Take Action and Get Involved The Flatirons area faces serious access threats.
The area for which the FCC has responsibility, from Mickey Mouse Wall to the Dome and Mt. Sanitas already experiences significant restrictions. Raptor closures at the entire Mickey Mouse/Industrial Wall area, the Matron, the Maiden, and the Third Flatiron already exceed what is needed. Whereas the raptor closures in Eldorado State Park are narrowly limited to the specific sections of cliff where the nests are located, the practice within the Flatirons area has been to close the entire cliff. In addition to these seasonal closures, there remains a complete ban on new bolts through Boulder City Open Space. This is one of the most restrictive bolt rules anywhere in the country.
In addition to existing access restrictions, the Flatirons area is threatened with further access restrictions. The on-going Visitors Use Plan process may result in further wholesale closures of cliffs within Boulder City Open Space. The rapid expansion of bouldering in this area presents new challenges and threats.
These threats are very real. If we remain passive and do not take steps to protect our common interests we may see significant further losses of climbing access in our own backyard. All climbers: boulderers, sport climbers and traditional gear climbers are affected by these issues and have an interest in ensuring that new rules take climber concerns into account.
It is a mistake to wait until access problems arise before getting involved. It is much easier to influence land management decisions before they are made than it is to have them reversed after they are made. In this case, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure.
Getting involved with the FCC is the best way to protect our common interests
As the officially recognized representative of the climbing community in dealing with Boulder City Open Space, we are the entity that the city will look to in addressing these issues. Repeated experience elsewhere consistently proves that local climber organizations such as the FCC are the most effective means of addressing local access issues.
The FCC is a new organization. Our direction is not set in stone. Rather, we are very much a work in progress, in the early stages. A few people can make a big difference. Your input can change and improve what we do.
The existing pilot project for new fixed hardware in the Flatirons is a tangible demonstration of the FCC’s ability to effect positive change.
The FCC does not have members in any formal sense. Anyone can contribute time, energy, ideas or money to the FCC. We welcome all responsible points of view.
Trail projects are one of the best ways to both improve the physical climbing environment and all to demonstrate to land managers that climbers take their responsibilities seriously. We all use trails to access local climbing areas. Please take one day a year to help preserve those trails. Such efforts go a long way toward building trust with land managers.
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