Comment from Littel, Geena

Hello land management agencies! I am writing to you today to emphasize the importance of rock climbing and its culture in my own life as well as convey some clarifications about the guidance policies (In particular, the installment of climbing anchors). Rock climbing feels deeply American, in the pursuit of personal challenge, exploration in the unknown. I feel that climbing embodies the American spirit and it is critically important to preserve the sport. Additionally, rock climbing provides a deep sense of connection and camaraderie for people of all walks of life and it brings us all together. That being said, I recognize that this activity makes an impact on our public lands and that there should be guidelines to ensure that the land can be enjoyed by everyone, not only climbers, for generations. For this I am grateful for the land management agencies for being stewards of these places I cherish so deeply. I do want to emphasize how important the maintenance of fixed anchors is. By maintaining these anchors, climbers can enjoy this sport in these wild landscapes and make a minimal impact on the environment. Without safe anchors, climbers can be forced to improvise, leading to potentially more gear being left behind (slings, metal rock protection devices, etc) and importantly, a higher danger to the climbers themselves. I deeply appreciate the agencies' actions to protect and manage rock climbing in our public lands, and I believe that protecting rock climbing anchors is aligned with that mission. 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.