Utah

Access Fund work in Utah

Work with the Bureau of Land Management and local landowners at Indian Creek to limit user conflicts and ensure continued climbing access that crosses private land. (2006)
Communicatiuons with the US Forest Service and local landowners to maintain climbing access across private lands in Little Cottonwood Canyon outside Salt Lake City. (2006)
Meetings and communications with National Park Service management and congressional offices to minimize public relations fallout to climbers from the high-profile ascent of Delicate Arch in Arches National Park. These lobbying efforts focused on the new climbing resatrictions in Arches National Park as well as to limit how any new negative perceptions of climbers might impact several ongoing NPS management planning initiatives. (2006)
Continued work at Indian Creek, in conjunction with the Friends of Indian Creek, with Heidi Redd and The Nature Conservancy concerning continued climbing access across Dugout Ranch property. (2006)
Work strategizing with climbing advocates in Utah and discussions with the National Park Service to reopen climbing opportunities that were limited in Arches National Park as a result of the high-profile and controversial ascent of Delicate Arch in May 2006. (2006)
Met with members of the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance at the Outdoor Retailer Show to discuss organizational issues and strategies regarding working with the USFS current issues (2006)
Continued work at Indian Creek with The Nature Conservancy and Dugout Ranch lessee Heidi Redd to minimize ranch conflicts with climbers and ensure continued access across private land to the world-famous climbing found at, among others, Supercrack, Battle of the Bulge and Scarface buttresses. (2006)
Meetings with the National Park Service and strategizing with climbing advocates in Utah to reopen climbing opportunities that were limited in Arches National Park as a result of the high-profile and controversial ascent of Delicate Arch in May 2006. (2006)
Continued meetings and communication with the BLM in Monticello, UT concerning a recreation management plan for the Indian Creek Corridor that includes many climber-friendly provisions. (2005)
Consulted Salt Lake Climbers Alliance re organizational and membership issues (2005)
Advocacy work on recreation plan for Indian Creek, UT and organizational work to help form the Friends of Indian Creek climbing advocacy group. (2005)
Work with climbers from Logan, Utah regarding USFS issues and starting a new climbing organization (2005)
Work with climbers regarding the formation of Friends of Indian Creek (2005)
Advocacy work representing climber interests with the BLM, Nature Conservancy, and Dugout Ranch on a recreation plan and climbing access issues at Indian Creek, UT; organizational work to help the newly-formed the Friends of Indian Creek climbing advocacy group (www.friendsofindiancreek.org) to ensure that climbing interests are represented when land management and climbing access decisions are made at this world-class sandstone crack-climbing Mecca (2005)
Outreach to the climbing community and submission of Access Fund scoping comments for a backcountry management plan for Zion National Park, UT that could affect the management of most of the park’s climbing resources (2005)
Discussions with USFS personnel regarding grant proposal for campground and other improvements in Maple Canyon. (2005)
Attendance at the ceremony held by Utah Open Lands to commemorate the protection of the traditional climbers’ campground at the base of Castleton Tower, UT (2005)
Conducted community outreach and drafted scoping comments for a backcountry management plan at Zion National Park, UT that could affect most of the park’s climbing resources. Our efforts sought consensus among climbers that preserves the unique climbing opportunities at this big wall climbing Mecca (2005)
Work with the BLM, Nature Conservancy, Rocky Mountain Field Institute, and members of the outdoor industry regarding a recreation management plan for Indian Creek, UT. Advocacy work related to a draft management plan for Indian Creek, UT; organizing support for a climber-friendly management alternative with the climbing community and outdoor industry; assistance forming a Friends of Indian Creek group; and assistance with the Patagonia Ambassador’s program in writing a stewardship grant for the region. (2004)
Climbing preservation grants awarded in 2004: Rocky Mountain Field Institute Trail Projects, Utah. Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI) for trail projects at Indian Creek Canyon, UT. Projects will include construction of climbing access trails to the Way Rambo and Cat Walls, campground maintenance and restoration for the Bridger Jack camping site, and maintenance of existing trails. The mitigation of impacts to the fragile desert landscape continues to be a critical need in Indian Creek Canyon. RMFI has received Access Fund support for Indian Creek projects for the past 6 years. (2004)
Climbing preservation grants awarded in 2004: Pete’s Rock Conservation Project, Utah. Salt Lake Climbers Alliance (SLCA) for the Pete’s Rock Conservation and Restoration Initiative. Last year, the SLCA committed to permanently removing large white painted numbers from Pete’s Rock, a beginner top-rope crag located near Mt. Olympus in the Wasatch Range. The numbers had been re-painted year after year as a tradition to mark the routes and designate their difficulty. The public is overwhelming in support of permanently removing the paint as most recreationists felt it was a practice no longer acceptable. (2004)
Advocacy work to preserve climbing opportunities and promote stewardship efforts and conservation management at various southern Utah areas: Indian Creek, Castleton Tower, the Mystery Towers, and the Moab and Monticello Resource Management Areas. (2003)
Castle Valley, UT. Attended roundtable discussions to identify management issues and alternatives, and support land protection options for newly acquired property at the base of Castleton Tower. (2003)
Drafted administrative comments and related advocacy work on management plans for various public land units across the country, including BLM Monticello and Moab Filed Offices (UT) (2003)
Indian Creek, UT. Awarded a $4,500 grant to the Rocky Mountain Field Institute for trail building and erosion control work on the Bridger Jack trail. Organized a ""Save Indian Creek"" coalition to mitigate ongoing resource impacts. (2003)
Provided $13,500 in grants for trail and impact mitigation projects in four areas including Indian Creek, UT (2003)
Met with the BLM in Monticello, Utah to discuss interim management strategies pending the production and implementation of a recreation management plan for the Indian Creek corridor. (2002)
Castle Valley, UT. Provided financial and administrative support to Utah Open Lands and the Castle Rock Collaboration to preserve a climbing campground and access to Castleton Tower. (2002)
Provided $12,000 in grants for trail and impact mitigation projects in four areas including Indian Creek, UT (2002)
Produced and distributed an interim educational brochure for recreational users of the Indian Creek corridor pending planned BLM management initiatives. This (2002)
Castleton Tower, UT. Provided ongoing support along with a $20,000 grant to Utah Open Lands for the acquisition of land adjacent to Castleton Tower. Acquisition will protect access to the Tower and preserve the historic climbers campground. (2002)
Parley’s Canyon, UT. Provided a $1,500 grant to the Trust for Public Land to support the acquisition of key parking and trailhead climbing access parcel. (2002)

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Utah

Access Fund work in Utah