Comment from Gowring, Ron
Ron GowringSupportIndividual
Summary: The commenter, a long-time climber, supports the recognition of climbing as a wilderness activity and the allowance of fixed anchors. They request improvements to expedite anchor replacement and simplify the authorization process for new routes and programmatic permits.
Climbing on public lands has been important way for me to connect with nature for more than 50 years. The friends I have shared climbing adventures with are among the most important to me, and continued access to these opportunities for future generations must be protected.
I support the recognition that climbing is an appropriate Wilderness activity and that fixed anchors, critical pieces of the climbing safety system, are allowable in Wilderness. I also support provisions to allow climbers to place or replace fixed anchors without authorization in the event of an emergency. I appreciate that the policy protects existing climbing routes that were developed before the PARC Act was passed into law. Legacy Wilderness climbs should remain available in order to preserve America’s rich climbing legacy.
Please improve policies to expedite timely replacement of fixed anchors in order to avoid unnecessary barriers to climber safety. The authorization process for new climbing routes that require fixed anchors should be easier to navigate. Please provide a clear path for programmatic authorization, or preauthorization, at climbing areas that do not necessitate case-by-case special use permits.