Comment from Peter O'Malia
AnonymousSupportIndividual
Summary: The commenter, a long-time climber and youth climbing coach, supports the recognition of climbing as a wilderness activity and the use of fixed anchors. They advocate for streamlined processes for replacing old anchors and easier programmatic authorization for new routes to ensure climber safety.
I have been climbing outdoors for 25 years and have used many of the fixed anchors on climbing routes in multiple states. Many of these anchors need replacing and updating to stainless steel hardware. I have had part of a fixed anchor break while bring connected to it. Thankfully, I did not get hurt. I am coach a USA Youth Climbing team and want my athletes to have access to state and federal climbing areas in the future.
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.