Is rock climbing compatible with Wilderness designation

[tkhuntsman]

Interesting article here. I’ve never thought about this. My initial take is that regulating rock bolts is a bit too far, but I know almost nothing about climbing.

What say you?

Feds propose climbing bolt regulation, restriction

The dueling congressional and executive-agency proposals deal with climbing bolts, particularly in wilderness areas, and have divided climbers and other conservationists over how the Wilderness Act should be interpreted and implemented across the U.S.

billingsgazette.com

Hmm no

 

[geetar]

They claim that's because it kills trees. I've hunted plenty of private land for whitetails and never killed a tree by using screw in steps!

I've never heard the argument for killing trees. I always heard it was because people would leave the steps in and it would injure saw mill workers years down the road when the step has grown into the tree and they don't know it's there.

 

[MTGomer]

I've never heard the argument for killing trees. I always heard it was because people would leave the steps in and it would injure saw mill workers years down the road when the step has grown into the tree and they don't know it's there.

That would make sense. Enviro terrorists used to supposedly do a thing called “tree spiking”

 

[BrentD]

Screwing holes into white oaks is a good way to induce oak wilt.

Mostly I see abandoned stands and steps. I cut a bunch of them down after a few years, but there are tons of them left (illegally) on public lands and the DNR and counties don't have the $$, of course, to cut them down themselves.

 

[Treeshark]

I've never heard the argument for killing trees. I always heard it was because people would leave the steps in and it would injure saw mill workers

Yep, same- not just injury, but it raises hell on the equipment.

 

[Bluffgruff]

I would think that as long as the wilderness bolts were hand-drilled, I could support them. I would accept 100% support from climbers on hunting, fishing, trapping, and access issues related to those as proper appreciation for my support.