Survey Response, Rock Climbing (Comment)

From Angela, Denver County, September 14, 2008

Overall, how supportive are you of the Plan's recommendations?
Unsupportive.

1. Are there any outstanding issues that you don’t think the plan addressed?
I am very disappointed that the plan does not address rock climbers as a legitimate user group. Current policies towards rock climbers criminilize the activity. Yet in reality, climbing has a similar impact to that of hiking and other mountaineering types of activities. And it has much less of an impact or maintenance requirements than mountain biking.

2. Are there any recommendations that you would like to add?
I would first like to see some specific areas open to rock climbing. I would then like to see you work with local climbing groups such as the Denver Climbers' Coalition to provide long-term solutions to this issue.

3. Are there any statements or recommendations with which you strongly disagree?
On the section regarding parks for conservation . . . it seems as though many of these parks have become private havens for adjacent land owners outside of Denver whose taxes are not even supporting these properties. Yes, it is important to have long-term plans for conserving these areas. However, the idea of conversation is to regulate use of land resources so that they are sustainable for future generations. Currently, no generation has access to them. Instead, Denver is setting a precedent to disallow the public from benefiting from these land resources. Also, conservation does not mean that no user groups should be allowed in the area. Instead, Denver should focus on a sustainable plan that opens the areas up for everyone's appreciation and enjoyment while preserving the natural beauty of the area and keeping it in a wilderness like state.

4. Which recommendations do you consider most important in the short term? No response.

5. Which recommendations do you consider most important in the long term?
I do agree that different areas might support different user groups in different ways. I also support your efforts to create long-term sustainable areas for all of the areas residents.

Other comments:
I hope you will contact local climbing groups such as the Denver Climber's Coalition to be a part of future dialouges. You will also find that climbers will provide labor and support for trail maintenance needs and clean-up events. The climbing community is a large potential resource for you if you will tap into us.