Road 18 caves closed to climbers by USFS

TRADITIONAL MOUNTAINEERING™
www.TraditionalMountaineering.org™

TraditionalMountaineering logo representing the shared companionship of the Climb ™

Road 18 Caves closed to sport climbers by USFS

This is the story of how climbers can be singled out and unfairly deprived of a venue by land managers. The Road 18 Caves are a potential source of tourist income for the Forest Service. An Environmental Assessment was written. The USFS revised their original management EA after meeting with The Access Fund, The American Alpine Club and local climbers, and recommended their Alternative C which would have permitted limited, appropriate, responsible, high quality sport climbing to continue in certain caves. Then, a one page letter was sent to the USFS by the Tribes of Warm Springs (who had not participated in any of the lengthy meetings on the subject). The USFS Decision was made based on this single letter from the Tribes. Although the established discretely bolted climbs of great difficulty were no where near the single pictograph wall, the caves were closed to climbers, but not to party folks who continue to use over twenty fire rings assembled in the caves over at least 50 years. The long established bolts were removed from the shadows of the high ceilings. The climbers, who had worked on this cave climbing issue since 1998, just ran out of steam. --Oregon Climbers Coalition.

Road 18 Caves USFS Environmental Assessment published

Caves EA response from The Access Fund

Caves EA comments by scientist

Caves EA revised by USFS recommending Alternative C

Caves revised EA acceptable to The Access Fund

Caves declared a tribal resource, climbers banned

Caves Editorial recommends closing to sport climbers

Caves Op-Ed by Brooke Sandahl, Metolius

Caves Op-Ed by Robert Speik, Oregon Climber's Coalition