kevbone Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Meanwhile, Joseph's group - the Beacon Rock Climbers Association - has worked closely with the State Parks and Fish and Wildlife on the Peregrine Falcon monitoring and there has been as far as I know little active involvement on the part of the Access Fund nor any real need for such. Thanks Matt for grounding us on this hot topic. Just to clarify one point. It would be Jim’s group. Not Joseph’s group. Joseph (bless his heart) is doing a lot of the monitoring and contact with the land mgr’s but is was Jim that started the Beacon Rock Climbers Association. Jim is the glue that holds us together. Jim is the self appointed care taker of Beacon. Jim is Mr. Beacon rock. If you ever want to meet Jim……go to Beacon (when it is open) on any weekend of your choice and he will be at the base hanging out and talking to people. Shaking there hand and greeting everyone. The funny part about this climbing management plan is I have never heard of it. Nor have a lot of Beacon climbers. I know folks who have put routes up with bolts and they never asked anyone, nor did the rangers come down and rain on there parade. I have replaced anchor’s there and the only person I asked was Jim. He oked it…..I did it. Not to say this is ok. It just is. We have to make sure for the future that if we have to ask permission to establish a route with a bolt that a climber is the one to say yah or nay. And certainly not Joseph. He wants to remove all lead bolts from Beacon. I would say more important that the bolting issue (which is not a issue) is the closing of the rock to a bird that got taken off the Federal Endangered Species list in Feb 98. IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elaine Posted February 13, 2008 Author Share Posted February 13, 2008 I'm not sure what some of this ranting is really all about either? All of this argueing..... pro trad, pro bolts...how about pro climbing????? The original post in all of this came from me wanting to try and find an Access Fund replacement when I step down in May. Silly me thinking that it would be such a simple thing...... And for anyone that wants to bad mouth Bill......... Bill Coe has been one of my favorites since I met him a few years back. He loves climbing with the rookies as well as the long-timers. I 'd hang with Bill whether he was a big supporter of the Access Fund or not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 You know, I'm thinking Bill looks like a pretty good fit for that position... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billcoe Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 (edited) Hey Bill and Ivan: I'm not sure Raindawg's rant has much to do with the topic at hand. As climbers more familiar with Beacon than I am, what do you guys think about the management plan I described above? It's a small place, and things generally get worked out by various folks to everyones satisfaction eventually. That climbing plan was hammer out by Jim and a group of climbers 3 generations ago. As the place was close to climbed out 20 years ago, there isn't much of a reason for a committee meeting to review new routes. Generally the ranger is OK as long as we care take the place and treat it with respect. It is a public park after all. I think Josephs extension of an existing route (which he will be pushing further up a crack system this year) was it for new stuff last year and probably next year as well. What would you have Beacon climbers doing for access or falcons or relations with State Parks at Beacon? Did the Access Fund push through a generic bolting policy that is akin to starting a bolt war at Beacon? Climbers are lucky in that there is currently very professional ranger out there who gets along with everyone and is highly skilled at what he does. The birds are a Washington Fish and Wildlife issue. Until they decide to move along (like the nesting pair on El Cap that moved across the valley to a new scrape for no apparent reason) that issue is stasis. The access fund hasn't had any presence at Beacon. I think that the bolt issue you refer too is that a former AF rep showed up and put in a chain anchor at the oldest, easiest most classic route out there without asking or talking to anyone, something which most active climbers out there felt was piss-poor form. As far as Raindawg goes, I have a long rant I'll save for later. However, it boils down to the fact that to archive his sense of STYLE he would close any area that is predominantly bolted LIKE Railay in Thaland, Caeuse in Switzerland, Broux in France, Smith Rocks at Smith. Beacon is a crack filled place where bolts are not common. An addition of single one like the one Joseph popped in without talking it over much can create quite a needless stir. I thought Jim Anglin pretty much nailed it when in the middle of one of the classic Beacon Rock mud slinging wars online he said something to the effect of: "You folks need to lighten up and go do a road trip" or something like that. Edited to add, thanks for the compliment Kellie! Edited February 13, 2008 by billcoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billcoe Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 You know, I'm thinking Bill looks like a pretty good fit for that position... Bad Doug no biscuit! I don't think I have the skills, time or inclination to herd cats! Besides - Bills' going to be selfish this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 I think that the bolt issue you refer too is that a former AF rep showed up and put in a chain anchor at the oldest, easiest most classic route out there without asking or talking to anyone, something which most active climbers out there felt was piss-poor form. Bill, thanks for the thoughtful reply. Actually the "bolt issue" I referred to was only Joseph's comments in the fourth or fifth post of this thread. He seemed to suggest the Access Fund imposed a particular policy upon Beacon Rook climbers but your post tells a slightly different story. My hat's off to all of those who have contributed to taking care of Beacon and making it a place where lots of us would like to climb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 I don't think I have the skills, time or inclination to herd cats! Who does? Cats bite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevbone Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 My hat's off to all of those who have contributed to taking care of Beacon and making it a place where lots of us would like to climb. So come on down in June......Beacon is the best climbing in OR. And its in Washington. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 I thought Smith Rock and Squamish were the best climbing areas in Washington. I'm confused. (I'd love to visit Beacon.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 I don't think I have the skills, time or inclination to herd cats! Who does? Cats bite. As an aside, anyone who's a cat person knows that when you play with cats, sometimes you bleed. It's just the way it goes. I think you're right that being an AF Rep isn't much different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 I think it is a little different from simply playing with cats. Cats generally mean well even if they get carried away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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