Closure at Smith

[EWolfe]

[RANT]

I was at Smith last weekend with Alpinfox, Yos, and GaperJeffy working on a potential new route near Go Dog Go, and a couple of people approached me and said the area was closed.

 

I talked to a few other people that were locals, and the general consensus was that hiking was being discouraged, but the area was still open. There are draws on Go Dog Go, BTW.

 

There is a fence built just below the climb with a "No Trail" sign just above it. The whole area has been platformed up with rock and barricades to make it flat - it's not like any vegetation is going to grow back through 3 feet of rock. As well, it is an established 3-star .12c.

 

So when I got back to the 'Ham, I logged onto SmithRock.com, and sure enough, according to "The Park", it is closed.

 

I can totally understand raptor closure, vegetation rehabilitation closure, and erosion control closure,

but none of these are the issue !

 

It seems they just randomly built the fence to stop below an established climb, and then call the area above "closed". According to SR.com, there weren't any volunteers to extend the fence another 10 feet and 2 switchbacks to include the area!

 

[/RANT]

 

Thoughts?

[tomtom]

There are, what, a thousand climbs at Smith?

 

I hate to hear that it ruined your day.

[TimL]

dumdum - thats not the point. I'm with MisterE on this one. It sounds like a half ass job. Go Dog Go and Vision are both super mega classic routes. Its not like they are not including some obscure climb. In general, I think the fence and the erosion control measure are a good thing, but this was really stupid not extending it to Go Dog Go.

[Thrill]

There are, what, a thousand climbs at Smith?

 

I hate to hear that it ruined your day.

 

yeah a thousand climbs and 5000 people on each one. so closing a good climb for no reason IS a big deal. I'm thinking there has to be a reason but no one is giving any. were the people that said it was closed rangers or just random peeps hiking a closed area to tell others it was closed?

WTF?

[erik]

why bitch about it and not do anything? if you see a problem address it with the proper managing agency.

[Alpinfox]

 

They were random peeps (Bend locals) but they weren't hiking in the closed area because the closed area is only five feet away from the open area.

 

It's really dumb.

[Thrill]

I would probably climb it until a BLM or State Parks ranger came and told me it was closed, at which time I would ask why it was closed and whom to talk to, to get it re-opened. or you can head it off and go to access fun.

[erik]

closed areas tend to be near open areas...funny how that works....

 

again who cares about locals...you need to talk to the managingin agency, and my comment about bitching is in reference to the post here on this website.

[tomtom]

12th Annual "Spring Thing"

 

This one day event focuses on restoration projects to protect and enhance the Smith Rock State Park area.

 

Saturday, May 8, 2004

Registration is at 8 AM by the main fee station at Smith Rock State Park

Parking passes included for all volunteers

Free dinner for volunteers starts at 6 PM with video of the day's events, and the ever popular auction and raffle

Contact bandc@teleport.com for more information

 

Here's a chance for you to do something instead of just bitch about the efforts of others.

[tomtom]

Route Closures:

 

The Monument area is closed due to nesting eagles, February 25th - July 31st.

 

Go Dog Go Access

[Alpinfox]

Hey TomTom,

No need to get all high and mighty. You don't know what contributions MisterE (or I) have made to the park in the past. I can assure you that MisterE is not just bitching on the internet and not planning to do anything about it. He told me he plans to talk to the rangers/management. Talking about the issue here is just a prelude and may uncover some important issues/info like this from the post you provided:

 

Posted by "Mike" on smithrock.com:

"The closure is supposed to be temporary until a trail is built to prevent erosion. The park ranger ask for trail volunteers but nothing came of it.

People interested in volunteering for projects should contact Dave Slaght at 541-480-1683"

 

What doesn't make sense about this is that there is NO EROSION CONTROL ISSUE in this case. The area below GoDogGo is a series of man made retaining walls/rocky platforms. There is no trail or natural area between these and the belaying areas for Captain Xenolith & Helium Woman.

 

 

 

I've worked on trail improvement/restoration projects before and I will do it again. Thanks for providing the info, but for the attitude.

Edited March 23, 2004 by Alpinfox

[Thrill]

you all crack me up.. either way.. it was because of the post that I now know if this issue.. bitching isnt all bad.

[jlag]

The area below Go Dog Go USED to have native and natural grasses growing below it. I agree the Gabians(rock filled retainers) are ugly and don't help the issue but erosion is the #1 problem at Smith right now. I don't know how the park could close that area but leave others open. I've talked with DAve about rotating closures through the park to help re-vegetate the worst areas but he knows all the climbers(especially from out-of-town) will throw a fit. THey did this with Red Wall a few years back and it worked great. The point is Go Dog GO is not a permanent closure, it'll open up when some 5.8 climbers volunteer to help out with the labor. Putting a fence up there is much harder than you would imagine.

[glassgowkiss]

of fuck, just get on with it and pave the whole park. that area is as wild as your local wall mart parking lot. most of the vegetation in that place was killed when the park service set the whole place on fire few years back. and somehow the park managers were not oposing plans for a huge golf course resort just across the river.

[jlag]

The fire burned less than 20% of the actual park. I personally know most of the rangers there and they never supported the golf course resort. What Smith Rock is to you is not the same to everyone else. I rarely climb around other people there and go to places that have erosion control. Get a clue before you spray.

[RuMR]

he's not spraying....he lived there looooong before the masses were climbing there, before there was a paved parking lot, sidewalks, bridges etc...i think he's probably turned off by the condition of the park

 

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

Ah, on a personal sort of note related to this here topic (look, DFA is drinking some Tecates while the Missus is out, and his verbiage is resultantly beery, so do forgive, eh?), Mr. Dr. Flash Amazing was flailing amazingly on said Go Dog route a couple weeks ago or so, and the rangerman didst approach. Came up to the fence by them easier routes below, he did, approaching from the Chain Reactionareteroute. The ranger hisveryownself did say that it was OK to be up there, provided one approached from the trail (such as it is) over by the Prophet Wall. Also, it was implied and even inferred prior to the ranger's arrival that maybe not having the entire party parked at the base of Go Dog Spire or whatever the fuck you wants to call it would be a wise 'n' responsible course of action, from a general responsibility and erosion mitigation type of standpoint.

 

Hope the fuckin' temps cool off over there, tell you what ...