Most of the climbing in SW montana is on public land- owned by the Forest Service, the BLM, or National Park Service. The SMCC works with these land managers, and others, to ensure climbers have access to their favorite crags and waterfalls.
Bozeman Pass/ Schmidt Property
Your help is needed now to protect the future of rock climbing on Bozeman Pass.
As many of you know, a large land conservation project involving over 2000 acres has been underway on the Pass for the past few years. The project will protect a critical wildlife corridor and provide new access points to public lands. The project will also directly benefit the climbing community.
Many of you contacted the Montana Congressional delegation last year in support of this project. Thanks to those efforts, Congress appropriated $1 million in the 2005 Land and Water Conservation Fund Budget. The project requires an additional Congressional appropriation of $1.6 million. Your help is needed again this year to secure the last increment of funding necessary to complete the project.
Without the conservation project the long-term prospects for climbing on Bozeman Pass are not good. The popular climbing area on the north side of I-90 is entirely on private land. Most of the crags on the south side, including Frog Rock, are situated on public land, but access to the rock is across private land. Parking for all of the climbing is along I-90, and the Montana Department of Transportation has stated unequivocally that it will eventually curtail use of the present parking areas for safety reasons. In short, future climbing on the Pass is at risk.
The conservation project, once completed, will secure permanent access for climbers who wish to enjoy the limestone crags on both the north and south sides of I-90. The climbing area on the north side of I-90 will become public land administered by the Gallatin National Forest. Plans call for the development of a new parking area, a trail allowing permanent public access to the crags, and cooperative management of the area for climbing. Another new trail will provide public access to Frog Rock and other crags on the south side of I-90.
To achieve that result, however, as many letters, e-mails, and calls as possible from climbers are needed now. Please contact, and ask your friends to contact, Senator Burns, Senator Baucus, and Representative Rehberg encouraging their support of this project. They need to hear from you to help them convince Congress that this budget item deserves priority. If you can write only one letter, address it to Senator Burns, since he is on a key committee with respect to this funding.
An action alert further describing the project and providing addresses and other information is attached. Also attached are sample letters, but we encourage you individualize your letter and inform our representatives that you use these lands and that they are important to you.
Southwest Montana climbers cannot afford to lose climbing areas. The small amount of time required from each of us to write letters could yield a big benefit.
You can help by contacting the Montana Congressional delegation using these forms, if you like:
Action Alert- More Background Info
Sample letter to Max Baucus
Sample letter to Conrad Burns
Sample letter to Denny Rehberg
Thanks for Your help!
Allenspur climbing access
Just south of Livingston lie a collection of limestone crags with about 40 routes, providing some of the most accessible climbing to any town in Montana! The climbing at Allenspur was originally developed almost 10 years ago. Beacuase there were only a few climbers, access was granted to the base of the crags. However, as it became more popular, the landowner became more concerned about allowing access to the general public. As such, the area was off-limits to climbing for several years. In early 2004, however, the SMCC worked with Mrs. Hilda Harper, a landowner who was happy to allow climbers to cross her land to access the cliffs. For more info, and directions to the crags...
Securing Access to this area was made possible by the hard work and contributions of the following groups and individuals:
Mrs. Hilda Harper, the landowner who donated the legal access for climbers to cross her land.
Bill Dockins, SMCC Board Member, who drafted the legal documents which made this access legal and permanent.
Metolius, the climbing gear manufacturerer, who provided hangers at very reduced cost, to replace some missing hangers on the crags, making it a safer place to climb!
Northern Light Trading Co. in Bozeman paid for the rest of the cost of the hangers.
Bureau of Land Management, Butte Field Office, spoke with us about the climbing on BLM land. the crags are technically located on BLM land; the BLM may, in the end, provide signs delineating the private land.
In early 2002, the Gallatin National Forest began revising its Travel Plan- the plan that determines what roads will be open or closed, and when; where Off-Road Vehicles can go; where trails will be built. This could clearly have huge effects on climbers throughout this National Forest- but the most obvious place where it could impact climbers is in Hyalite Canton. The Forest Service had little idea that ice climbing was such a popular pursuit in Hyalite.... until they recieved 900 letters from climbers, asking that the road not be gated low in the canyon (which would prevent climbers from geting to the ice).
In early October, 2004, Gallatin National Forest released its "Prefered alternative"- how they would like to manage the Hyalite Road.... and the new was good! The plan is to plow the road to Chisholm campground (near East Fork road turnoff), and not gate it at all. This is the best we could realistically have hoped for! All this is due to your hard work in writing letters, and the skill of SMCC representatives, who clearly explained to the Forest Service why continued winter access to Hyalite was good for ice climbers ( both local and from out of the area), Bozeman businesses, and other recreationists.
Travel Planning is a long and involved process, and its not over yet! The Gallatin National Forest has asked that everyone hold off until January, 2005 to submit their comments on their proposed travel plan... we'll let you know
Summary of current Hyalite Canyon Winter Proposals - (Nov. 2004):
To help you understand how the current proposals will affect your ability to ice climb in Hyalite Canyon, First Ascent Press and www.montanaice.com have put together the following summary. The Gallatin National Forest does claim that Alternative 5 is their preference. We would prefer climbers to support Alternate 7.
Alternate 7 -This is the Forest Service's Preferred alternative. Plow to Chisholm Campground (near the East Fork and Main Fork road junction and two miles from the Grotto Falls parking lot) and closed to snowmobiles beyond. We could still "punch" open the road as long as possible. Since the road normally drifts in around the Hyalite Reservoir dam ( effectively closing the road there) , this alternative offers significant improvement over the current access.
View Alt 7 Map
Alternate 1 - This is the "no action" alternative. Those familiar with the Forest Service Travel Planning process suggest that the odds of them keeping the status quo is highly unlikely.
View Alt 1 Map
Alternate 2 - This suggests plowing to the Reservoir with groomed trails beyond the Dam and open to snowmobile traffic. Although this sounds better than the current unplowed road, "groomed trails" means the road will be blocked at the Dam, stopping vehicle traffic. Not good for ice climbing unless you own a snowmobile.
View Alt 2 Map
Alternate 3 - This alternate plows all the way to the Grotto Falls parking lot. This would also provide good access for ice climbers in Hyalite.
View Alt 3 Map
Alternate 4 - Plow to the Langhor area with groomed XC trails beyond and closed to snowmobiles. This alternative would effectively halt all ice climbing in Hyalite.
View Alt 4 Map
Alternate 5 -For climbers in Hyalite, this is the same as Alternate 7.
View Alt 5 Map
Alternate 6 - This is the same as Alternative 2 but without the snowmobile access.
View Alt 6 Map
The information above regards Hyalite Canyon in winter only. Each of the seven alternatives propose significant changes to every area in the Gallatin; winter and summer. It is important to note that written support for a particular alternative regarding winter travel in Hyalite does not mean you are supporting every proposal for that alternative. That is, it is not an "all-or-nothing" proposition.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
Stay tuned for specific dates for the upcoming public comment period in early 2005. The final public comment period will be our final chance to have a say in winter access to Hyalite Canyon - the best all-around ice climbing venue between Ouray, Colorado and Canmore, Alberta.
Read the Travel planning document on the FS website here:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/gallatin/index.php?page=projects/travel_planning
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