with climbers, from 7 states and Canada. We heard that there were ropes up on almost every climb at the Great Wall. The moderates were especially busy.

Last week, we received 62 release forms to bring the total received over the past 12 months to close to 600.

To accomodate the growing popularity and minimize the growing pains, we need to continually update the access guidelines, and will try to keep this info posted on this forum. Please copy and take these posts with you when you visit.

First, and foremost, please remember that this is neither a commercial venture nor a tax write-off. Although it does not generate income, it does create expenses as though it were commercial. Liz and I and the route developers are trying to keep up with the growing popularity; it is keeping us hopping!

Karla Carandang (Squeezndlemmon) has been given permission to form a support group of climbers and hikers called Friends of Muir Valley. This has grown out of her organization of The Gathering, an ad hoc group of volunteers who did a wonderful job of helping to plan and build trails last fall.

Many of you recognize the expense part of the equation and have generously offered to contribute to the building of trails, parking areas, signs etc. We appreciate your offers, but ask that you direct your contributions to Friends of Muir Valley through Karla Carandang. They have already been installing signs, building trails and bridges, and of course, putting up new routes and maintaining existing ones. This group will serve as an advisory resource for Liz and me. We certainly do not have all of the answers and welcome the broad expertise which as been offered.

Even though there are about 170 routes bolted now in the Valley, climbers tend to congregate at the more well-known crags. There are a lot of new routes, including 5.8/5.9's in the Rebel Camp Branch Hollow and a few in the Hatton Hollow that you should consider. This will relieve the pressure off the other walls.

We will be expanding the parking area as soon as the weather dries up enough to put down stone. For now, please park close together and as efficiently as possible.

As a reminder, the five cabins being built along the upper road are on property that is adjacent to, but not a part of Muir Valley. Please be respectful and considerate of our neighbors.

If you have an FRS radio, please bring it and keep it on channel 5, privacy code 10. (5.10) If anyone has a problem or needs to check out the number of climbers at any particular crag, this will allow them to do so without hiking up to do so. With the number of people who keep their FRS tuned to 5.10, this channel also provides a high probability of reaching someone close in case of an emergency. And, if someone does call in an emergency, please do what you can to help. These radios now sell for about $15.

If all goes well, this year there will be a trail along the creek between the Rebel Camp Branch Hollow and the Tantroft Hollow. It will continue all the way up the Valley to the base of the Great Wall and Solarium area. Until then, to go from one of these hollows to the other, you must either wade along the creek bank or to take the old steep logging road down at the north end of the main road coming into Muir. You can access this road either from a parking area at its beginning -- which we recently announced would be closed soon, as it is not on Muir property -- or, you can access it by parking in the main parking lot (near our new beige/brown barn) and walking generally north along a newly excavated road to the old logging road and on down into the Valley. When you follow this new road, don't go all the way to its end, but rather keep an eye out to your left for the old logging road, about twenty feet higher in elevation. Walk a few steps up hill and you will be on the logging road. We're making more signs this week and will install some next week to help you find the way to the crags.

Thank you all again for your help and cooperation.

Rick Weber

Post by **diggum** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 2:39 pm

Thanks for all you have done & continue to do for our community Rick & Liz.

I Look forward to hearing more about Karla's projects. Keep us posted Squeeze!

Post by **dipsi** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:15 pm

As always, you two are the best! Enjoyed our time together yesterday!

Post by **Alan Evil** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:31 pm

It was really amazing how many people were out there! All my impressions of Rick & Liz have been confirmed and amplified. Warm, intelligent, and wonderfully friendly and, obviously, far more generous than we filthy climbers deserve.

p.s. We found a nice bow saw and a pair of clippers laying by the trail (under the Sunshine sign) and brought them out with us and slid them under the barn door. Didn't want them to get rusted up. I even snipped a briar with them on the way out.

Post by **squeezindlemmon** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:47 pm

Thanks Alan Evil! Jared and I left it there on our way to Sunnyside from BruiseBros Wall since we didn't think we would need it in that area... It sure lightened our load on the hike up! And we were relieved to see it up at the parking lot since the clippers were just borrowed from someone.

Post by **kentuckysarah** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 6:24 pm

You guys have done a great job with Muir. I absolutely love that place, which is noticeable since I just spent 4 days there. I will be glad to help with trail building and that kinda stuff, just let me know.

Post by **Stewy911** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 7:32 pm

Muir rulz! I cant wait to see the new lines at the Solarium. I heard hatton hollow has some good ones as well. how many more aareas are in progress like hatton and solarium? Theres gotta be quite a dew down ther.e

Post by **dhoyne** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 7:55 pm

Stewy911 wrote:Muir rulz! I cant wait to see the new lines at the Solarium. I heard hatton hollow has some good ones as well. how many more aareas are in progress like hatton and solarium? Theres gotta be quite a dew down ther.e

Drinking during lunch again?

Post by **Stewy911** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:15 pm

yes way to many ale8s that is...... well with alil splash of somein somein !

Post by **J-Rock** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:26 pm

I would guess that there will be 300 routes by the end of the year and probably 400-500 routes by the end of the next year... then there will probably be a small Muir Valley guidebook... Yahoo!