Peshastin Pinnacles Gettin' Mothballed

[DPS]

Has anyone called Joe Sambatoro at the Access Fund? He owes me a favor. He knows what for.

[sobo]

Is Andy Fitz (posts here) still involved in the AF as well? I don't think he checks in here very often. Seems like he's over at WCC more, and I don't frequent that board. Could one of you WCC types look into that?

[num1mc]

 

I seem to recall very clearly back in 1990/1991, as a dues-paying member of the Access Fund, that my money was going towards the purchase of Peshastin Pinnacles. I joined and contributed to the AF specifically for that reason, since I felt that this resource was worth acquiring/preserving, and I always enjoyed climbing there immensely, despite the rep the place has for crumbly, run-out routes. I just like climbs like that...

 

Yes, I remember giving money at the time to the American Alpine Club Access Fund. I just thought that the TPL was also very involved, and the Access Fund channel funds to the TPL. But like I said, I could be wrong.

 

And I also joined the Access Fund specifically for the Pinnacles

 

It was mentioned several times that they do not intend to ticket or fine people who visit mothballed parks (obviously assuming they are not doing anything else illegal).

 

This will need to be beat into the heads of the Chelan County Sheriffs

[obwan]

Close the f--ker, just don't write me any tickets as I have the "all access pass", and we'll go to the judge on that one. ::

[LilWing]

Losing this would be a shame. Cleaning park toilets does SUCK, but maybe we can all write in our letters to the parks department that we are willing to help out to keep services open and ask what we can do to help them. In fact, I'm going to go write the head of that region right now.

[obwan]

Good for you, that will help. We should not be banned from this Classic climbing area.

[iampam]

Close the f--ker, just don't write me any tickets as I have the "all access pass", and we'll go to the judge on that one. ::

 

There is no "all access pass" for Washington State Parks.

 

If there ends up being problems with the local law enforcement, beyond illegal parking, I suggest taking it straight to the State Parks board of commissioners, as they seemed convinced that there would still be some level of access at the mothballed parks.

 

However, writing to Parks with vague promises of wanting to help won't do much good. You need an organized group, such as a Friends of group, and a concrete plan that covers volunteer hours and the money it takes for things like pumping vault toilets.

[DavidW]

Lots of good point brought up here. I have been emailing Parks people for about a month now but so far they all just tell me to email someone else.

 

It seems that there is room for 3 or 4 cars to park in front of the gate to Peshastin which is nicely set back from the actual public road. I have been trying to get someone to say whether we could get ticketed for blocking a locked gate or some other government double speak. Let 'em have their grass and picnic tables, parking is gonna be the issue for visiting a moth-balled park i would bet.

 

Peshastin (along with Castle Rock) is probably the longest running rock-climbing show in the state and many of us still enjoy the experience. Wasn't this the first rock climbing park anywhere? Despite government-induced stagnation the place actually has been continuing to get upgrades on a sporadic basis.

 

Let's not lose this place!

[iampam]

Parking (as far as mothballed parks go as a whole) will probably depend on where people are parking and if it's legal or not.

 

The whole point of mothballing parks is that they stop using any Ranger time which costs money. So if people are parked on State Parks property, no Park Rangers are going to go there and ticket them. I am not sure if local law enforcement would have authority to do so, that's something to discuss with your local rangers.

 

But I bet at many of the parks, they'll block them off close to the main access point, so if there is no parking on the public roads outside the park, people are going to have to get creative.

 

There's no easy solution in most of those cases. But good luck at Peshastin, I hope you all are able to organize and find a solution that still gives you climbing access.

[LilWing]

I actually worked for state parks for 3 years... so I was not making vague promises of hours. My volunteer sheet for the hours I have given since I have moved on speaks for itself.

[markwebster]

I emailed the address above and received this response from a very nice person in the government:

 

---------------

Hi, Mark,

 

Thank you for taking the time to put your questions and concerns into

an e-mail. We are gathering all comments regarding the possible park

closures and sending them to the State Park Commissioners.

 

Washington State Parks purchased the Peshastin Pinnacles from the Trust

for Public Land in May 1991 for approximately $350,000.

 

The Index Wall property was purchased by the climbing community, which

in the process of giving it to Washington State Parks.

 

If any of the State Parks are closed due to budget cuts, the public may

still walk into the park to use it. The gates will be closed and the

vault toilets locked. I trust the climbing community will take very good

care of the park grounds.

 

Thank you for your support!

 

Cheers,

(name withheld for privacy)

Public Affairs Office

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission

 

-----------------

 

I encourage all of you to write as well. And, I shouldn't have to say this...but speak politely, we don't want to give "the man" a bad impression :-)

 

I love the Pinnacles. Bring back Trigger Finger!

[chris]

So the bottom line is that we need to determine some sort of legal parking outside of the gate, right? Can we park even if it blocks the gate?

 

[tilia]

I just got back from the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust annual member dinner. I talked to Bob Bugert (Executive Director) about your desires to possibly take on volunteer management of the park so that it can remain open. If y'all are serious about volunteering to take care of this park in the event it stays on the closure list, someone should contact him directly. He can help you get organized and possibly craft some sort of legal agreement. CDLT helped secure this property originally and are interested in seeing it stay open to public use. You can get his email address here:

 

http://www.cdlandtrust.org/contact%20us.html

phone: 509-667-9708

[num1mc]

I seem to recall very clearly back in 1990/1991, as a dues-paying member of the Access Fund, that my money was going towards the purchase of Peshastin Pinnacles. I joined and contributed to the AF specifically for that reason, since I felt that this resource was worth acquiring/preserving, and I always enjoyed climbing there immensely, despite the rep the place has for crumbly, run-out routes. I just like climbs like that...

 

 

 

Yes, I remember giving money at the time to the American Alpine Club Access Fund. I just thought that the TPL was also very involved, and the Access Fund channel funds to the TPL.

 

Washington State Parks purchased the Peshastin Pinnacles from the Trust

for Public Land in May 1991 for approximately $350,000.

 

Like just I told you Sobo

Edited October 23, 2010 by num1mc

[sobo]

And point goes to numimc! On to Round 2, fans!

 

I'm gonna make a guess and say that I'm a bit older than you, so I'm allowed to fergit shit from time to time...

It's either that, or all of the I did as a young man that's causing my memory lapses...

[num1mc]

And point goes to numimc! On to Round 2, fans!

 

I'm gonna make a guess and say that I'm a bit older than you, so I'm allowed to fergit shit from time to time...

It's either that, or all of the I did as a young man that's causing my memory lapses...

 

Bring it!

 

And excuses are like assholes, everyone has one. Simple fact is I dominated you intellectually

[sobo]

Oh ferchrissakes, gimme a break, Einstein! You just remembered something better than I did. No real intellect in action here by either of us.

[num1mc]

Oh ferchrissakes, gimme a break, Einstein! You just remembered something better than I did. No real intellect in action here by either of us.

 

Sounds like the talk of a loser. Like some little intellectual pip-squeek who decided to battle a giant and lost.

 

Loser

[sobo]

Be humble in victory, and gracious in defeat. I've done my part. Now you do yours.

[num1mc]

Be humble in victory, and gracious in defeat. I've done my part. Now you do yours.

 

You're right. It isn't your fault that you are slightly challenged. It's all that radioactive drinking water you guzzle

[sobo]

*you are ignoring this user*

[num1mc]

*you are ignoring this user*

 

You're just saying that. You still want to know what I say about you and your posts, because you're like everyone else on these boards. You are about you