The US climbing community has enjoyed two days of back-to-back good news. This comes after a year of anxiety over the potential end (for all intents and purposes) of Wilderness climbing, that would have compromised iconic areas ranging from Zion and Joshua Tree to North Carolina’s Linville Gorge.
First, on Wednesday, December 18, the National Park Service withdrew its controversial policy proposal that would have banned fixed anchors from Wilderness areas.
Then on Thursday, December 19, Congress passed the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act, which includes the Protect America’s Rock Climbing (PARC) Act. The Senate voted unanimously to pass the act on December 19, after the House voted in favor of the bill in April. Now, the legislation heads directly to President Biden’s desk for signature.
This marks the first time in history that climbing in the Wilderness will be protected by law. The primary function of the PARC Act is to ensure that no federal agency will again try to classify fixed anchors or other climbing gear—from bolts and pitons to tree slings—as illegal “installations” in the Wilderness. In effect, this bill legally protects the right to climb in Wilderness areas.
“EXPLORE has unanimous, bipartisan support,” explains Access Fund Deputy Director Erik Murdock. “It’s not controversial. It costs the government nothing—it actually saves money.” While EXPLORE and PARC enjoyed broad support, the tumultuous state of Congress at this time of year, with a shutdown looming, made it challenging to pass legislation. But the Access Fund remained persistent—Murdock recently spent a week lobbying in DC, which he calls an essential part of his job.
Murdock credits a few elected officials, in particular, for standing in solidarity with this legislation. Representatives John Curtis (UT) and Joe Neguse (CO) sponsored the PARC Act. Senators John Barrasso (WY), Joe Manchin (WV), John Boozman (AR), Maria Cantewell (WA), and John Hickenlooper (CO) championed the PARC Act as well.
While the U.S. Forest Service has yet to withdraw its policy proposal regarding fixed anchors in the Wilderness, the passage of this new legislation renders the agency’s proposal a moot point. The Access Fund looks forward to working with individual National Parks as they craft or update their climbing management plans—many, like Joshua Tree and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison—have been in a holding pattern as they awaited more clarity on the federal level.
Murdock says the Access Fund is also ready to collaborate with the Forest Service on its own policy—something the agency has never created before. “Hopefully, we’ll use this as a springboard,” Murdock says, “to draft a really good [Forest Service] policy that’s going to protect the Wilderness and Wilderness climbing.”
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