Climbing Ban Remains on Cave Rock

August 28th, 2007 Wade

Cave Rock is an iconic image in the Lake Tahoe area. Other than that, it is also the source of a controversy that involves the climbing community, the Access Fund, the Forest Service, and the Washoe tribe. Cave Rock is considered sacred by the Washoe tribe of the area. The Forest Service wants to protect the archaeological and cultural aspects of Cave Rock. The climbing community and the Access Fund believe there is also room for rock climbing in the area.

However, a three panel federal appeals court ruled Monday that a ban on climbing Cave Rock is still in affect. The Access Fund argued that public lands cannot be closed for religious purposes. Critics also argue that any insignificant damage that could be caused to the rock could not come close to the damage done by the federal government when they blasted tunnels in the rock for highways in 1931 and 1957.

See the full story in the Aspen Times.

Entry Filed under: General, Outdoor News