freeclimb9 Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 cut and pasted from codyice.com: Hello All, We have less than one month to save ice climbing access into Bozeman's Hyalite Canyon - one of North America's premier areas! The proposed Travel Plan will effectively keep any climbers without a snowmobile from accessing the ice. The alternative is to keep the roads open to vehicles to the current parking lots at Grotto Falls and Pallisade Falls. Throughout the surrounding Gallatin Forest there are numerous quality cross-country ski and snowmobile venues - including the Hyalite terrain above the two parking lots. As for ice climbing, on-the-other-hand, it is all we have. Please read the below pasted letter by Chris Naumann outlining some steps we can take. If you are a professional photographer, business owner, gear vendor, sales rep, or writer/publisher please take a few moments to write a letter outlining the recreational and economic importance this area has to your business. As Chris says below, we feel the USFS basically has no idea just how many ice climbing user days Hyalite Canyon recieves. If you don't have time to craft your own letter, PLEASE check in with Chris at the addresses below to get a form letter you can copy and sign. Thanks in advance for your help. Yours, Joe Josephson Joe Josephson 524 Professional Drive Suite C Bozeman, Montana 59718 phone: (406) 582-0668 fax: (406) 587-5870 Hey Gang-- I don't know if any of you have caught wind of the proposed travel plan for the Gallatin National Forest. The travel plan is a very comprehensive overhaul of the intended-use designations and travel restrictions for the entire road/trail system. Of particular concern is the Winter Use Plan for Hyalite Canyon. From interpreting the usage map, it seems that the road would be plowed to Langhor Campground beyond which point the road would be groomed for snowmobiles and cross-country skiers. The transition from plowed road to groomed trails must ultimately involve a gate across the road at that point. This obviously means no more driving to the trailheads leading to all of the ice climbing in Hyalite. I have put in several inquires via different channels within the local Forest Service offices, and have yet to get an official and/or specific description of the plan for Hyalite Canyon Road. I suspect the powers that be have no idea of the extent of the ice climbing or the amount of usage up in the drainages of Hyalite. There is an initial public comment period that ends November 22nd. There is comment page on the website below: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin/projects/travel_planning/ To review the Travel Plan for Hyalite further go to this URL and follow the directions: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin/projects/travel_planning/index.shtml Click on "Benchmark doc (complete)"... Go to "Chapter III"... Click on "hyalite.pdf" This week I will be starting a petition in support keeping the road open. The petition will also detail how many days each person drove beyond the reservoir last winter. I think these "user days" are a critical statistic to making a case. So, do your part fill out the comment form on-line, check out the plan, and take note of the timeline indicated on the main website...this is a long process, but it is none to early to start making our voices heard. Forward this e-mail to anyone you know who has/does ice climb in Hyalite...if you received this e-mail as a forwarded message, e-mail climb@barrelmountaineering.com to be added to the list of folks to receive further updates concerning the Travel Plan. Thanks for reading this lengthy e-mail, but I trust the information was worth the effort. Chris Naumann Barrel Mountaineering 240 East Main Street Bozeman MT 59715 406.582.1335 ph 406.582.1302 fx www.barrelmountaineering.com climb@barrelmountaineering.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 NO!!!! For those of you CC.comers who haven't yet had the opportunity to climb in Hyalite Canyon, imagine Bridge Creek Road in Lilloet being closed at the mouth of the canyon. Sure you could still get to Nightengale, but damn... Even more important, spending hours in the darkness digging your rig out of a snowbank with a tiny shovel should be every Hyalite ice climbers rite of passage. Please sign the petition! Ummmm, well if someone finds the link to the petition, please post it here! [ 10-28-2002, 11:54 PM: Message edited by: Lambone ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 here's a link to: Hyalite Ice Climbing if you want some addtional info. That sucks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeclimb9 Posted October 29, 2002 Author Share Posted October 29, 2002 bronco, thanks for the link. I added my comments suggesting that road access not be changed in Hyalite canyon. It took, like, two minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Parker Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 Is thre Access Fund involved? My friend Jason works there (attorney). Jason@accessfund.org or 1-888-863-6237. Maybe they can help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted October 30, 2002 Share Posted October 30, 2002 I climbed for the first time ever in Hyalite Canyon (ROCK). Very beautiful and something to be appreciated, for sure. Was Lowe's stomping grounds.....Oh Montana how I miss ya! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pindude Posted November 7, 2002 Share Posted November 7, 2002 Update today from Barrel Mountaineering. If you haven't provided your comments to the USFS, take the time to do it now. And if you have, it will help to do so again and include the "important points" included below. -------------- Hyalite Canyon Ice Climbing Access Threatened **Please read this e-mail** **Please send your comments to the Forest Service today** **Please forward this e-mail to any climbers/backcountry users you know** The Gallatin National Forest has released a Benchmark Travel Management Plan that would seriously impact access to the ice climbing in Hyalite Canyon just South of Bozeman, Montana. The benchmark plan would result in the road being plowed to the Langhor Campground at which point a gate would block the road. Beyond the gate the remainder of the road would be groomed for snowmobiles and skiers. If implemented, this plan would force ice climbers to reach the climbs by either snowmobile or by skiing a minimum of 8 miles one-way [to climb Genesis I-the closest climb-would involve 4 to 6 hours of skiing]. The process is still very young, and the Forest Service seems willing and ready to listen to public input. It seems that the Forest Service is not aware of how large a user group the ice climbers are or how important Hyalite is to ice climbing in the Northern Rockies. Therefore it is important to realize that the sooner we all contact the Forest Service the more likely they are to amend the plan and include access to the ice climbs. The first public comment period ends Friday, November 22, 2002 If you are "from out of town/state/region", the important message to convey in your comments is that Hyalite Canyon is nationally and internationally know for the quality and quantity of ice climbs. Please also inform the Forest Service if you have ever climbed ice in Hyalite...how many times and when. If you have not climbed in Hyalite, stress that you plan to or would like to be able to in the future, and therefore, continued access to the climbs is critical. Below are some important points to include in your written comments: 1. Indicate how many times you went ice climbing up in Hyalite last Winter. These "user days" are how the Forest Service quantifies a specific use of Forest lands. 2. Stress that Hyalite Canyon is the only ice climbing area within 150 miles of Bozeman. Therefore, it is imperative that the Forest Service preserve the access to the ice climbs and this important group of public land users. 3. Point out that snowmobiling and skiing are valid recreational activities, but they can be practiced in many places where waterfall ice climbing is unavailable. In Hyalite, Langhor and Moser Creek could still be reserved for cross-country skiing. Other areas conducive to non-motorized use, and particularly cross-country skiing, include Brackett Creek, Sourdough/Bozeman Creek, and Bear Canyon. These are three geographically different areas provide easy access from Bozeman and feature topography that lends itself to cross-country skiing. It seems that the Benchmark Travel Plan provides plenty of other options for motorized, specifically snowmobile, winter use. 4. Suggest that an alternative to the existing Benchmark Plan would be to plow the road to Hyalite Reservoir and clear out the Blackmore Parking Area as a winter turnaround/parking area. Then allow Forest users to continue to drive up the road as long as conditions allowed, similar to the current situation. The reservoir could provide a convenient place to "dispose" of the plowed snow that would ultimately melt and contribute to the water supply during the Spring and Summer. To review the Travel Plan visit the following URL: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin/projects/travel_planning/index.shtml Contact the Forest Service [Must be postmarked by Friday, November 22] WRITE: Gallatin National Forest Attn: Steve Christiansen PO Box 131 Bozeman, MT 59771 E-MAIL: mailroom_r1_gallatin@fs.fed.us put "Travel Plan Comments" in subject line ON-LINE COMMENT FORM: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin/projects/travel_planning/html/form_comments_gnf.html Thanks for your attention and activism. Please feel free to contact us with any questions. Barrel Mountaineering 240 East Main Street Bozeman MT 59715 406.582.1335 ph 406.582.1302 fx http://www.barrelmountaineering.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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