Wilderness and wildlife are under relentless pressures at this moment in history, including from growing demand for recreation.
Unfortunately, right now some members of Congress are pushing a bill to allow permanent “fixed anchor” rock climbing in America’s National Wilderness Preservation System. The “Protect America’s Rock Climbing Act” (H.R. 1380) might seem innocuous, but it has big consequences. Its one purpose is to indirectly amend and weaken the landmark 1964 Wilderness Act.
H.R. 1380 is the proverbial crack in the Wilderness Act’s armor and a harbinger of what’s to come. While the bill’s title overstates the impact of Wilderness designation on rock climbing, the bill’s enormous impact on the integrity of the Wilderness Act and our National Wilderness Preservation System cannot be overstated. In fact, both the Department of Interior and the U.S. Forest Service have testified against H.R. 1380.
H.R. 1380 would allow the defacement and degradation of Wilderness from the permanent installation of fixed climbing anchors. The use and maintenance of fixed anchors in Wilderness is, and always has been, prohibited by the Wilderness Act’s ban on “installations.” Fixed climbing anchors degrade wilderness character through lasting signs of human development and by attracting and concentrating use on sensitive rock faces—at great expense to native plants and animals.
The Wilderness Act certainly does not prohibit rock climbing so long as it is done without permanent installations. Iconic climbs in Wilderness should be free of discarded climbing gear and permanent alterations. And, lowering the difficulty of a climbing route to a climber’s skill level by bolting goes against the essential spirit of the Wilderness Act. Rather than hammer a rock face into submission, a climber may have to accept that a route that cannot be climbed without bolts should not or cannot be climbed at all. Climbers themselves are not unified on using permanent fixed anchors in Wilderness, and many instead support a climbing ethic with a strong Wilderness ethic.
If H.R. 1380 were to become law and effectively amend the Wilderness Act for a subgroup of recreationists, it would certainly invite other users to try and do the same. There is a long list of user groups all vying for a piece of the Wilderness pie—from mountain bikers, to commercial filmmakers, motorboat users, airplane pilots, and much more.
Wilderness Watch supports primitive recreation in Wilderness that adheres to the Wilderness Act’s mandate to preserve “wilderness character.” The Wilderness Act needs to remain intact and not eroded by the recreation rage de jour. Please write your members of Congress today. Urge them to oppose H.R. 1380 and help keep Wilderness wild!
- Read a sign-on letter signed by over 40 conservation organizations opposing H.R. 1380
- Read our oped: “The Protect America’s Rock Climbing Act” is an imminent threat to Wilderness”
Photo: Sawtooth Wilderness, ID by Leon Werdinger
