Comment from Dylan Connole

Public lands need a management plan that protects climbing, preserves historical climbing routes, allows for new route development and practical maintenance of existing hardware. Along with all of the valid points brought up by the access fund, there are numerous problematic areas with the draft management plans. I'm an American Mountain Guides Association Certified Rock Guide with 20 years of experience climbing, a small guiding business owner, and someone who has developed new routes across the country and abroad. Bolts should be allowed for protection on climbs and anchors for safe descent from climbs. They should not be limited in any way by distance, which would only create dangerous situations. There needs to be a streamline process for applying for permits for installing new hardware. There should also be local climbing organizations that are pre-authorized for anchor maintenance to ensure safety in climbing areas. ALL fixed hardware should be able to be maintained and replaced, whether in wilderness or not, using a power drill when needed. Drills have been lumped in with vehicles and machinery when they are less of a disturbance and more along the line of hunting rifles which are allowed in many wilderness areas. Modern drills are small and much quieter allowing for quick maintenance. Simply, if guns are allowed for killing animals, drills should be allowed for saving people. Thank you 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.