May 7, 2021  |   

In order for you to ‘Know Before You Go’, FOJT and Access Fund have teamed up to help put some important context into play before encouraging commentary from the climbing community to this process, that will shape climbing policy for many years to come (like, twenty). Friends Of Joshua Tree is a joint member organization of the Access Fund, and this is an excellent example of important ways that we collaborate on issues of national importance to the climbing and active outdoor recreation world. 

At a public meeting on April 20th, the park introduced key aspects of it’s new Climbing Management Plan (CMP) outline and process. While the majority of the plan outline was well presented, and planners have been open and responsive to climber input, Access Fund is concerned with how park planners presented on Wilderness climbing. They asserted that fixed anchors are prohibited in designated Wilderness—which is not in line with National Park Service policy and is not a position shared by other national parks.

It is critical that the park understand NPS policy and the long-standing precedent of appropriate conditional fixed anchor use in Wilderness. Right now, park planners have set a questionable, baseline assumption that fixed anchors are prohibited in Wilderness. And they have begun to couple this assumption with proposed management strategies, without first exploring a spectrum of ideas and solutions—which is the purpose of the CMP planning process.

Joshua Tree park planners need to hear from the climbing community—both on the question of Wilderness climbing and other aspects of the CMP. 

SEE THE ACCESS FUND FULL HEADS UP HERE before writing comments to JTNP. 

AF ALERT 

When you’re ready, write your comments to JTNP… 

TAKE ACTION NOW

Thank you in advance for speaking up for climbing at Joshua Tree National Park.

FOJT and Access Fund