Climbing Ranger at Red Rocks

It appears, due to the climbing ranger at Red Rocks, that starting next month no early entry passes will be granted. Gates will then be open at 6 am. instead of 7 am.

It just seems like the rules for this place keep getting worse and worse. If it is paper work they want to avoid, why not just leave the gates open all the time.

Maybe the climbing ranger is a bad ass and never desends at night. On the other hand, I always seem to descend at night. That extra hour can really help get a little further down some of those decents with the available light in the winter.

Bob 'slow ass' Cable

Before you buy.

Hmmm....conveniently before Thanksgiving. Guess I'll be in 'kiss ranger ass on the way out because I had an epic day and almost died and I was so scared and I promise it will never happen again so please don't fine or spank me' mode. Been there, done that. Seems like lot's of other folks have too. I wonder if you can just get a bivi permit for the long routes and not worry about when you leave. I know that a couple times when I called and gave them my route list that they mentioned they were 'bivi routes' and asked if I would be staying in the park overnight. Of course that doesn't do much for low elevation routes with slow parties ahead of you.

So are you going to have to show a pass or pay at 6:00 am? Seemed like a nice way to avoid that was to call and get the pass.

Cheers, Frank

The way rules get worse and worse has to do with the strength developed through anal retention. The tighter and longer the authorities hold their sphincter muscle, the stronger it gets, and the more rules they can enforce with it. Alternately, ours keep getting more and more worn out from obeying stupid rules.

Peace

karl

The bivy permits are limited to quite small numbers and specific climbs.

When talking to the ranger last Spring he indicated that they were planning on closing that non-payment loophole. This is probably their way to do it.

I think there are two general categories of climbers, Young ones and Old ones.

The Young ones don't like to get mixed up in the political process. This isn't limited to climbers, politicians count on it from all young folks. They probably still have a bad taste in their mouth from dealing with all the authority of parents and school and feel they can't win.

The Old climbers don't like to get mixed up in the political process. This is limited to climbers, we have a history of being a bit anti-authority from the years of being considered pariahs as young climbers.. They probably still have a bad taste in their mouth from dealing with all the authority of rangers.

Rec.climbers are probably exceptions to the rules explained above. We and all the other misfits just don't add up to enough power to win all the time except when the restrictions are so egregious as to piss off more folks than just us.

Karl 'just talking shit since the taste is in my mouth' Baba

Karl, I think I know where you're coming from but I have to say that my sphincter is pristine and virgin with respect to outside influences. I'd almost rather you had made your proverb involve us having to involuntarily eat shit, but that's not a reasonable alternative either. And that's what this really gets down to: if we don't actively work towards setting policy, then the authorities will try to either make us eat shit or shove it up our ass. I've done much more than my share of letter writing over the years. Why don't more climbers exercise their rights as voters? Please don't tell me we're collectively lazy. People that get up at 2 am to go dodge rock and ice raining down a gully are not lazy. Even the late-sleeping gym climbers I know aren't lazy. Maybe non-climbers are right - maybe we're stupid. I might buy into that as a whole considering some of the dipshit acts I've witnessed (especially within the last 10 years) but all my partners are not at all lacking intellegence nor motivation.

Speak up Rec.Climbers. Are you doing your share? Can you do more?

Mad 'onward' Dog

Ha ha ha! Jesus Christ, I almost split my gut when I read that sentence.

No, not doing enough I'm afraid. I once pondered calling up a high school buddie's ex-girlfriend who is a state representative to help out the Hueco Tanks situation, but dropped the ball. Lost her damn phone number.

-Tim

Before you buy.