Rock climbers are rejoicing after Congress passed an act Thursday protecting outdoors access — specifically the way climbers get down from rocks in wilderness areas.
After scaling big walls or mountains, there often isn’t a safe way to walk down. So climbers use what’s known as “fixed anchors,” or metal bolts drilled into walls that they rappel off of.
“I think people are just relieved that they're not going to have to worry about getting to the top of a climb and having no way to get off,” said Charlie Thomas with the Teton Climbers Coalition.
About a year ago, the National Park and Forest Services proposed banning most anchors in wilderness areas, which could have restricted climbing in Zion and Grand Teton National Parks, along with the Wind River Range.
Some conservationists have argued that installing these anchors violates the Wilderness Act. But Thomas said anchors actually limit climbers’ impact on the environment.
“They don't have to create some trail to get off of a climb that wouldn't normally exist,” he said. “So, if anything, it decreases the impact on an area.”
Back in August, more than a dozen senators — mostly from our region — urged the Department of Interior to protect access to fixed anchors.
The day before Congress passed the Protecting America’s Rock Climbing (PARC) Act, the National Park Service happened to announce it’s no longer working on its proposed policy to manage climbing. It said it will continue to regulate the sport on a park-by-park basis.
This timing was a coincidence, according to Erik Murdock, who is with the climbing advocacy group the Access Fund. It’s been a big week for him and other advocates.
“ I mean, the Access Fund has been trying to create a law to protect wilderness climbing for 31 years,” he said.
Murdock added that this doesn’t mean there’s unfettered access to wilderness climbing. You still can’t use power drills to install anchors, and the sport will continue to be regulated in other ways. But he said he’s grateful that our elected officials “did the right thing.”
“100% of our elected officials voted for it,” he said. “I mean, that's incredible.”
Both Wyoming Senator John Barrasso and Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper helped get the rock climbing legislation passed as part of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act. This is also slated to restore campgrounds and create new long-distance bike trails, among other investments in the outdoor industry.
President Joe Biden is expected to sign off on it soon.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio (KNPR) in Las Vegas, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
