Arizona

Access Fund work in Arizona

Ongoing communication with the Friends of Queen Creek and Resolution Coper Company regarding an Access Fund-held recreational use license that maintains climbing and bouldering access to Oak Flat and Queen Creek Canyon east of Phoenix. (2007)
Work with Resolution Copper Company to finalize insurance, assumption of risk waivers and other details supporting a recreational use license that will preserve climbing and bouldering access at Oak Flat and Queen Creek Canyon east of Phoenix, AZ. (2006)
Negotiations with Resolution Copper Company and Arizona Senator Jon Kyl's office on a recreational use license that will preserve climbing and bouldering at Oak Flat and Queen Creek Canyon. (2006)
Work with Tucson climbing activists to ease unreasonable raptor restrictions at US Forst Service-managed Cochise Stronghold. (2006)
Final negotiations with Resolution Copper Company on a recreational use license that will preserve climbing and bouldering access at Oak Flat and Queen Creek Canyon east of Phoenix, AZ. (2006)
Continued work on the public lands recreation fees issue where climbers have been unfairly targeted. Discerning whether a USFS fee program in Arizona complies with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. (2006)
Communication and strategizing with members of the Prescott Climbers Coalition on approaching the land manager at Groom Creek in the Prescott National Forest about an MOU in order to perform trail projects. (2006)
Provided organizational support to launch the Prescott Climbers Coalition (2005)
Advocated on behalf of Friends of Queen Creek at the Red Rocks Rendezvous (2005)
Follow-up and information gathering for climber fined for placing fixed anchors in an Arizona wilderness area. (2005)
Advocacy work concerning the Queen Creek/Oak Flat area of Arizona that is threatened by a massive copper mine proposal. (2005)
Local and national advocacy work concerning the Queen Creek/Oak Flat area of Arizona that is threatened by a massive copper mine proposal. (2005)
Lobby work with the USFS in Washington, DC and Tucson, AZ, and work with a defense attorney in Tucson, to defend the prosecution of a climber who legally hand-placed bolts in the Catalina Wilderness (2005)
Advocacy work on the Queen Creek/Oak Flat area of Arizona that is threatened by a massive copper mine proposal and could result in the largest loss of climbing ever. Our work includes meetings with congressional staff, negotiations with Resolution Copper Company towards a recreational use license for Oak Flat, and an assessment of potential Oak Flat replacement areas (2005)
In spring 2005 the US Forest Service (USFS) issued unauthorized citations to a Tucson climber charged with illegally bolting on the Coronado National Forest. If convicted, these charges could have led to widespread restrictions on public land climbing everywhere that uses fixed anchors. In November, the Access Fund policy program assisted in a legal defense in Tucson which ultimately led to the dismissal of these charges (2005)
Advocacy work concerning the Queen Creek/Oak Flats area of Arizona that is threatened by a massive copper mine proposal; assistance forming the Friends of Queen Creek (FoQC). Additional work with AF lobbyist in Washington, DC concerning efforts on Capitol Hill advocating to preserve climbing access to the Queen Creek area. (2004)
Regional coordinator work: Arizona: working with Sedona Ranger Dist. to reopen Oak Cr. Climbing area; organizing clean-ups. (2004)
Climbing preservation grants awarded in 2004: Friends of Queen Creek, Arizona. The Friends of Queen Creek (FOQC) received a grant to help with the their effort to preserve public access to Oak Flat and Devil’s Canyon. This area represents a unique climbing resource with over 2,000 boulder problems and more than 800 routes. This is the site of the Phoenix Bouldering Contest as well. Currently there are plans to build a large copper mine at this site. (2004)
Negotiated with the Navajo Nation regarding opening up limited portions of Monument Valley Tribal Park, AZ, to permitted climbing. (2003)
Began negotiations with the Navajo Nation regarding opening up limited portions of Monument Valley Tribal Park to permitted climbing. (2002)
Oak Creek Scenic Overlook, AZ. Working with Northern Arizona Climbers Coalition and the Forest Service to lift a climbing ban at the scenic vista. (2002)
Human waste management projects received $4,000 to support toilet installation or maintenance in three areas including Jacks Canyon, AZ (2002)
Provided a $1,500 grant to assist in the formation of the Tucson Climbers Association. The group will represent climbers in the region by working on southern Arizona access issues. (2002)