Rocks of Sharron & Climber Impact

[Bob Loomis]

Dear Fellow Climbers,

 

Last weekend I was up at the Rocks of Sharron/Tower Mountain/Big Rock/Krell Hill (ROS), south of Spokane. It was my first time up there since last fall. The grass was green and full. All the wild flowers were in full bloom--the shooting stars, the buttercups, etc. But I noticed some climber impact. This August will be the one year anniversary of the area coming into public hands and I anticipate there will be more climbers up there as well as other users. My hope is we can avoid having the ROS end up looking like Minnehaha.

Minnihaha has many issues, most of which are not created by climbers. Examples include the graffiti. But climbers have over the decades contributed to the hard pack beneath many outcrops and the general denuding of the ground.

So I wrtite to encourage you, my fellow climbers, to try to think about how to tread lightly. This could mean not creating new trails if avoidable, picking up trash if you see it, minimizing the use of a crash pad, etc. I trust in your good judgment to see what needs to be done or to be avoided, and to act accordingly for those to come.

We have a great little gem in the ROS and I hope we can keep it that way for generations to come.

 

Cheers,

 

Bob Loomis, Spokane, WA.

[summitchaserCJB]

I think this sentence would make more sense like this. "This could mean not creating new trails, if possible."

Edited April 27, 2010 by summitchaserCJB

[Bob Loomis]

Hi SummitChaser,

 

Thanks for correcting my English. My general impression is the ROS already have plenty of trails, including accessing the base of all the major outcrops, so creating new trails is likely not necessary. Again the general tenor of my comments was to make suggestions and trust in people's good judgment about how they might reduce the magnitude of their impact.

 

Cheers,

 

Bob Loomis, Spokane, WA.

[sobo]

I think this sentence would make more sense like this. "This could mean not creating new trails, if possible."

Hey Summitchaser,

Although Mr. Loomis certainly doesn't need me to stick up for him, why don't you try to not be such a public ass and grow up as bit before you make such inane comments. You obviously have no idea who Bob Loomis is, do you?

 

Yeesh! Kids these days...

[Pilchuck71]

You obviously have no idea who Bob Loomis is, do you

 

Dude whoa...you don't realize who Summitchaser is do YOU?

You should read his amazing posts on the infernets.

 

Just kidding Sobo.

 

Summit - respect your elders.

 

 

[wayne]

Thanks Bob. Your protege and I are headed out there today, We will keep that in mind.

[summitchaserCJB]

Ya that post was stupid. My bad.

[sobo]

Ya that post was stupid. My bad.

Now you're getting it. Carry on!

[King Beatard]

Ya that post was stupid. My bad.

 

You can always come post on the Beacon Bitching Forum *cough, I mean, the Columbia River Gorge Forum. It doesn't matter how stupid you are, you'll fit right in.