A proposal by federal agencies that could have severely limited the use of fixed climbing anchors in wilderness areas is now dead, following adoption of legislation signed into law by President Biden last weekend.
Among the provisions in the wide-ranging EXPLORE Act (an acronym for “Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences”) were protections for rock climbers who use fixed anchors for safety. Last year the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service issued “proposed guidance” that threatened to restrict the use of fixed anchors in wilderness areas, arguing they were “installations” prohibited by the Wilderness Act of 1964.
In September a letter signed by both Colorado senators and a dozen others urged the NPS and USFS to reconsider, arguing that the guidance raised safety concerns. Last month the NPS announced that it was dropping the issue.
Cynthia Hernandez, a spokeswoman for the NPS, delivered a statement on the matter but declined to elaborate.
“The NPS has discontinued the development of this proposed guidance,” according to the statement. “Park leaders will continue to manage climbing activities in wilderness on a park-by-park basis consistent with applicable law and policy, including the Wilderness Act.”
With the EXPLORE Act now law, the issue is moot.
“We had heard very informally that the park service was going to withdraw their proposed guidance,” said Byron Harvison, advocacy director for the Golden-based American Alpine Club. “I think they probably still believe in their attorney’s opinion that fixed anchors are prohibited installations per the Wilderness Act. We’ve always had the stance that (opinion) is incorrect.
Harvison stressed that the American Alpine Club supports the regulation of fixed anchors as long as federal agencies take a “reasonable” approach.
“Calling fixed anchors ‘prohibited installations’ was never the intent of the Wilderness Act,” Harvison said. “This is a chance to come together, compromise and work together collaboratively on reasonable regulation of fixed anchors.”
Fixed anchors are attached on rock climbing routes so climbers can use ropes to protect them from potentially fatal falls. They have been used since rock climbing became a sport more than a century ago. Examples of their use can be found on a nearly 1,000-foot vertical section of the East Face on Long’s Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. No one can see them except climbers who are using them.
“There are still pitons in there from first ascensionists, back in the 1920s and 1930s, that are still utilized,” Harvison said. “Had the park service and forest service guidance become permanent, even those historic fixed anchors potentially could be removed. Now we’re dealing with the planning process for new fixed anchors. The alpine club has always supported wilderness, and we support the regulation of fixed anchors. We just don’t think it should start from that baseline of being prohibited. Now Congress and the president have affirmed this.”