John Frieh

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Well said. 1/1/07 Bozeman Chronicle: Great way to start a new year Thanks to all who have written letters

The current issues associated with Hyalite Canyon are confusing at best. Here is a brief synopsis: - Hyalite Canyon is *thee* most visited winter recreation area in the state of Montana. More outdoor users (slednecks, hunters, xcountry skiers, hikers, ice climbers, etc etc) drive this road in the winter more than anywhere else in Montana. Basically the entire winter recreation community has a stake in this. - Hyalite climbing area can be broken into 2 areas: Hyalite Canyon (the main canyon) and East Hyalite Canyon (Flanders, Palisade, etc etc)... basically 2 separate canyons/drainages. - To access either of these canyons/drainages one must drive Hyalite Canyon Road which is just south of the town of Bozeman. - Hyalite Canyon road is paved until the Hyalite dam/reservoir and gravel beyond that. - The distances along Hyalite Canyon road are as follows: 2.1 Lower Fishing Access 6.1 Langhor Picnic Area 10.0 Hyalite Reservoir & Blackmore Trail Parking Area 11.7 East Hyalite Canyon turnoff 12.7 Window Rock Cabin 13.9 Main Hyalite Parking Lot Before the travel plan the road was never plowed. People would drive the road until the snow became too deep. This could be as early as December or as late March... it all depended on the amount of snow that fell that year. The current FS plan calls for plowing to the dam *assuming* they find funding (which we all know they won't)... if they don't find the funding they will only plow to Langhor Picnic Area (see distances above). Any type of plowing would help ice climbers/everyone ***however*** the FS plans on gating the road where they stop plowing. What does that mean? Regardless of the amount of snow on the other side of the gate the gate will be locked requiring all ice climbers to ski to the Main Hyalite Parking Lot/trailhead. Why does a gate matter? Ice climbing in Hyalite generally requires a 1/2 hour to 2 hour hike/approach from the Main Hyalite Parking Lot/trailhead to the climb adding so an additional ski/snowshoe on top of that (what the gate would add) will effectively kill ice climbing in Hyalite canyon as all one's time would be spent hiking/skiing instead of climbing. Or in FS terms decrease/limit access for ice climbers. What would I like to see? In a perfect world they would plow all the way to the Main Hyalite Parking Lot/trailhead but this isn't going to happen. So what I (and I would guess most would agree) think a great compromise would be is they plow as far as they can afford and where ever that may be don't gate it so we can continue driving as far as we can until snow depth prevents this. Where do things stand? Currently the plan has been approved and will go into effect Dec 31st 2007. We have roughly 3 months to appeal the plan... something the Southwest Montana Climbers Coalition is looking into. I am working with the Access Fund to see if we can get an additional help. In the mean time making the town of Bozeman aware that they will see a loss of revenue due to the FS plan driving ice climbers away would be wise and why I am bugging you all to write a letter. Make sense? I hope you all take 5 minutes out of spray time and fire something off... Look at Will Gadd's letter... if you ice climb or plan to at some point in your climbing career you will likely visit Hyalite... unless the travel plan proceeds as currently defined. 5 minutes... all I ask...

12/27/06 Bozeman Chronicle: Have you written your letter yet?

Being that ice ratings are one of the hardest grading systems for people to get a feel for (espicielly WA/OR based ice climbers) I thought it appropriate to offer some insight into G2's rating before jstreet (or perhaps someone else on this page who saw this TR) headed to Cody or somewhere else and jumped on a 4 there. Was not meant to take away from this great TR.

One of the nicest guys on this website: 5 stars Bill

Anybody headed to Hyalite for the new years weekend? Shoot me a pm if you're going be in the bozone

Good work guys... Hyalite is always worth the drive if the road is in [soapbox]Consider writing a letter to the bozeman chronicle about Hyalite access (check out the hyalite canyon thread in this forum)... imagine having to xcountry ski from below the dam to these climbs![/soapbox] Next time you hike up to do dribbles check out RFM... muy bueno And G2 is a more WI3/3+ than WI4 (especially this year)... still very much a great climb! If anybody is gonna be there this weekend (28th-1st) give me a shout!

12/27/06 Bozeman Chronicle: Write a letter. All the cool kids are doing it

In the 12/24 Bozeman Chronicle: PLEASE write a letter to the editor. Decreased access = less ice climbers = less revenue for the town of Bozeman... everybody loses.

In the 12/23 Bozeman Chronicle: I will post the Chronicle's main business impacts for the town of Bozeman article tomorrow when it comes out (you have to have a subscription to view most of the material) as well as any other letters to the editor that get published. I would love nothing more than to read in the chronicle that they received over 50 letters to the editor regarding the travel plan... but that means you have to write one... You can submit a letter to the editor electronically here: http://bozemandailychronicle.com/webmaster/index.php or good old fashion snail mail here: The Bozeman Daily Chronicle PO Box 1190 Bozeman, MT 59771 Perhaps some of you are thinking "what do I care? I only ice climb in [insert favorite area here]... Hyalite sucks anyways..." I would say consider the fact that if the travel plan does continue as approved then you will most likely be sharing your favorite ice climbing area(s) with all those displaced Hyalite ice climbers next year. Just a thought. 5 minutes of your time... all I ask...

You can submit one electronically here: http://bozemandailychronicle.com/webmaster/index.php or good old fashion snail mail here: The Bozeman Daily Chronicle PO Box 1190 Bozeman, MT 59771 Perhaps some of you are thinking "what do I care? I only ice climb in [insert favorite area here]... Hyalite sucks anyways..." I would say consider the fact that if the travel plan does continue as approved then you will most likely be sharing your favorite ice climbing area(s) with all those displaced Hyalite ice climbers next year. Just a thought. 5 minutes of your time... all I ask...

Best gym in town at 6 bucks a session... what are you waiting for? If you are thinking about climbing here but need a partner shoot me a PM... a few of us climb here Tuesdays and Thursdays

And the new vipers if you look close

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle will be running a story this Sunday about the proposed Gallatin National Forest travel plan and how, if implemented as currently proposed, will result in lost revenue for the town of Bozeman as ice climbers (i.e. you and I) and other winter sports enthusiasts will choose to climb/play else where as canyon access will no longer be viable. Please take the time to write a letter to the editor supporting this and encouraging the Forrest Service to modify the current proposal. Ask anyone: Hyalite is one of the best ice climbing destinations in North America... it would be a shame to lose access. Even if you don't climb there how would you like to start sharing your area with other displaced ice climbers? Take 5 minutes out of your spray time and write a letter.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle will be running a story this Sunday about the proposed Gallatin National Forest travel plan and how, if implemented as currently proposed, will result in lost revenue for the town of Bozeman as ice climbers (i.e. you and I) and other winter sports enthusiasts will choose to climb/play else where as canyon access will no longer be viable. Please take the time to write a letter to the editor supporting this and encouraging the Forrest Service to modify the current proposal. Ask anyone: Hyalite is one of the best ice climbing destinations in North America... it would be a shame to lose access. Even if you don't climb there how would you like to start sharing your area with other displaced ice climbers? Take 5 minutes out of your spray time and write a letter.

BUMP Please send me a PM or post here the number of times you have climbed in Hyalite. Make sure to include (an estimate is fine) how many days/nights you stayed in Bozeman on each trip and whether or not you own a snowmachine. Bottom line: The Bozeman Chronicle is considering a story that could sway public opinion with respect to the current Gallatin National Forest travel plan. If you climb ice or are thinking about climbing ice some day this affects you.

BUMP Please send me a PM or post here the number of times you have climbed in Hyalite. Make sure to include (an estimate is fine) how many days/nights you stayed in Bozeman on each trip and whether or not you own a snowmachine. Bottom line: The Bozeman Chronicle is considering a story that could sway public opinion with respect to the current Gallatin National Forest travel plan. If you climb ice or are thinking about climbing ice some day this affects you.

Sounds like a great reason if you ask me d00d! Money spent to spend time with loved ones is always a sound investment Ms. Kennedy and I will be in attendance... also rumor has it the hound himself will be showing up... I gotta confirm with him but that was the plan last I heard. Hopefully all the ice climbing he has been doing will make him a little rusty at plastic so you and I can keep up with the youth. Perhaps a pub club afterwards?

makes me happy

If the plan goes through as currently defined you will have to ski/hike from BEFORE the dam. http://montanaice.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=1 http://cobalt.rocky.edu/~kalakayt/SMCC/Hyalite_map.pdf http://cobalt.rocky.edu/~kalakayt/SMCC/Hyalite_document.pdf http://cobalt.rocky.edu/~kalakayt/SMCC/Hyalite_table.pdf http://cobalt.rocky.edu/~kalakayt/SMCC/Hyalite_ROD.pdf

Trip: Hyalite - winds of change Date: 12/19/2006 Trip Report: Guilty Parties: Mark Harro (insert favorite brokeback mtn joke here): Marcus D (Kumbaya My Lord... Kumbaya): So the plan was BBB in CO but the windstorm Thursday canceled our flights so MD and I reset and headed for Hyalite as word on the street was Narcolepsy was in... Narcolepsy was put up in 1995 and as far as anybody knows hasn't been in since then. That and Hyalite is going off this year... alpine drive start: mandatory stop in Hood River: Daniel Harro put me in contact with his bro Mark (Daniel and Mark are the other Team Harro ) who was kind enough to let us couch surf at his place. As it was so balmy we opted for later starts (or alpine starts if your name is Bryan Schmitz ) on routes that catch morning sun so they would be more plastic instead of brittle. It just so turns out Narcolepsy is east facing so we headed up there on Sunday (Narc on the right): We must have had the right idea as we ran into Joe Josephson (JoJo) at the base of Narc... JoJo is a funny SOB and very cool guy. JoJo spouting beta :grlaf: : JoJo on Narc: Marcus gets his turn: Marko: While we waited for JoJo's group we gave lurking smear (another rarely formed route just CL of Narc) a go but the morning sun had delamed it so we bailed: After we all earned our Narc merit badge we stopped at champagne sherbet on the way back to the car: Monday Marcus and I snuck a quick lap on the good looking one before headed back home. Marcus looking good on the good looking one: Quotable quotes: ...you know... I can totally understand how disappointing it must be for you guys to not be from Alaska... ...well in JoJo's book he said...I AM JOJO!!!!! THAT'S ME!!! ...Hey! Leave some ice for the rest of us! ...I making an ice sculpture! I'm making a swan! ...Make me a dolphin! ...I'll just get extra cheese on my omelet... that should plug me up long enough so I don't have to dump in the woods. ...THE PENGUIN PUMP! ...oh... THAT Bryan Schmitz... ...that's creamy Brazilian... ...Hey Mr. Guidebook Author guy... where is the next tool placement? IN YOUR BUTTHOLE! ...my tools are definitely not limiting my climbing. ...the power is still out at my house so I bivyed in the Pearl ...cc.com?!?! Oh that website where everyone is too chickenshit to use their real name... ...any day I tie in is a good day. Any day I tie in and swing a tool is a great day. But any day I tie in, swing a tool and sleep in my own bed is an excellent day... If you still aren't sold compare this pic to the one in your guidebook... can you say fat? Gear Notes: stumptown Etc: if the gate goes in next year this could be your last year to climb a lot of these climbs unless you own a big snowmachine

Hey all I'm going to guess almost all of you can't or won't drive to Bozeman just for this meeting but if you are headed that way or already out there (Hi BillA ) I would encourage you to attend. Myself or JoJo will be posting updates in this thread... hopefully their will be some opportunity for some of us to get involved without physically driving to Bozeman. Details on the Gallatin National Forest travel plan can be found on montanaice.com. It doesn't look good for ice climbers at this point. I hope you all take a little time to get involved.