EXPLORE Act Mandated Wilderness Climbing Guidance FR Notice

The commenter supports the USFS's recognition of climbing as a wilderness activity and the inclusion of fixed anchors, while praising the focus on collaboration with Local Climbing Organizations. However, they urge the agency to provide more clarity on the specific processes for creating and implementing Climbing Management Plans (CMPs).

Sam Lightner Jr, an experienced climber, opposes potential restrictions on replacing aging anchors and limiting the number of bolts in a given space. He argues that such restrictions would compromise climber safety and suggests that agencies should instead promote modern, durable hardware and the use of power drills.

The Leavenworth Mountain Association supports the proposed guidance but urges the Forest Service not to make comprehensive climbing management plans a prerequisite for routine maintenance or new route authorization. They advocate for protecting legacy routes and anchors, clarifying definitions for small-scale hardware, and emphasizing the safety role of anchors outside wilderness areas.

The commenter supports the USFS draft regarding climbing management in National Forests and Wilderness areas. They specifically advocate for the use of fixed anchors for safety, the creation of local management pathways, and the preservation of legacy wilderness climbs.

The commenter, a long-time rock and ice climber with experience in land management, supports the mandated climbing guidance for federal agencies. They argue that Climbing Management Plans (CMPs) should be the default tool for managing high-intensity recreation and suggest using common templates to simplify the process for land managers.

The Western Montana Climbing Coalition supports the proposed climbing management guidance, particularly the recognition of small, safety-based fixed anchors as legitimate and the protection of existing routes. They advocate for flexible, locally-informed standards over rigid national numeric requirements and emphasize the importance of collaborative stewardship with local climbing organizations.

The commenter, a long-time climber with experience in land management and advocacy, supports the USFS's recognition of climbing as a wilderness activity and the use of fixed anchors. They request more clarity on the specific processes for creating Climbing Management Plans (CMPs) and handling new routing in areas without existing plans.